The all-electric van build, step by step
One route through the electrical pillar — a van that runs on batteries and solar alone. The order that makes it work, and where a diesel heater still earns its place.
One route through the electrical pillar: a van that runs on batteries and solar alone — no gas hob, no diesel heater. It trades fuel runs and moving parts for a bigger battery bank. Here is the order that makes it work — and for heating specifically, weigh it against a diesel heater in our heating guide.
Methodology
Size the battery for the critical trio
Air conditioning, refrigeration and induction are what break a small battery. Size the bank to hold all three for 24h without a recharge.
Undersize this and you live with anxiety; oversize it and you carry dead weight. The trio is the design constraint — work out the maths in the electrical system guide before you buy anything.
Charge while you drive, then top up with solar
On a modern Euro 6 van the alternator is 'smart' — its voltage varies, so an old split charge relay barely charges the leisure battery. A DC-DC charger (B2B) fixes that and pulls a steady current while driving. 1600 W of solar then covers the daily draw in three seasons. Winter needs a drive or a shore charge on hook-up — that is the honest tradeoff of going dieselless.
Induction beats gas for a simple build
No gas certification, no leak risk, no separate fuel. The induction plate runs off the same battery as everything else — one system to understand and maintain.
Key takeaways
- Size the battery around AC + fridge + induction over 24h.
- Euro 6 vans need a DC-DC charger, not a plain split charge relay.
- 1600 W solar covers daily use outside winter.
- One electrical system is simpler to build, certify and maintain than diesel + gas.
Used in
Sources
What this page is based on — every source is verified and links out so you can check it yourself.
- Verified / official
- Provisional
- Out of date