Nomadland took best picture but #Vanlife has been around for years, get past the opportunistic Instant Instagram Influencers and you can find the people who are serious about their choices.
This Toronto couple lives in one year round.
I have become very curious about Van Life, going so far as to read about building an off-grid electrical system capable of powering induction cooktops, a refrigerator and even a microwave if desired, and incidentals like your laptop, phone etc. Also been wondering about heating and busted water pipes in our winters because I would want a full on board shower set up with hot and cold running water. And there do seem to be solutions.
This guy “Humble Roads” does higher end conversions, you can see a good overview of one of his completed vans below, his channel is very good with excellent instructionals, the New Jersey Outdoor Adventures Channel has a ton of conversion walk through video tours from high end to low.
There is a ton of info on the web. From installation instructionals to vehicle selection. At the High End is the Mercedes Sprinter (pic below, older model), followed by the Ford Transit models and the Dodge Promaster and everyone else. The interiors can be impressive if you want to spend the money. I think weight, durability and performance would be my primary concerns.
