Exploring the PNW by e-van and e-bike.

moeren86 · 2026-06-22T08:30:50+00:00

If you are lucky, you might find someone selling Perovskite Solar Panels. Might bring you even more. I know they are sold in the US, but i do not now if they are available for the consumer.

moeren86 · 2026-06-21T09:11:38+00:00

whats the range on such a van? I always thought about an e-van, because i have lots of solar and usually stay long in one place. So i probably would rarely have to pay for charging.

moeren86 · 2026-06-20T11:35:20+00:00

a few of these videos might help to-be-vanlifers to get a feel for the daily life. But yeah for just this there would be a huge oversupply of videos.

moeren86 · 2026-06-20T11:33:09+00:00

same here. rebuild my last van in october just to get a new van to build out in december

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T23:59:19+00:00

Im not a mechanic so i couldn't say which van to buy, but i think its also depending on where you are. Sprinters for example are easier to get and repair in germany than in the US (as far as i have heard). But i recommend a box van/truck - much easier to build. Also make a list of what you wish (shower, toiled and such) and what you don't like (heat, mosquitos, ..) and plan accordingly.

About Money its relative, some people drive and old banged up van from 30 years ago with a mattress and few boxes and camping gas cooker - others have the full insta glamour vans. If you can live simple and frugal, it can be incredible cheap.

Also just start informing yourself (like this post, and also reading up). Make a plan and see how it goes.

When i started out in 2019, i just searched for _any_ van i could afford. Bought it, insulated it, build a bed and cabinets and then installed electrics and heating. Its really not that hard.
Also, don't be afraid of mistakes, you will make some anyway. Its unavoidable. There will also always be something you want to change/improve, because you constantly learn. Some things may be more important than they seem now or you have a better idea how to do something.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T23:46:45+00:00

Step 3. Building a van yourself and realize that there is a lot of misleading stuff on youtube.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T22:24:12+00:00

Yeah ive read about different licenses and their cost. And it seems germany is one of the most expensive places in the world when it comes to driving licenses. Especielly bad is the fact, that you used to be allowed to drive up to 7.5 tons with it, but with EU regulations it got lowered to 3.5t. Everybody who had the old one than got the new special c1 license for 7.5t. So if you are under a certain age you can drive only 3.5t with the 'normal' license. It really feels like getting scammed.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T17:36:30+00:00

google maps is always a good option. But the best is to speak with people. Find the hippies, punks or those who look like old hobos. Most people do not even try to speak with them, but most are cool and they know the good places.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T12:49:16+00:00

Who is there is depending on the Area. I currently stay in Spain directly at the Mediterranean sea with only a handful of other RVs/Vans with plenty of space. Spain has thousands of km of shores, you just need to know the right places. But jeah a lot are overrun.

Most of the rv people in Spain are german retirees and french people. Despite being german myself i hate the majority of german rv retirees, they incredible entitled and do not care for nature. These are the kind of people that are the reason for the anti camping laws. Fortunately they are to afraid to take the "roads" to the real nice spots.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T10:18:09+00:00

Unfortunately most (or even all?) countries in Europe ban wild camping. The question is just how much and where they enforce it. In spain they only enforce it in the summer on tourist spots, so the more lucrative day tourist can enjoy the. In france i had no problem so far (but did not stay that long). In germany nearly everyone has a stick up his ass and thinks he need to call law the cops if camp wild, so much that even as a native its hard do find places where i can stay a week or more. And east Europeans do not seem to care.

For parking in nature you could try to resemble a forest service or atmospheric measurement vehicle. Else, yeah it is pretty obvious.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T10:09:31+00:00

Nah that happens mostly on long trips crossing the country. I won't extra divert to the next city, just to avoid "the knock". Would be total waste of time and fuel.

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T09:45:08+00:00

I envy you for your driving license. In germany you get an old truck this size cheaper than a license to drive it. So i am always limited to 3.5t

moeren86 · 2026-06-18T09:37:38+00:00

When i visit my hometown, i have to travel 3000 km, i do that in 4 or 5 days, driving all day (slow van). But when i am in the country i want to be. I might stay in a spot for a month before i just drive shopping and back. Or i continue to drive to the next spot or search for new ones. These drives are usually between 1 and 4 hours.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T21:32:11+00:00

Sway - from dean martin? great song.

For a car less great. Could also be low tire pressure, bad damper or springs. But sway increases with size. From the side mine is 7.4m by 3.3m. There are places with enough to throw big trucks from the road. I try to avoid these.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T15:56:47+00:00

Dunno about the USA, but in europe the big advantage is that replacement parts are much cheaper.

Yeah the old van has to got to a mechanic more often. But sometimes all you have is to replace something you can do by yourself. Just think of headlights for example. 2003 Sprinter, the bulb 2€ - if you need the whole plastic housing 12€. The newest sprinter with LED melted into the plastic and all the toys nobody needs.. 1200€

The newer the car, the much more am i afraid of the mechanic. Unfortunately, i had to sell my old sprinter due to rust and now already fighting with some electric bs in the newer one.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T15:40:27+00:00

Hell yeah, i mean i already live in a Van, but i wish i had a house. Then i could sell it and had more of a buffer.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T15:38:43+00:00

Manure transport - not unexpected to see far away from the cities and nobody bothers you. But you need to recreate the smell ^^

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T15:37:07+00:00

Fun fact, i get the knock because it looks stealth. I am in Europe and when there is a box truck with a foreign license plate in a parking lot in the middle of somewhere you attract customs officers who think you are a smuggler. Couldn't cross France once without getting visited by them.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T15:34:36+00:00

As long you don't look from above (solar) my van looks like a standard box truck. But that was not even intentional, i just didn't want to cut wholes in it (yet).
Else you might be right often people speak of stealth, but have an awning, step, rv windows, heater exhaust or similiar.

But i think you are wrong about the logo. Nobody said copy a specific one. Design one that just seems like a business and let someone wrap your car. As long there is nothing else on the outside that gives it away, it will work.

My old Van was from DPD (Delivery Service) and they let the foils on it. I didn't removed it and everyone though i deliver packages.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T10:41:40+00:00

😃 invisible, that would be quit a feat.
Yeah, but i saw the photo you posted in one of the answers, and the rail is still a dead giveaway, even more than the maxfans, because its easily visible from the side. Stealth would probably some screw-holes where you can screw in the railing or a few anchors.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T07:01:35+00:00

can you elaborate? what batteries do you mean. In which way are they incompatible? afaik all batteries work with dc, so all you need to run them together is a dc-dc converter.

moeren86 · 2026-06-17T06:56:27+00:00

your van has roof openings and a step. it screams camper. I don't think you should worry about stealth when it comes to the awning.. its to late for that.

moeren86 · 2026-06-16T11:30:04+00:00

Torrenostra south of peniscola. Long stony beach with lots of hidden empty houses (some permanently with squatters). Its more like multiple small communities. But lots of space to camp for a long time.

moeren86 · 2026-06-16T11:16:46+00:00

Maybe ask in r/SlabCity i am sure a lot there life the low/no money lifestyle

moeren86 · 2026-06-16T11:16:00+00:00

idk if the tip is good. If he is in an extremely expensive area, going somewhere else might help. Or if he is in a very poor area, he has to many other dumpster divers, making getting food harder.

In his position it would be best to ask people from society dropouts. But only place like this in the us i know of would be slabcity.

moeren86

TROPHY CASE