Wheelhome Vikenze III-e 4TS XL campervan

Longer, but still car-sized, this EV camper now has four belted seats

Words & photos: Peter Vaughan

The Wheelhome Vikenze III-e 4TS XL

Electric campervans are still very much in their infancy, despite all the hype surrounding Volkswagen’s ID Buzz. Beating the retro VW to the market was Wheelhome’s Vikenze III-e, a car-like camper from Wheelhome, a small Essex-based converter that has long specialised in equally small campervans – and, more recently, electric ones.

A full test of the company’s Vikenze III-e appeared in our February 2023 issue – you can watch the video at motorhome.ma/review262 (38,000 people already have despite this one-person camper’s niche appeal!). However, proprietor, Stephen Wheeler, was frustrated that this original EV campervan could only offer two travel seats (in the cab), reducing the model’s versatility as a daily driver. That has now been solved with the long-awaited arrival of the XL (long wheelbase) derivative of the Vauxhall Combo Life Electric.

The dimensions

Even this stretched version is still super-compact, at 4.75m long (growing from 4.40m), but the new 4TS (four travel seat) Vikenze can now offer the extra belted seats – one original Vauxhall seat in the back, with the fourth pew clipping into place alongside when required. 

With an overall height of just 1.86m (not just car park-friendly but suitable for domestic garages), the Wheelhome’s usefulness as a sole vehicle is restored.

Of course, the extra length also means a little more room inside, although this is still a very petite camper, and Stephen has made some improvements to the design since our test (he’s always seeking to refine his designs). For a start, there’s an improved rising roof, which now offers increased headroom at the front and an even larger solar panel on top (now 345W). 

The kitchen

It’s the same side kitchen layout here, but with more storage and a bigger (17-litre) microwave. In the XL, the sink faces the opposite way (with the drainer to the front), so the table (which doubles as its cover) no longer has the odd-looking cut-out and adopts a conventional rectangular shape. 

The optional (£132 extra) electric oven can now be built-in (instead of free-standing on the worktop) and there’s a new slide-out for extra kitchen utensils or tinned foods. 

Even the swing-out unit that cleverly hides the Porta Potti but allows its use at night has been refined. 

The beds

As standard, the Vikenze remains a one-berth camper (suiting much of Wheelhome’s demographic) with bed make-up being super-simple and resulting in a 2m-long mattress that’s also slightly wider than in the SWB model. 

A second bed (in the roof), so you sleep one up/one down, remains an option. If you don’t need the upper berth, the alternative wind-down roof storage can now be lowered electrically as a £225 option. 

Storage

There’s extra storage behind the rear seat, too, where rails can be used for clothes or towels, hanging over a 40W tube heater for drying purposes. 

The underfloor storage locker in the boot is still an option (ideal for cameras, laptops, etc), while the XL also offers a second underfloor compartment between the seats (perfect for tripods, windbreaks, etc).

The electric motor

Wheelhome’s use of every square inch of space is remarkable, but, for many, the USP of this Vikenze III-e will be the ‘e’ bit and here the Vauxhall element and the EV driving and charging is as before. 

Range is a claimed 174 miles, while the electric motor puts 134bhp through the front wheels. 

The really clever bit is that you’re independent of campsite electrics for all habitation functions (cooking, lighting, heating) thanks to 640Ah of lithium batteries and a 3,000W inverter. 

That means your site hook-up lead can be used instead to charge the EV batteries, adding around seven miles of range per hour, so, as you relax and sleep, you’re ‘refilling the tank’ for your next day’s touring.

Where to buy

You can view and buy Wheelhome vehicles, by appointment, at the company’s base in Essex. It also usually exhibits at some of the Warners outdoor motorhome shows.