Why this New Hybrid Pickup is the Best for Vanlife
#Vanlife is more than a passing fad at this point, it offers an escape from the monotony of everyday life, an affordable way to live, and an alternative for those who don’t fit nicely into the mold of society.
The median house price in the US is now north of $400,000 and rising fast. For many, the idea of home ownership is now unattainable.
This is where vanlife finds its appeal, offering what can be a much cheaper cost of living and a dynamic, challenging, and rewarding lifestyle.
Vanlife appeals to me due to my goals of retiring early and living life on my terms. The thing I find daunting about all this is picking the right vehicle that will enable the lifestyle you envision. Taking the plunge and dropping your hard earned cash on a vehicle for vanlife is perhaps the hardest part of this journey. The remainder of this article is dedicated to exploring the options you have for a life on the road, their pros and cons, along with my top pick.
The first thing to understand are your needs. Each person has their own objectives and preferences, this will be your primary guiding principle. As an example, if you plan on getting to remote locations deep down forest roads, a 4x4 truck may be your best option. Others may want to focus on maximizing living space and comfort.
Next is to be open minded to all your options, don’t get fixated on only one type of vehicle and exclude other potentially great choices.
First category are small or “micro” vans. Examples include RAM promaster city, Ford transit connect, and Nissan NV200. These are ideal for lower cost of ownership and stealth. Due to their small size you can park anywhere and few people will suspect someone will be crazy enough to be living inside. The small size translates to better fuel efficiency and overall cost savings.
The disadvantages here are the reduced living space and limited off road performance.
Next are perhaps the most popular and these are full size cargo vans such as the RAM promaster series or Ford transit. A huge benefit here are the multiple sizes these are available in. They can be found with extended wheel bases and high roof options. These are a great all around pick for vanlife due to their mixture of versatility and living space. Compared to the micro vans discussed above, these vans have higher clearance and are a bit more competent off road. The biggest upgrade is their larger interior space making them more practical and sustainable for long term vanlife. These vans do have their downsides mostly focused around cost. These vans are in high demand and are cost prohibited for many. In addition, the larger size and weight requires a more robust engine and results in poor gas mileage. The combination of life on the road and poor gas mileage are brutal for your monthly budget.
Another option are pickup trucks with campers in the bed. Full size pickups have similar trade offs to full size vans. The biggest difference is the configuration of the living space and the added off road capabilities found with many 4x4 pickup trucks. Building or buying an in bed camper is an extra expense but is potentially offset by the used pickup truck market that has no shortage of options and prices to choose from. Due to the camper shell, the stealth factor will be largely sacrificed and thus, compared to vans, this option is better for the more adventurous type that plan to spend most of their time on the dirt.
The final main path is trailers. Aside from mass produced tow behind camper trailers, a popular move here is to convert a cargo trailer into a camper trailer. If you already have a tow capable vehicle this can be a cheap option and provide lots of living space depending on the size trailer you opt for. This option separates your vehicle from your living space which some find appealing. The cons are the inconveniences that come with towing a trailer, most notable are the difficulty of parking (in both city and off road environments) and the complete loss of stealth.
We can see that each option has its own trade offs. It seems the best overall option would be an electric or hybrid full size van. Unfortunately there are currently no such options and when they do arrive you can bet they will be expensive.
That’s why I propose the next best option available today is the new 2022 Ford maverick compact pickup truck. It will have some of the same disadvantages as a normal truck camper, mainly the construction or purchase of a camper shell and the loss of some stealth.
The advantages of the vehicle to me far outweigh the negatives. The first major pro is the cost of ownership. The maverick is a hybrid pickup that gets 40 MPG, that’s almost as efficient as a Prius. The starting price is $20,000 brand new, that’s cheaper than most used vans. New vehicles also have much lower maintenance cost, so combined with its 40 MPG and low price, this is one of your best options from an economic standpoint.
The major drawback I can see with the Maverick is the 4 and a half foot bed, it can be expanded to 6 feet with the tailgate open but it’s still not roomy by most standards. If that’s unworkable you can go for the trailer option using the maverick as a tow vehicle and retain many of the same benefits.
As important as it is to make the right purchase, taking action is paramount. Researching and daydreaming about vanlife is just a form of escapism if never enacted. Actually living an alternative lifestyle rather than daydreaming about it, is what vanlife is all about.