This Inconspicuous Box Truck Hides an Affordable and Well-Equipped Apartment on Wheels

Take Brad's example: he's been living in a mobile home for more than six years. Brad's story is similar to that of others who live nomadically. He had a house, a mortgage, and a full-time job.

However, he barely had any time to enjoy the spoils of his hard work, so he decided to make a radical change by eliminating most of his bills and selling most of the things he owned.

This way, he didn't have to work that much since his expenses were reduced significantly. Brad was ready to take the leap to a mobile lifestyle. Six years later, he's still living full-time inside a tiny home on wheels that also serves as his work van. I guess you could say that Brad found his ideal work/life balance.

By the way, Brad's company, Solair Services, services and installs solar panels and electrical systems for vans, boats, RVs, and more. So, you could say that Brad's work is directly related to van life since most proper mobile homes have electrical systems and solar-powered setups.

What we have here is a 2007 Ford E-450 Econoline box truck. It's almost 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide and 21 feet (6.4 meters) long, while the floor-to-ceiling height is over 7 feet (2.1 meters). Moreover, it sports a 6.8-liter V10 gas engine and boasts a fuel economy of 9.5 MPG (25 L/100km).

On the outside, it's finished with a sticker reading "Solair Services." I'm fairly sure almost nobody would suspect someone is living inside this box truck, making it a fantastic and stealthy tiny home on wheels.

"But why go for a box truck?" you might ask yourself. Well, in Brad's case, there were several reasons. First, box trucks are easier to convert since they have a boxy shape with straight lines, and they also offer a ton of space, which was especially important for Brad since he needed extra room for his tools. Second, they can be transformed into stealthy mobile homes. And lastly, they're typically reliable and cheaper than a van.

Before we peek inside, let me tell you more about how much it all cost to build. Brad purchased the truck when it had 117,000 miles (188,293 km) for $12,000 (€11,246) and invested about the same amount into the conversion.

That brings the total cost of this rig to $24,000 (€22,492) - that's not that much for a mobile home, especially considering that a professional van conversion will cost way more than that. Sure, you don't spend as much money, but you'll have to sacrifice a lot of time and energy.

To enter the box truck, you'll have to use the door at the rear. Pop it open, and you'll discover a minimalistic, black-and-white interior that feels very roomy. In fact, it not only feels roomy, but it actually is quite spacious.

Since Brad does a lot of cooking, he wanted his kitchen to be well-equipped. It's split into two parts on opposite sides and features a large commercial vent hood, a two-burner induction stove, and a spacious countertop imitating marble. What's more, storage spaces are aplenty in the form of various drawers and cabinets.

Opposite the things I mentioned above, there's another counter housing a huge stainless steel sink with a drying rack, a light-up mirror, and a cabinet.

One of the kitchen cabinets hides the rig's power system. Its highlights are two 200 Ah batteries, an inverter/charger connected to the 1,200 W solar panels on the roof, and a breaker panel.

Opposite the kitchen, you'll find Brad's workspace. It's really straightforward, consisting of a chair and a long desk. Moreover, it's positioned perfectly in front of a window, so Brad can enjoy the view while working. Above, you'll notice a sizeable cabinet.

The next part of this box truck is the bedroom/living room. Brad opted for a convertible bed configuration. Long story short, it consists of two benches, one on each side, that can both be used as couches. However, Brad uses a slide-out bed frame extension to connect the two benches, essentially creating an enormous bed.

Even though Brad had plenty of real estate to fit a small bathroom somewhere, he didn't. He explained that he's never had a shower in his campers because he doesn't need one. Instead, like a lot of van dwellers, he uses a gym membership to access a shower. Furthermore, he does have a Boxio urine-separating toilet inside his box truck.

The last part of the rig I will talk about is the cab-over area at the front. Brad only uses it for storage. Other storage spots I haven't mentioned are additional overhead cabinets in the living room, as well as crates underneath the desk.

Moreover, this is where you'll find a mini-split unit. Brad explained that he spent a lot of time under the scorching Texas sun, and he was able to run the A/C for months on end non-stop without worrying about draining the batteries.

I'm aware that many of you are interested in the financial side of living a mobile lifestyle. And with the right mindset, you can really keep costs to a minimum, just like Brad did (and still does).

Brad calculated his expenses while living and traveling around Austin, Texas. For instance, last summer, he had a monthly expense of $1,316. This sum can be broken down into four categories: groceries ($486), restaurants ($108), gas ($361), and other costs such as gym, storage, phone, and insurance, which amounted to $361. I'd say this sum is more than reasonable, and prices in Austin are pretty high as well.

All in all, Brad managed to create a fantastic tiny home on wheels on a tight budget. It might be a bit too minimalistic for some people, but you can't deny it's comfortable, roomy, and pretty well-equipped.