The European motorhome industry becomes more electrified from the newly launched Mercedes-Benz EQV conversion from the Swiss company Sortimo Walter Rüegg PLC. It gives customers the option of taking a zero-emissions camping trip.
The EQV is the electric counterpart to the Mercedes V-Class van. Sortimo takes this vehicle and offers a range of modular upgrades that turns it into a compact camper. The offerings include a pop-up roof with available solar panels offering a 400-watt output for charging the starter battery and auxiliary batteries.
Gallery: Mercedes-Benz EQV Camper
The pop-up roof also adds more standing room inside the van, and there's a bed up there, too. In the lower area, there's a fold-out bed that takes up the full width of the vehicle when deployed.
Sortimo also offers a kitchen unit with a sink, two-burner gas stove, refrigerator, and drawers for storage.
More electric campers are coming:
There's no info yet about how the added weight from Sortimo's equipment affects the EQV's range. Currently, Mercedes offers the van in two powertrains. The EQV 300 has a 90-kilowatt-hour battery with a WLTP range of 202 to 225 miles (326 to 363 kilometres). In Germany the EQV 250 has a 60 kWh battery that can go 132 to 146 miles (213 to 236 km). Both are available in 5,140-millimetre (16.86-foot) and 5,370-millimetre (17.62-foot) lengths.
The EQV comes with an intelligent navigation system that features active range management so that owners don't feel anxious about running down the batteries. It also has Mercedes' high-tech MBUX infotainment software.
Sortimo's site doesn't yet offer any pricing info for camper conversion to the EQV. In the UK, the van straight from Mercedes starts at £70,665 for the "basic" EQV 300. The most expensive variant is the EQV 300 Sport Premium Plus model, which costs £77,145.
Source: Mercedes-Benz