[Chance]

I think it looks large enough to camp out of, but not large enough to camp inside. Perhaps a cargo version with pop-up roof could work OK, but size looks no larger than my Honda Odyssey minivan. Obviously you can sleep comfortably on a mattress in a large minivan, and we have, but in my opinion it wouldn’t make a practical Class B motorhome. Headroom appears way too limited.

It would be better than sleeping on floor in a tent, but for a camper build its size would need to be similar to 136” LR ProMaster at a minimum for me to even consider.

 

[Chance]

The pop top would be a nice change - after the ProMaster, I'd hate to give up standing.

A quick search shows two styles of pop-up on what appears to be shorter Euro variant. I’m not a fan of any canvas due to mildew and mold, but even if that wasn’t an issue, I would find the very low roof too restricting when on a road trip. Once set up for camping it may be better, but moving around with only +/- 4-feet of headroom is not fun. A low-roof ProMaster would be far better as far as interior mobility.

 

[Chance]

Partial inside view.

 

[Chance]

I'd like to see what those people consider "long" range - I get 470 miles total range on my Promaster

For me 20 MPG with 20 gallons useable fuel capacity for 400 miles of range is about the minimum I would prefer. Of course greater MPG or larger tank is better, but hardly a necessity.

A low roof ProMaster with additional 4~6 inches of headroom as result of an aero permanent hard top would be perfect if overall height is kept under 8 feet. The added interior height plus a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine with at least 150 HP would make a much more practical camper for us than a BEV; at least for time being. There are days I still drive over 800 miles and I could not do it in an electric van.

 

[Chance]

Gary,
If you cannot get to a charging station, is it practical to charge your Tesla overnight (16 hours?) with 120 volt access?

I believe most owners use 240V at home which is much faster. My son connects to 50A which charges at 32 Amps, and can charge battery in 8 hours or less, depending on state of charge. Another family member who has larger-battery Model S upgraded to 100A service at home but told me yesterday he rarely pulls more than 50 Amps from outlet. Still plenty to easily keep battery topped off at home.

120V is limited to about 12 Amps so is very slow by comparison. Article below covers different options and charging speed.

The complete guide to Tesla charging at home, on the go and autonomously

Each level of charging delivers different charging speeds. Different Tesla configurations have a maximum charge power they can accept. Choosing the right Tesla charger minimizes hassle and installation costs. And maximizes your enjoyment of electric driving. Keep reading to make charging levels...

www.pluglesspower.com

 

[Chance]

ID. Buzz range
Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure or the WLTP = 263 miles
Real world test at 56mph =225 miles, at 75mph =154 miles
It hasn't gone through epa testing for range but will be lower than the WLTP

Interesting test data confirms how driving speed affects economy, whether gas or electric.

TFL also reviewed ID Buzz and mentioned longer-wheelbase USA version would have 91 instead of 82 kWh battery. With that extra 11% capacity the van should be capable of close to 200 miles at around 60 MPH, maybe better.

A couple of young guys got to test a Euro variant in California and reported averaging 2.8 miles per kWh which suggest well over 200 miles of normal local driving. Their review did show the Buzz is fairly small compared to my Honda Odyssey. It may be taller but appears narrower and shorter.


Driving range test data you quoted may have been a little higher if temperature was a little warmer, though I suppose it could have been lower if much colder. Anyway, van isn’t very large but is quite heavy.

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Range Test Reveals Very Good Results

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is one of the latest all-electric vans, available in Europe. It has a relatively good efficiency and range as to its size.

insideevs.com

 

[Chance]

Many campgrounds are already asking (or telling) customers not to charge their BEV toads while at campground, and a few like some KOA are adding dedicated chargers for BEVs.

When charging was being done by only a few campers it probably wasn’t an issue. However, when an EV is plugged and draws 32 Amps at 240 Volts, that’s equivalent to four (4) large RV roof-top air conditioners. And since campers then use the 30A X 120 VDC to power other loads including air conditioning in summer, the campground will soon be overloaded.

Most campgrounds will have to make major electrical upgrades, or will have to prohibit EV charging. Many campgrounds are already marginal in summer because they didn’t upgrade enough when 50A RVs became more common.

 

[Chance]

Our homes will be overloaded too if everyone starts charging their BEVs at the same time while running air conditioners.

Agree, though it’s unlikely everyone will need to charge at same time which may delay shortages.

If average car is driven 12,000 miles a year, it’s only 33 miles per day. A Tesla 3 can do that on an average of 8 kWh daily, so a typical day would require charging a little over an hour at 32 Amps X 240 Volts.

If done at night in summer, when A/C loads are much lower, it may not overload grid and distribution too badly (though in Texas it’s already inadequate due to population and business growth).

The real problem is that charging at night when A/C loads are lowest in summer is less than ideal towards reducing greenhouse gases, which is main reason for BEVs in the first place.

 

[Chance]

I'm sure some changes will be in needed, but the utilities will be making a lot more money from EV charging to fund these changes. Most businesses like the idea f seeing demand grow and making more money. And, its not like we have a choice.

I don’t believe utilities operate like competitive businesses in free markets, so comparison is hard for me to follow. At least in Texas I don’t see how having greater demand will help anyone. We already have a mess.

The one thing I would bet on is that electricity rates will go up a lot with demand, even after adjusting for inflation. The poor, especially those who don’t drive BEVs, will be hit hardest; unless government steps in an subsidizes their electricity at expense of others. Transition may be necessary, but will require huge investments that society will struggle to fund in one way or another.

 

[Chance]

Or they will have to put a meter on all the connections and charge for actual use (in addition to upgrading the infrastructure to support it).

Yes, exactly. Some of the newest pedestals with BEV charging capabilities I have read about are essentially just that. But like you say, major electrical upgrades to support higher power demand is required. Ultimately, I would like everyone to pay for what they use to encourage efficiency and reduce waste.

You’re also correct about low voltage at many campgrounds. That’s one reason some campers use transformers to boost voltage in order to protect their equipment. However, that doesn’t improve current capacity at pedestal, so breaker will trip anyway if too much demand. Some campgrounds reportedly prohibit those devices though it may be very difficult to enforce.