Campervan
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A campervan is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term mainly describes vans that have been fitted out for use as accommodation.
A typical campervan is equipped either with a "pop-up" roof which is raised during camping or has a fixed hightop roof.
Campervans usually have a small kitchen with a gas/electric refrigerator and a two-three burner gas hob and grill. They generally have dual-voltage lighting which can work off either a dedicated battery (other than the van battery) known as a leisure battery, or off AC power, supplied at a campsite via a hook-up cable. Larger models may include a water heater, a portable toilet and even a shower.
The vehicles categorised in the United States as Class B recreational vehicles are commonly known as Dormobiles or caravanettes in the UK, or as 'Kombis' in Australia and other countries. This trend started in the 1950s after Volkswagen commissioned the Westfalia company to use the Kombi version of their Type 2 transporter as the basis for a campervan.
North America: Van Conversions
In North America there are many manufacturers of campervans. The number # 1 selling campervan is produced by Roadtrek of Kitchener, Ontario[1]
Since the 1970s, the Japanese full-size vans like the Toyota Hiace and the Datsun Urvan (acquired by Nissan), as well as the Ford Transit, Fiat Ducato and the Bedford vans became popular as "base vehicles" for campervans.
Volkswagen campervan models
There are several types of campervan all manufactured by Volkswagen but depending on their age they are colloquially referred to as either a splitty (split windscreen) a bay (bay framed windscreen) or a bricky ("brick" shaped van). Every year VW vans of all age and type gather at Vanfest held in the Three Counties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire. This event takes place on the second weekend of September every year.
Amenities
A modern campervan will contain some or all of the following features:
- Gas/electric powered refrigerator
- Gas/electric grill
- Microwave
- Gas/electric powered water heater
- One or more beds, some of which double-up as daytime seating
- Electricity supplied by battery or external hookup
- Toilet with removable disposal tank
- Shower
- Radio
- Television aerial/satellite dish
- Air conditioning
- Water tank
- Wastewater tank for "gray water" (wash water)
- Awning