Converting a van: budget, electrics and VASP approval in 2026
L'Itinéraire's guide, updated at the end of March 2026, is a good starting point for anyone dreaming of converting their own van. It makes a point I like: think about compliance from the design stage.
For the base vehicle, it compares the Renault Master (plenty of used examples), the Fiat Ducato and its cousins the Boxer and Jumper (the easiest to convert), and the Mercedes Sprinter (pleasant but pricier). The L2H2 is the most common compromise, and a 3.5-tonne GVW lets you keep a category B licence. On purchase, budget €12,000 to €25,000 for an 8- to 12-year-old van, and €25,000 to €45,000 for one under 6 years old.
Conversion costs, excluding the van itself, run from €3,000 to €12,000 for a DIY job and €15,000 to €35,000 with a professional. For electrics, the article assumes 50 to 90 Ah a day for a frugal lifestyle, aims for 150 to 200 Ah of usable capacity for two days of autonomy, and suggests LiFePO4 batteries, charging from the alternator and around 200 W of solar as a good start. For water, plan 50 to 100 litres of clean water for one or two people; at 8 to 12 litres a day per person, a 60-litre tank lasts two to three days for two people.
VASP approval goes through an individual vehicle inspection (réception à titre isolé) with the DREAL. Common blockers are non-compliant gas installations, electrics without proper protection and furniture that isn't fixed down. The closing advice: a dimensioned plan, a weigh-in of your equipment, then a few short test trips. These are market ranges, not official prices.
Source: L'Itinéraire
For the base vehicle, it compares the Renault Master (plenty of used examples), the Fiat Ducato and its cousins the Boxer and Jumper (the easiest to convert), and the Mercedes Sprinter (pleasant but pricier). The L2H2 is the most common compromise, and a 3.5-tonne GVW lets you keep a category B licence. On purchase, budget €12,000 to €25,000 for an 8- to 12-year-old van, and €25,000 to €45,000 for one under 6 years old.
Conversion costs, excluding the van itself, run from €3,000 to €12,000 for a DIY job and €15,000 to €35,000 with a professional. For electrics, the article assumes 50 to 90 Ah a day for a frugal lifestyle, aims for 150 to 200 Ah of usable capacity for two days of autonomy, and suggests LiFePO4 batteries, charging from the alternator and around 200 W of solar as a good start. For water, plan 50 to 100 litres of clean water for one or two people; at 8 to 12 litres a day per person, a 60-litre tank lasts two to three days for two people.
VASP approval goes through an individual vehicle inspection (réception à titre isolé) with the DREAL. Common blockers are non-compliant gas installations, electrics without proper protection and furniture that isn't fixed down. The closing advice: a dimensioned plan, a weigh-in of your equipment, then a few short test trips. These are market ranges, not official prices.
Source: L'Itinéraire
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