Frequently asked questions

YOUR CAMPER QUESTIONS ANSWERED: FAQS

How does the buying, base vehicle supply and conversion process work?

We offer an all-in-one service, sourcing, designing and building the perfect campervan for you. We even offer a wrap-around aftercare service, making sure that long after you drive away from our collection point, you will enjoy years of stress-free camping. You can choose from brand new base vehicles (such as the Ford Eco Evolution II or the Eco Revolution) and enjoy the benefits of our and the vehicle manufacturers' warranties. As official partners with Ford, Vauxhall, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, and Toyota, we source these vehicles direct from the factory with all the guarantees and benefits you'd expect. If you go for one of our incredibly good value used base vehicles, we locate these directly from Japan or a local dealer we trust. As one of the UK's biggest and longest-running importers of high-quality Japanese imports, we bring only the best imports available to the UK. Our tried-and-tested selection process means we only bring in vehicles of the highest standard - with full two years warranty to ensure you have the best quality. Using our Configurator, you choose right from the beginning the camper configuration, finishes and extras that suit you and your budget. Once we have selected and inspected a matching vehicle to your spec, this will be processed by our import team. To have it inspected and made ready for conversion usually takes three to four months (earlier if you choose a stock vehicle - we buy these too when we see really good quality ones we know will be popular). After this and all the import paperwork is complete, the vehicle will wait for its conversion slot in our very busy factory production line. Once in the production line, the process takes three to six weeks depending on requirements. Once it has passed our quality assurance tests, we will then make it ready for collection. You will collect the vehicle fully converted and registered in the UK as an MPV/Camper. We will write the vehicle over to your name on collection. Please ensure you have car insurance in place prior to collection. We can advise you on the best deals. Lead times vary depending on the availability of stock from the UK manufacturers (which vary greatly) and the availability of high-quality stock in Japan. If you are ordering from scratch and we source a vehicle to your spec, lead times are usually six to nine months - but can be longer. There's a lot of factors that can delay this, from shipping delays to supply side issues. It may take is three or four attempts to locate an excellent vehicle from Japan for you - we reject dozens every day and will reject a vehicle at any stage if we do not think it meets our high quality control criteria. If you choose one from stock this can be as little as a few weeks. For lead times on all our stock please speak to our sales team on 01324 489211 or email [email protected] for the latest news. Stock moves fast, so if you see one you like, get in touch straight away.

How efficient is the hybrid Toyota Alphard Eco Pioneer II?

The hybrid Alphard II qualifies as an ultra-low emission vehicle, consuming fuel at the rate of one litre every 19km (in the Japanese 10-15 test cycle) and 17km in the urban cycle. This equates to around 50mpg combined. In our own road tests on the Pioneer II we managed about 49mpg.

How long does the hybrid battery charge last?

Unlike purely electric cars which need to be plugged in, hybrids self-charge. Thanks to Toyota’s Synergy Drive technology, the hybrid battery Pioneer II is charged in two ways: first by the petrol engine, which acts as a low-emissions generator while stationary or while driving, and second, every time the vehicle slows down, by way of the electro-magnetic brakes. Provided the vehicle is moving or, when stationary, the ignition is on, the petrol engine will kick in and charge the hybrid battery when required – then switch off again. As long as there is fuel in the tank, a healthy battery will never run out. While cooking, the hybrid battery will recharge on average every three minutes and cook for a similar amount of time. Estimated average cooking times are around 10 minutes, requiring only two or three recharges. You can also cook using gadgets such as a slow-cooker while driving, preparing food for your arrival. The charge system is totally self-regulating. In our brand new Ford Transit Eco Evolution II the Hybrid battery offers 35 miles on electric power alone. In combined mode, it will not run out. The cooking and heating are independently powered and will last days, if not weeks, when camping in the summer, without needing recharged (to do so is really easy either by hooking up to campsite power or simply going for a nice drive). The solar panels on these vehicles greatly extend the power use days while camping. With sensible use during the summer, we don't expect the leisure battery to run out without being plugged in.

Will the hybrid or EV battery need replacing soon?

No. The great thing about the hybrid batteries are easily maintained. At the CampervanCo not only have we developed a quick and easy way to monitor the performance of the battery, we can quickly and cheaply replace any of the battery cells that are underperforming. We are so confident the batteries will last and perform well, we offer a five-year guarantee on all our hybrid batteries, we can easily replace cells and the price up upgrading to Lithium now makes it a real option that can improve efficiency. In our brand new Ford Transit Eco Evolution II the Hybrid battery has an 8 year warranty (or 100,000 miles)! This can be serviced at any official Ford garage. Ford expect the battery to last way beyond this, with over 200,000 miles or 16 years use easily achieved. The battery in our Eco Revolution will last for over a decade too with an eight year warranty (or 100,000 miles) direct from the manufacturer (Stellantis or Toyota).

Are the base vehicles brand new?

The Ford Hybrid Eco Evolution II and the fully electric Eco rEVolution are fitted to brand new base vehicles with manufacturer warranties - which is minimum three years and up to eight years on the battery. For the Toyota Alphards and Nissan Elgrands, while the conversions and all the campervan equipment are brand new, the base vehicles are high-quality used vehicles. These vehicles are high-grade, low-mileage vehicles imported from the highly regarded used-car market in Japan, where they drive on the left, just as in the UK. We have been importing these vehicles for over 16 years and offer the best service in the UK. The vehicles are imported via the CampervanCo’s import network through which we have been sourcing high-quality Japanese vehicles for more than 16 years. As one of the UK's leading importers, we offer the best available low-mileage vehicles aged 10 years or older, anywhere. While this may seem quite old, the Japanese used vehicle market is at least 10 years ahead of the UK market in terms of equipment and technology. Japanese vehicles of this age are equivalent to two or three-year old vehicles in the UK in terms of condition and technology. There are many reasons why the Japanese market offers such quality: salt is not used on their roads; vehicles cannot be parked on city streets overnight (so most are garaged); MOTs are very strict and expensive; and more vehicles are traded in at the three-year mark than any other country, offering an abundance of nearly new vehicles. This makes the Toyota Campers and the Nissan Elgrand Velocity strong on quality and value – costing much less than a regular used diesel VW campervan for example - with incredible resale value (our Eco Pioneers are selling for 4-8% more than we sell them!!).

What are the dimensions? (sizes in mm)

Toyota Alphard (all models): • Load Length: 2440 • Outer width (folded wing mirrors): 1877 • Outer width (open wing mirrors): 2110 • Outer length: 4850 • Outer height no fitted roof: 1905 • Outer height with pop-roof (down position): 1990 • Outer height with hi-top roof: 2490 • Roof bed space (width x length): 920 x 2230 Nissan Elgrand Velocity • Load Length: 2340 • Outer width (folded wing mirrors): 1875 • Outer width (open wing mirrors): 2200 • Outer length: 4835 • Outer height no fitted roof: 1920 • Outer height with pop-roof (down position): 1965 • Roof bed space (width x length): 1000 x 2330 Ford Eco Evolution II: • Load Length: 2555 (LWB 2992) • Outer width (folded wing mirrors): 2080 • Outer width (open wing mirrors): 2290 • Outer length: 4850 • Outer height no fitted roof: 1900 • Outer height with pop-roof (down position): 2020 • Outer height with hi-top roof: 2390 • Roof bed space (width x length): 1100 x 2430 Eco Revolution: • Load Length: 2512 (LWB 2862) • Outer width (folded wing mirrors): 1920 • Outer width (open wing mirrors): 2210 • Outer length: 4956 (LWB 5390) • Outer height no fitted roof: 1935 • Outer height with pop-roof (down position): 2080 • Outer height with hi-top roof: 2500 • Roof bed space (width x length): 1100 x 2330

Can the vehicles come with four-wheel drive (4WD)?

Yes. The Toyota Eco Pioneer II comes as standard with E-Four electric all-wheel (AWD) system. This provides better driving performance by using power from the rear-wheel drive motor to optimise electric power distribution to all four wheels, according to driving conditions. It provides additional drive power when needed, such as when accelerating from a standing start or on wet, slippery surfaces. This is not an off-road vehicle as such, but offers great traction in difficult conditions. The Nissan Elgrand Velocity camper comes in a selective 4WD option. This means you can switch the 4WD on or off. It also comes with an electric, selective differential lock - preventing wheels slipping in ice or muddy conditions - making this the cheapest and most versatile 4WD campervans on the market.

How clean are the vehicles and their engines?

We are world-leaders in low and zero-emissions RVs. No other manufacturer spends more on researching and designing campervans to be as low in emissions as possible. Our Eco Revolution is the cleanest campervan on the market - with not a single emission. Not for driving, cooking, sleeping or heating. Not a sausage. It's so good we designed it to be used as your everyday car, reducing emissions to zero for every trip you take - every day. With a range of 205 miles, there's no stopping you. All our vehicles are low emissions and can meet ULEZ requirements. The hybrid Toyota Alphard Pioneer II qualifies as an ultra-low emission vehicle in all zones. Official Toyota figures show the Alphard Hybrid II offers 19 km per litre in the 10-15 cycle or 53.67 mpg emitting 122 grams of CO2 per km. For city driving during the JC08 test this drops to 17km per litre or 48.04 mpg, emitting 137 grams of CO2 per km. Combined therefore, this highly efficient vehicle offers around 50 mpg with less than 130 grams of CO2 per km (or less than 209 grams CO2 per mile).  Our Ford Eco Evolution II is the world's leading Hybrid campervan - functioning also as an everyday vehicle - saving you money and the planet on every trip. Officially, the Transit PHEV returns 91.7mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions of only 70g/km. In pure electric mode this is zero. With the amazing Geo-fencing software and the 35 purely electric battery capacity, if you live and drive everyday in the city, you can enjoy emissions free driving for most or all of it. All our campers are Designed with Nature in Mind.

Is it ULEZ (Ultra Low Emissions Zone) and Clean Air Zone compliant?

All our Eco Campers are LEZ and ULEZ compliant. This includes the petrol Toyota Connect II and all Nissan Velocity Campers with base vehicles 2006 or younger. For more details on ULEZ compliance please call our team on 0208 164 7708 or email [email protected]

How powerful is the engines and motors?

In the Pioneer II the 2.4-litre 2AZ-FXE engine has a high-expansion ratio cycle that enhances fuel economy by improving efficiency and reducing friction loss. Additionally, optimum control of the Super CVT (constant velocity transmission) and front motor create low emissions levels. The petrol engine provides 170 brake horsepower (bhp). The Connect II offer 128 bhp. The Nissan Elgrand Velocity is a beast with the 3.5 V6 engine offering 240 bhp. The more efficient 2.5 petrol engine offers 168 bhp. The Ford Eco Evolution II offers 136 bhp. The fully electric Eco Revolution is remarkably fast, offering up to 134 bhp.

How many people can the Campers seat and sleep?

All our campervans offer at least 4 sitting and sleeping - two sleeping below in the rock-and-roll bed and two in the pop-up roof . The Eco Explorer seats five and sleeps four. The Ford Hybrid Eco Evolution sleeps four and can seat up to five. The Eco Revolution sleeps four and can seat an incredible seven people by way of our unique modular design.

Do they have electric hook-up, solar and other power options?

Yes. we fit high-powered leisure battery systems to all Eco Campervans and now to the Connect II. As well as having a car battery and a 240v electric hook-up, the Hybrid Pioneer II and Explorer have a Hybrid battery for back up. The leisure and car battery are charged either by our fitted solar panels or by the engine if they are petrol, diesel or Hybrid - using the alternator and a split-charge relay system. A round blue plug to connect to campsite 240v electric hook-up is included in all vehicles. This also powers an on-board 240v to 12v (AC to DC) charger that keeps the car and leisure batteries charged every time you are connected to campsite power. Our solar power roof panels keep the car and leisure battery charged off-grid. In the Eco Campers these can offer up to 1000 watts using our roof and optional solar wall. The Eco Revolution and Evolution II come with 350 watts on the roof as standard. In the summer time we think this is enough to keep your leisure battery powered for at least seven days - probably more. If you use it right, we expect it not to run out in the summer. That's free, green zero-emissions living.

How do the induction hobs work?

Instead of direct heat, these safe, superfast electric hobs create an electro-magnetic field that heats the pan, not the hob. So they are not only cold to touch, but speedy and highly efficient, transferring most of the energy directly into the pan and the food. Our tests found that a pint of water can boil in around three minutes.

What other techy stuff is good to know?

There’s lots of design innovation to improve your driving and camping experience. Check these out: • Reduced drive resistance The highly aerodynamic body design along with reductions of the operating resistance in each part of the powertrain have reduced drive resistance and loss of drive energy, resulting in lower fuel consumption. • Insulated body The specially developed windshield glass reduces the amount of solar radiation penetration and the roof and roof panels contain an insulating material to reduce cabin temperature, which helps conserve energy when the air conditioner is operating. • Intuitive air conditioning system The hybrid Alphard uses the world's first two-way compressor with a built-in motor. The engine powers the air conditioner when it is running, and the compressor's internal motor powers it when the engine is not running, helping to conserve energy and provide enhanced comfort.

What’s the warranty deal?

As standard we offer a full year’s mechanical warranty on the base vehicle plus two years’ warranty on all our conversion work and fitted appliances. There’s an unbeatable five-year warranty on the hybrid battery (conditions apply, such as ensuring the battery is not overheated or left standing without charge for periods of inactivity). Our skilled servicing team also offers continued servicing support on all aspects of the hybrid components after this period. The Eco Evolution II and Eco Revolution come with three years mechanical warranty from the vehicle manufacturer and eight years warranty on the Hybrid or EV battery. They can be serviced or maintained across the UK and EU.

Is finance available?

Yes. We offer finance options on all campervan orders. The process of financing a campervan could not be simpler. Go to CampervanCo’s Configurator page to build your ideal campervan. Once you are happy with the details and the price, click on Reserve now or the Apply for Finance button. This will take you to our partners Eurodrive who will ask for your details and how much you can pay per month. They will then process the loan application and get back to you usually within 24 hours. For more details, please call 01324 489211 or request finance from our online Configurator page.

What is the road tax and insurance on this vehicle?

Because the base vehicles are imported from Japan, there is a blanket import road-tax levy – currently £345. Insurance varies according to age, driving history and postcode. Premiums are typically between £250 and £400, although these can be much higher if you live in the centre of a busy city, have just obtained your driving licence or have recent claims or convictions. Call us for details of good insurers, we are happy to help.

Can I buy this on the European continent?

Our Japanese import campervans are supplied in right-hand drive only and the country you live in will have certain importation requirements and rules that you must explore before purchasing the vehicle. We can supply the Eco Revolution in left hand drive. Please speak to our Sales Team for details.

Can I buy this in the US or Canada?

Not yet. There are considerable import restrictions to vehicles into both countries that prevent sales there for the time being. But watch this space, we are looking at solutions.

Contact us

Visit us at our Offices in London by booking a viewing on 0208 164 7708. To enquire about availability, prices or lead times please call HQ on 01324 489211 or email [email protected]