Two sides of vanlife: savings and hidden struggles of living in a camper

Almería is putting up physical barriers to keep motorhomers off its former fairground — while Turkey simply evicts them from the beach. Lightship is quadrupling its electric-caravan factory in Colorado, even as 50% of Italian motorhome renters turn out to be under 35. Plus 800 kg of hashish in a motorhome at the Spanish border, Anker's 800 W charger running off the alternator, and Carstay as the mobile HQ of a Tokyo festival — all in this issue.

Architecture firm ALMACÉN de Arquitectura unveiled Casa RV, a compact RV-based living module of 15-16 sqm with sliding sections to expand space. It supports autonomous living and can be towed on a standard trailer.

Spain introduced new road sign S-128 and banned camper vans from parking near beaches. Germany responded with a 3.82-metre electric camper van — fits anywhere, furniture not included. JAL now rents out motorhomes from Narita with miles earned per rental. Storm Ali blowing a traveller's caravan off an Irish cliff, and the Outbound demo for PS5 — all in this issue.

A traveler's experience demonstrates that for comfortable living in a mini camper, practical accessories are key, not size. These include portable jump starters, extension cords, compact kitchenware, hammocks, quick-dry towels, and a portable shower. These items address issues of autonomy, space organization, and basic needs in limited conditions.

ARI Motors released a camper van the size of a regular van — and it's now Germany's smallest production electric camper at €30,000. JAL decided its passengers hadn't traveled enough and offered a sequel: a motorhome pickup straight from Narita. The lawsuit against Stellantis over "cheat" diesel software, a yellow DHL van in the hands of a retiree, and 413 million campsite overnight stays across Europe — all in this issue.

The Temu platform offers accessories to convert regular cars into campers. Available products include a trunk awning priced around €40 and an SUV car tent costing €70-80. According to Spanish traffic regulations, sleeping in a car is permitted provided the vehicle is properly parked and no external structures are deployed.