Electric Campervan Conversion Specialists
Electric campervan conversions have arrived. The range is there, the charging network is there, and the conversions we’re building today are every bit as capable as their diesel equivalents — with lower running costs, a better driving experience, and adventures that leave nothing behind but tyre tracks.
At Sunbox Campers, we’ve been converting electric campervans since the technology became genuinely viable for touring and off-grid adventures. From our workshop in Newhaven, East Sussex, we work with customers from across the UK who are ready to make the switch.
We’ve solved the challenges that held electric back: off-grid heating that works year-round, electrical systems designed for real camping, and practical solutions tested over thousands of miles. Our customers wild camp, tour for weeks, and use their vans in all seasons — electric hasn’t meant compromise.
We convert three van platforms, plus a plug-in hybrid option for those who want extended range flexibility. Each suits different priorities, and we’re genuinely agnostic about which you choose — we’d rather help you pick correctly than push you toward the wrong vehicle.
Why Choose an Electric Campervan Conversion?
The Practical Benefits
Running Costs Charging an electric van costs roughly a third of what you’d pay for diesel to cover the same distance. Over typical ownership, that’s thousands of pounds saved on fuel alone. Add reduced servicing costs — no oil changes, fewer brake replacements thanks to regenerative braking, simpler drivetrain — and the economics become compelling.
The Driving Experience This catches diesel owners off guard. Electric vans are genuinely lovely to drive. The instant torque, the smoothness, the quiet. We’re firm believers that it’s important to love driving your camper, and electric delivers something different.
Environmental Impact If you’ve spent years camping in beautiful places, you’ve probably developed a relationship with those landscapes. Electric vans aren’t zero-impact — batteries require mining, electricity has to come from somewhere — but the lifetime carbon footprint is significantly lower, especially as the grid continues to decarbonise.
Addressing the Concerns
Range Modern electric vans offer 150-230 miles of real-world range depending on model. Most weekend trips involve 100-150 miles each way — all three vehicles we convert handle this comfortably. For touring holidays, the UK’s charging network now includes nearly 87,000 public charging points. The infrastructure has reached the point where charging is genuinely convenient for most journeys.
Charging Time Yes, charging takes longer than filling a diesel tank. But most charging happens while you’re doing something else — sleeping at a campsite, having lunch, exploring a town. The 30-45 minutes at a rapid charger is a coffee break, not wasted time.
Heating This is the question that matters most, and at Sunbox we address it honestly. Unlike some converters, we don’t gloss over the heating challenge. We explain the options clearly — including which vehicles can have off-grid heating and which can’t — so you can make an informed choice.
Read our complete guide to electric campervan heating →
Three Platforms, Different Strengths
We convert three van platforms for electric and electrified campervans. The right choice depends on your priorities, not on us pushing you toward one over another.
Fiat e-Scudo
The Practical Choice
The e-Scudo flies under the radar. Most people searching for electric campervans have heard of the ID Buzz; fewer know this option exists. That’s worth reconsidering.
Key Strengths:
- Gas heating capability — reliable off-grid warmth year-round
- Genuine 4-berth with pop-top roof and rock ‘n’ roll bed
- Widest interior (1,628mm) for comfortable sleeping
- Strong second-hand market with well-maintained ex-lease vehicles
- We can help source through our Fiat dealer partnership
Real-World Range: 170-180 miles Rapid Charge: ~45 minutes to 80%
The Stellantis Advantage: The e-Scudo is mechanically identical to the Citroën ë-Dispatch, Peugeot e-Expert, Vauxhall Vivaro Electric, and Toyota Proace Electric. If you find a good example of any of these, we can convert it — dramatically expanding your sourcing options.
Best For: Year-round camping, families needing 4 berths, off-grid capability, value-conscious buyers who want maximum functionality.
Explore e-Scudo conversions →
VW ID Buzz
The Icon
The ID Buzz costs more than the e-Scudo. It can’t have off-grid heating installed. The interior is narrower.
And people queue up to buy them.
There’s something about this van that doesn’t fit neatly into a specifications comparison. It taps into decades of VW campervan heritage, wrapping modern electric technology in styling that makes people smile — both the people driving it and everyone who sees it.
Key Strengths:
- Best range of the three options (180-230 miles real-world)
- Fastest charging (200kW capability, 10-80% in ~26-33 minutes)
- Iconic T2-inspired styling with cutting-edge technology
- VW campervan heritage reimagined
- We can help source through our VW dealer partnership
The Trade-Off: No off-grid heating possible. The chassis design doesn’t permit gas installation. Buzz owners use vehicle heating, campsite hook-up, and 12V electric blankets — a different approach that works brilliantly for three-season camping and site-based winter trips.
Best For: Style-focused buyers, maximum range priority, three-season camping, those who appreciate the VW heritage and modern driving experience.
Explore ID Buzz conversions →
VW Transporter / Ford Transit Custom
The Familiar Layout — Electric or PHEV
The new VW Transporter shares its platform with the Ford Transit Custom. For some Transporter loyalists, this partnership is difficult to accept. For others, it’s a sensible collaboration that delivers a capable van with a familiar layout.
This platform is unique among our offerings: it’s available as both full electric and plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
Full Electric (e-Transporter / E-Transit Custom) Pure electric driving with 150-170 miles real-world range. Rapid charging in around 40 minutes to 80%. Ideal if your typical trips fit within this range and you have reliable charging access.
PHEV (Transporter / Transit Custom) Combines electric driving for shorter journeys with a petrol engine for longer trips. No range anxiety, but the benefits of electric driving around town and when on campsite hook-up. For many customers, this represents the best of both worlds.
Both versions offer:
- Gas heating capability for year-round off-grid camping
- Reimo pop-top roof and Vario rock ‘n’ roll bed (German-engineered for this platform)
- Genuine 4-berth capability
- The familiar Transporter layout
- We can help source through our VW dealer partnership
Which powertrain? If you’re confident in charging infrastructure and your typical journeys, full electric makes sense. If you want electric benefits without committing fully — or you regularly do longer trips — the PHEV removes range concerns entirely.
Best For: Transporter loyalists, those who want the familiar layout with an electrified drivetrain, buyers who want off-grid heating capability.
[Explore Transporter/Custom conversions →]
The Heating Question
This is the single biggest technical difference between our electric conversion options, and it’s worth understanding properly.
The Challenge: Your campervan’s habitation system runs on a separate 12V leisure battery — not your vehicle’s main traction battery. And 12V simply isn’t powerful enough to generate meaningful heat for extended periods without a battery bank so large it would fill your cupboards and cost more than most conversion budgets.
Two Approaches:
Gas Heating (e-Scudo and e-Transporter) We can install a Propex gas heater that runs from a small campingaz bottle, providing reliable off-grid warmth just like a diesel heater would. If year-round off-grid camping matters to you, this is the most practical solution.
Vehicle Heating + Hook-up + 12V Solutions (ID Buzz) The ID Buzz chassis doesn’t allow gas heating installation. Buzz owners use a combination: vehicle heating for warming the space, campsite hook-up when available, and 12V electric blankets for sleeping. This works brilliantly for three-season camping and site-based trips.
Neither is wrong — they’re different approaches for different camping styles.
Read our complete guide to electric campervan heating →
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Fiat e-Scudo | VW ID Buzz | VW Transporter / Ford Custom |
| Best For | Year-round off-grid, families | Range & styling | Familiar layout, powertrain choice |
| Powertrain Options | Electric only | Electric only | Electric or PHEV |
| Real-World Range | 170-180 miles | 180-230 miles | 150-170 miles (electric) / unlimited (PHEV) |
| Rapid Charge | ~45 mins | ~26-33 mins | ~40 mins (electric) |
| Off-Grid Heating | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| 4-Berth Capability | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (tighter) | ✅ Yes |
| Interior Width | 1,628mm | 1,230mm | ~1,780mm |
| Used Base Vehicle | £20,000-28,000 | £38,000-50,000+ | £32,400+ |
What You Get in a Sunbox Campers Conversion
Sunbox Campers is a design-led company — more atelier than factory. We build beautiful campervans using sustainable materials: FSC-certified wood, Thermafleece insulation (natural sheep’s wool for superior thermal and acoustic performance), and quality fabrics including sustainable options like Chieftain Earthly (100% recycled).
Every van is handcrafted by skilled craftspeople at our East Sussex workshop. We work at a relatively small scale, offering variations of tried and tested designs. This lets us focus on getting each van right for the customer who’ll be living with it.
Your Personal Touch Every conversion includes choices that make it yours: flooring style and colour, upholstery fabrics, wood finish, interior lining, curtain colour. You work with our team to create something that reflects your personal style.
Electrical System Options From standard 12V setups suitable for campsite use, through to comprehensive off-grid systems with lithium batteries, solar charging, and induction cooking capability. We design the electrical system around how you’ll actually use the van.
Cooking & Heating Packages Gas cooking, electric induction, or hybrid approaches. Off-grid heating where the chassis allows. We explain the trade-offs honestly so you can choose what works for your camping style.
Vehicle Sourcing
You have two options:
We can help source your van. We have partnerships with both Fiat and VW dealers, so we can help you find the right vehicle from trusted partners. We often have advance notice of suitable vans before they’re publicly listed.
Or source it yourself. Many customers find their own vehicle and bring it to us for conversion. Whether you’re in Sussex, London, the Midlands, or further afield, if you can get the van to our Newhaven workshop, we can convert it. We’re happy to advise on what makes a good base vehicle wherever you’re searching.
Next Steps
Already know which vehicle interests you? Get in touch to discuss conversion options and timelines.
Still deciding? Book a consultation with Sunbox Campers. It’s a conversation where we discuss how you plan to use the camper, which vehicle suits your needs, and what a conversion would involve. We can meet at our Newhaven workshop or chat via video call. There’s no hard sell — we’re happy for you to go away and think about it.
Want to see examples? Browse our completed conversions, or ask about viewing a finished van in person at our East Sussex workshop.
Book a consultation →
View completed conversions →
Contact Sunbox Campers
We’d love to hear from you! Please drop us an email or give us a call to organise a consultation.
Email: hello@sunboxcampers.co.uk
Phone: 07973 687950
Our workshop is in Newhaven, East Sussex. We’re easy to reach from London and the South East, with customers coming from across the UK. You’re welcome to visit our workshop to see completed conversions and discuss your project in person or over a video call.
Book a consultation →
Knowledge hub
INTRO
The Ultimate Guide to Heating Your Electric Campervan
Fiat e-Scudo: The Electric Van You Haven’t Considered
The 3 Best Electric Vans for Campervan Conversion
Making the Transition from Diesel to Electric
What makes the Fiat e-Scudo a fantastic base vehicle
Electric Campervan Road Trips – Detailed Itineraries with Charging Locations
Where We Are
Sunbox Campers is based in Newhaven, East Sussex — on the south coast between Brighton and Eastbourne. We’re easy to reach from London and the South East, with good transport links from across the UK.
We convert campervans for customers from all over Britain. While our workshop is in Sussex, we regularly work with owners from London, the Home Counties, the Midlands, and beyond. If you can get your van to us, we can convert it — and many customers combine the drop-off or collection with a trip to the Sussex coast or South Downs.
Thinking of visiting? You’re welcome to see our workshop, view completed conversions, and discuss your project in person. We also offer video consultations if you’d prefer to start the conversation remotely.