When considering your vehicle options, there are lots of vehicle features to consider! Click through in each section on this page to see additional information about each feature.
Pre-built or self-built
Do you want a professionally-built or self-built camper? This decisions is one of the biggest considerations, but certain factors may help make that decision for you. Pre-built may also be known as manufactured campers or commercial conversions. Self-built may also be known as DIY conversions.
Conversion difficulty
Conversion difficulty for different vehicle types:
- No conversion needed:Motorhomes, travel trailers, pickup truck campers
- Easiest conversion:Box trucks, step vans, cargo trailers
- Moderate conversion difficulty:Cargo vans, pickup trucks with toppers
- Difficult or extensive conversion:Buses, passenger vans, cars, minivans, SUVs
Living space
Living space for different vehicle types:
- Large:Class A motorhomes, most buses, box trucks, step vans
- Moderate:Class B and C motorhomes, raised-roof vans, trailers
- Low: Standard-roof vans, pickup trucks with slide-in camper
- Very low:Cars, minivans, SUVs, pickups with topper
Solar mounting
- Easiest mounting:Box trucks, step vans, motorhomes, trailers
- Moderate mounting difficulty:Buses, cargo vans, passenger vans, pickup trucks
- Most difficult: - Cars, minivans, and SUVs, especially those without roof racks
Ceiling height
Ceiling height (or cargo height) is the interior height of the living space. A vehicle you can stand in is significantly more comfortable to live in, but it obviously increases the vehicle clearance too which can be a disadvantage.
- High ceiling - Motorhomes, box trucks, step vans, some buses
- Moderate ceiling - Trailers, raised-roof vans, some buses
- Low ceiling - Standard-roof vans, pickup trucks with truck bed camper
- Very low ceiling - Cars, minivans, SUVs, pickup trucks with topper
Vehicle clearance
Vehicle clearance for different vehicle types:
- High clearance:Box trucks, buses, motorhomes, step vans, 5th wheel trailers
- Moderate clearance: Most trailers, raised-roof vans, pickup trucks with slide-in camper
- Low clearance:Cars, minivans, SUVs, standard-roof vans, pickup trucks with topper
Ground clearance
Ground clearance for different vehicle types:
- High ground clearance: Most box trucks, buses, motorhomes, step vans
- Moderate ground clearance: Most trailers, vans, SUVs, pickup trucks
- Low ground clearance:Cars, minivans
Fuel efficiency
- Highest efficiency:Cars, minivans, hybrid vehicles
- Moderate efficiency:Pickup trucks, SUVs, vans, Class B motorhomes
- Low efficiency:Class C motorhomes, vehicles with trailers
- Very low efficiency:Class A motorhomes, box trucks, step vans, buses, skoolies
Passthrough
Passthrough availability for different vehicle types:
- Yes: Most vans, buses, motorhomes, step vans, cars, minivans, SUVs
- Maybe:Box trucks
- No passthrough:Trailers
Stealth factor
- Stealthy (if unmodified or built to be stealthy) - Box trucks, step vans, cargo vans
- Possibly stealthy - Passenger vans, buses, minivans, cars, SUVs, pickup trucks with simple toppers, cargo trailers
- Not stealthy - Motorhomes, travel trailers, ambulances, skoolies, truck campers, vehicles without passthrough
Parking difficulty
Parking difficulty for different vehicle types:
- Low parking difficulty:Cars, minivans, SUVs, pickup trucks
- Moderate parking difficulty:Cargo vans, passenger vans, Class B and C motorhomes
- High parking difficulty:Box trucks, step vans, Class A motorhomes, trailers
Undermount space
Undermount space is the amount of space under the vehicle which can be used for storage, water/sewage tanks, and other uses. It varies for different vehicle types:
- Large undermount space - Class A motorhomes, box trucks, some buses
- Moderate undermount space - Step vans, some buses, Class C motorhomes
- Little to no undermount space - Cars, minivans, trailers, and most SUVs, pickup trucks, and Class B motorhomes
Fuel type
Fuel type is an important vehicle features to consider when looking at your vehicle options for nomadic living. In most regions, gasoline or petrol vehicles dominate the market for all but the largest of vehicles, like box trucks, buses, and some step vans, which may use diesel fuel. Some cargo vans and passenger vans also have a diesel option. In many regions, diesel is not found at all fuel stations. Depending on price fluctuations, diesel may be more expensive to operate. In some regions, diesel vehicles of all sizes are much more prevalent and may be a better option. The best choice for you depends on your location, your driving habits, and market prices. Electric vans aren't really suitable (yet) as a vehicle for nomadic living due to their very low ranges unless you plan to make exclusively short trips. This may change as battery technology improves and battery cost falls. Solar power is nowhere near strong enough to charge an electric van's primary batteries.
Vehicle insurability
Vehicle insurability is something to consider when buying your vehicle. Some vehicle types are easier or cheaper to insure than others. Insurance for common vehicles (cars, minivans, SUVs) is easiest and generally cheapest.
RVs are generally easy to insure, but if your vehicle is self-built, you'll need to work on your vehicle registration and titling first so that it can be insured as an RV. Commercial vehicles may need to be retitled to make it easier or cheaper to get insurance.
AWD / 4WD
All-wheel drive (AWD) is beneficial for daily driving and helping to accelerate on short sections of slippery, flat surfaces, such as moderately plowed snowy streets, or pavement covered in wet leaves, or well graded gravel roads with short sections of loose surface. The sort of conditions that you might reasonably expect daily driving in most situations.
4-wheel drive (4WD) ...
Vehicle towing capability
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Emergency towing and recovery
Different vehicles cost different amounts to tow in case of mechanical breakdown, crashes, and so on. In general, larger vehicles cost significantly more to tow or recover than smaller passenger vehicles. Services for some vehicles may be difficult to find in certain locations without a long wait and great expense. Off-road travel increases the likelihood that towing and recovery services will not help you.
Vehicle specifications
Check vehicle specifications like engine size, overall length, cargo volume, and more.