Dutch Camper Turns Kia EV Into 4-Person Adventure Van

Imagine converting your electric van into a full camping setup in the time it takes to load groceries, then switching it back to a commuter vehicle Monday morning.

Dutch company Vantrack just unveiled their "Lightcamp" kit for Kia's new PV5 electric van, and it's rethinking what camper conversions should be. Instead of heavy permanent fixtures, every piece slides out, pops off, and stores away like building blocks.

The heart of the system is a clever slide-out bed platform that works double duty as a trunk divider. Unlike typical camper kits that stack bulky foam mattresses, Lightcamp uses inflatable sleeping pads that roll up small and tuck away underneath. That means more room for bikes, kayaks, or whatever adventure gear you actually want to bring.

The portable kitchen might be the star of the show. It slides out from under the bed platform and sets up at the tailgate with fold-down legs. Need to cook in the shade or by the water? Pop it out completely and carry it wherever works best. The setup includes an induction cooktop, cutting board workspace, and a sink with an 11-liter water jug.

Vantrack's roof design gets really creative. Instead of installing a heavy pop-up roof like other camper companies, they added a skylight that doubles as an access hatch to a rooftop tent. Two people sleep inside on the platform, two more climb up through the skylight into the tent above.

Why This Inspires

The Lightcamp represents a shift in how we think about vehicle ownership. You don't need a dedicated camper van gathering dust in your driveway 50 weeks a year. With smart modular design, the same electric van that drops kids at school becomes a weekend adventure machine, then transforms back without requiring a engineering degree.

This approach makes outdoor adventure more accessible. No need to buy and maintain separate vehicles for daily life and camping trips. The environmental win doubles too: one electric vehicle serves multiple purposes, and the lightweight components mean less energy used hauling heavy permanent camper gear you might not always need.

Vantrack plans to launch the Lightcamp in September, bringing their vision of "a single lightweight and flexible system" to the growing electric van market. The clean Scandinavian-style design in gray, black and red makes it stand out visually while the modular approach makes it stand out functionally.

The future of camping might just be about smart simplicity rather than cramming every feature into a rolling apartment.