Are Electric Campervans Viable in Iceland in 2025?
The adoption of electric cars in Iceland has been growing at an incredible pace. In 2015, there were 700 electric vehicles on the road, with a prediction of at least 1200 in 2016.
Fast forward to recent years, at least one of your new car registered in the country were a pure electric car, this has position Iceland as a leader in electric vehicle adoption on the current year, which is mainly due to a mix of clean and affordable energy from hydroelectric and geothermal sources, favorable government policies and the high cost of fossil fuels. However, when it comes to electric campervans in Iceland, the situation is more complex. This favorable outlook has not translated as quickly to the RV segment, where diesel and gasoline vehicles remain predominant.
This article examines current availability, technical and logistical challenges, and the reasons why traditional models continue to dominate the rental market.
Availability of Electric Motorhomes for Rent
Despite the increasingly growing interest in a more sustainable approach for mobility, the number of electric motorhomes in the country is minimal and expected to remain like that by 2025. That’s why most of the cheap campervans in Icelandoffered by the leading rental companies are mainly composed of diesel models. There are many reasons why, but the technical limitations are at the top of the list. Known issues like the lack of fast-charging infrastructure in remote areas and the slow adoption by tourists keep the companies away from fully investing in EV options. Despite that, many companies are testing hybrid prototypes, but their commercial availability is still low.
Challenges to the Use of Electric Motorhomes
The charging infrastructure remains at the top of the list as one of the biggest obstacles. Outside of Reykjavik and other urban areas, the number of charging stations you can find is low and scarce, but if you find one, the chance of it being suitable for a motorhome is slim. This led us to challenge number two: incompatibility. Motorhomes require more powerful and sometimes, more frequent charging, and the general infrastructure, as well as charging stations, are not optimized for these issues.
Another known challenge is the climate of the island, which is characterized by low temperatures and strong winds. This reduces the efficiency of batteries significantly, and this reduces the total range you can get out of a single charge by 30-40%.
This makes travel on the Ring Road (Highway 1) or in areas like the Highlands a lot more impractical and harder than it needs to be. That’s why the landscape of Motorhome Iceland is dominated by traditional campervans.
Advantages of Traditional Campervans in Iceland
Until the battery technology and the general infrastructure improve or evolve to adapt to electric campervans, we won’t see an increase in the use of EV options, and diesel campervans will still be the most reliable option for exploring the country. But not only that, traditional campervans have a ton of advantages, but the main one and most important for traveling is the range. With a full tank, you can travel hundreds of kilometers without relying on a limited charging network. Also, you don’t need to worry about refueling your tank; there are gas stations widely distributed, and you can find them even in remote areas. Diesel engines also perform better in cold climates, making them more suitable for extreme winter conditions.
Conclusion
The adoption of electric vehicles in Iceland is huge; it has positioned the country as one of the adoption leaders in the world (behind Norway), but despite that, the motorhome and campervan landscape is still dominated by diesel options thanks to their better range and performance in cold weather. So, given the current state of technology and infrastructure, electric motorhomes are not a practical option for traveling in Iceland in 2025.
However, with advances in batteries and the expansion of the charging network, this situation is likely to change in the next decade.
