New Campervan Innovations

Every Orange Camper starts life in our Yorkshire workshop, but very few of them stay exactly the same for long

Many of our campervan innovations all started in the same place – by somebody using the 'van and thinking that it could work that little bit better. Richard and Sonya regularly take their own Trouvaille away with the kids and Jack the dog, and they always come home with a list.

You can never reinvent the wheel, but you can put your own take on it, and that's what you'll find at Orange Campers. Some of our designs are nearly finished, and some are still being developed. We like to be open about what we're working on, partly because the building is really interesting and partly because what you tell us at this stage can influence the finished design.

The campervan shower pod for the Fixed Rear Bed

When we launched the Fixed Rear Bed layout in April 2026, adding a shower was the first thing clients asked us about and so we got to work on it. We’ve now built a new pod as a single piece of moulded fibreglass to be fitted inside. The new shower pod is even roomier than our shower option in the Trouvaille Classique MWB High Roof.

In layout option 2, the shower sits alongside a removable electric flush toilet, so the loo comes out of the way when you want to wash. In layout option 3, there’s enough room for the toilet to stay exactly where it is, which means you choose between a drying room with a fixed toilet or the shower pod with the fixed toilet inside it. There’s plenty of space to stand and have a shower, and with the electric flush toilet installed in the pod, you can sit down and shut the door behind you for that extra privacy too.

There's a vent with a fan in the roof and lighting inside, and the whole pod is fully enclosed with a sliding door to keep the water inside where it belongs. The new shower pod will mean fewer trips across a wet campsite in the middle of the night, and longer stretches away from the facilities block.

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A side pod for the Fixed Rear Bed

The bed in the Fixed Rear Bed layout runs across the ‘van, so the width of the ‘van decides how far you can stretch out. On a Fiat Ducato, that’s about 6ft 5in (roughly 1.96m), and taller clients tell us it’s something they really consider before they order.

Side pods are usually something you only see on bigger ‘vans like the Crafter and the Sprinter, so we’re building one for the Ducato. It adds an extra 2 inches, taking the bed to 6ft 7in (roughly 2.01m) across. That’s enough to make a real difference so you’re never sleeping with your feet tucked up.

We’re making it in-house from start to finish, beginning with a wooden mould in our woodwork department, which then goes over to fibreglass for the reverse mould to be taken off it.

An electric pop top roof for the Micro Camper and the Atek

Pushing a pop top roof up is easy enough for most people, but not for everyone, and several of our older clients told us it was the one job in the 'van they'd rather not do by hand. So we're working on an electric version for the Micro Camper and for the Atek roof, where the roof lifts at the touch of a button and will be as easy to use in twenty years' time as it is on handover day.

It's in development currently, and we’ll keep you posted on when this is ready. If it's something that would make a difference to you, do tell us when enquiring, and we can talk it through with you.

The all electric E-Micro Camper

We're looking at buying an electric base vehicle so we can build a fully electric Micro Camper. It's a Stellantis product, which means it will be available across the Fiat, Vauxhall and Toyota platforms, so there's a good bit of choice. Put it together with our Off Grid Package, and you've a camper that runs entirely on electricity from the driving to the kettle.

On range, it's been proven at around 180 miles, with 200 within reach depending on how you drive it, and a charge from empty to 80% takes about 45 minutes. That's a nice little stop for a brew rather than a whole afternoon stuck at a service station. We're aiming to have the eMicro with us for 2027, and possibly sooner if all goes well.

The new Option 1 layout on the Classique MWB

A rear lounge layout is the next on our list, and it will join the Trouvaille Classique range as option one. The front of the 'van stays exactly as it is in the Fixed Rear Bed, with the same kitchen and the same choice of shower or toilet in the bathroom.

What changes is all in the back. Instead of a fixed bed, you get two four-foot bench seats sitting much lower down, so you've a lounge to sit in of an evening that's separate from the front of the 'van.

It's a traditional layout and a popular one with older clients who want somewhere comfortable to sit other than the front seats. The walkway runs open from the cab all the way through to the back doors, which makes life a lot easier if you're loading bikes in. When it's time for bed, the two bench seats meet in the middle to make a double, and the backrest cushions simply drop down to fill the gap, so there are no extra cushions to find a home for. We’re aiming to have a demo ready in 2027.

Come and see the work for yourself

Book a workshop tour

The best way to understand all of our innovations is to come visit the workshop for a behind-the-scenes look around.

Richard runs the tours himself, you'll see 'vans being built on the day, and you can ask him anything you like about the design and how it might best suit you.

New Campervan Innovations

​Every Orange Camper starts life in our Yorkshire workshop, but very few of them stay exactly the same for long

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The campervan shower pod for the Fixed Rear Bed

The best way to understand all of our innovations is to come visit the workshop for a behind-the-scenes look around. Richard runs the tours himself, you'll see 'vans being built on the day, and you can ask him anything you like about the design and how it might best suit you.

Every Orange Camper starts life in our Yorkshire workshop, but very few of them stay exactly the same for long

The best way to understand all of our innovations is to come visit the workshop for a behind-the-scenes look around.

Richard runs the tours himself, you'll see 'vans being built on the day, and you can ask him anything you like about the design and how it might best suit you.