This Couple Completely DIY-ed a 2015 Ford Transit Into an Off-Grid Motorhome

For many years, the ability to buy and own a traditional house has been quite a challenge for a lot of people and even more for the younger generation. And it seems like it is only getting worse, at least in bigger cities. For this reason, some adventurous people take a U-turn and decide that there are better ways to own something.

While the choice of living in an RV could make some wonder what is wrong with this generation, for Steph and Alejo, it was all they wanted. It all started during a vacation in 2017 when the couple decided that instead of booking a hotel room, they would be better off renting a small camper van to travel around. After many rentals of different vans, they finally decided to get one and DIY it themselves.

Since most of the time they will be in remote places with no access to electricity, they had to design this van with an off-grid system. The system comprises 450W solar panels, 510-amp hours lithium batteries, a 50-amp/hour alternator charger, and a generator that comes with a custom-made box for protection. In case no gas stations are around, they also have a 20-gallon (75-liter) liquid container jerrycan.

An e-bike is found at the rear side of the van for those moments when they would want to enjoy exploring around by themselves without taking their motorhome with them. The bike is secured on a ramp and covered to be protected from the weather outside.

It could not have been a full-time living motorhome without a kitchen equipped with all the necessary equipment. The kitchen comes with a small 120v Dometic fridge that can hold one week of groceries, a deep sink, a microwave, and a two-burner propane stovetop. A 40-gallon (151-liter) freshwater tank provides enough water for the kitchen sink and the shower.

There is plenty of storage with the upper and ground cabinets, so all the spices, pans, and whatnot can all fit nicely packed. Steph is not a fan of cooking, so there is not much cooking space available.

What we usually see in other motorhomes on the other side of the kitchen is a dinette. But not in this one, and I can see why. Most of the vans do not have such a big closet as the one in here and it is such a shame! Where would all the poor one million dresses, skirts, and shoes fit? This closet has been designed with a stylish white barn door.

The bathroom has been placed right next to the closet, a smart idea for those times when you forget to get the clothes to change into after a shower (that never happened to me). It has a flushing toilet, a shower, and a sliding door.

The rear side of the van is pretty much a... jack-of-all-trades. Why? Because this area is a living room, a bedroom, and a dining room. The living room consists of three bench couches in a U shape with a swivel table. With the addition of another small table and couch pillows in the middle, this can be transformed into a queen-size bed, which is quite a large sleeping area for a van.

Extra storage is provided by a few upper cabinets on each of the sides and the hidden compartments inside the benches. There is also a small TV, a ceiling AC, and a diesel heater.

A build like this one can get rather heavy quickly, so it also needs a bit of grunt to get moving. While the Transit does not get a big V8 diesel engine or anything crazy like that, it does have just enough to get them where they need to go.

The van can come with one of the two engine options. The first one is a 3.7-liter V6 good for 275 hp (280 ps) and 260 lb-ft (353 Nm) of torque and the second one is a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 which puts out 310 hp (314 ps) and 400 lb-ft (54 Nm) of torque.

It is unclear which engine powers this particular motorhome as the couple did not specify, but the more capable engine would be a safer bet for anyone willing to engage in a similar build. However, we do know it sits on a set of chunky all-terrain tires, ready to take it on countless adventures.

The couple said that they acquired the 2015 Ford Transit from Florida for $26,000 (€24,512) with an odometer reading of 25,000 miles (40,000 km). Which is quite a bargain, considering that it was almost brand new, and it also serves as both their car and a home.

It took them around one year to finish the entire project of having a motorhome with all the necessary amenities for full-time living. However, they did not work every day to transform this van, since their jobs did not allow them to work remotely.