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Custom camper van conversion company Outside Vans has built Next Gen, a tiny home on wheels built on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.
Outside Vans was founded in 2007 by a man who had already been building vans for 30 years, according to Outside Vans. The team of over 65 people produces over 100 custom conversions annually with the purpose of bringing "people closer to nature."
The Next Gen van was built in 2019 for the company's founder to travel with his wife and three-year-old son. Outside Vans developed pieces of lightweight furniture and placed them strategically to balance the interior weight of the van.
"This van was specifically built with weight reduction and driving performance in mind," Outside Van's creative director Brian Jagodnik told Business Insider in an email. "It features a number of [research and development] components that are being tested while in the field."
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Components being tested include the cot bed system, air conditioning unit, and "Arctic Tern windows." They are not available for other builds yet.
The tiny home was built on a 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with a 170-inch extended Dually wheelbase. The heaviest features of the build are in the center of the van.
Weight distribution is important to make the van safer, more fuel-efficient, and smoother in its drive, according to its maker. However, the van has air suspensions that also keep the drive steady.
The driver and passenger seats are brown with multicolored detailing panels.
There is an aluminum shower in the middle of the van behind the passenger seats with a custom made shower curtain that can zip to contain water inside the shower space.
The shower also has an overhead vent and light, and the 30-gallon water tank, pump, and heater are located just behind it.
The removable cot bunk beds are in the back of the van and are 10 pounds each.
The bunk bed frames are aluminum with a suspended interior.
Sound damping inside the van keeps the cabin quiet and insulated, Outside Van claims.
The floor is covered in a marine-grade vinyl that keeps it durable and slip-resistant, according to Outside Vans.
There is an overhead cab shelf with lighting.
The kitchenette includes a sink, refrigerator and freezer, induction stovetop, and blender.
Its countertop is made of plywood with a laminated finish, while the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen are made of bamboo.
There’s also an air conditioner on board and a heater near the floor.
An insulated removable soft wall regulates living area temperature and separates the living space from the passenger and driver seats.
There's a 13-foot awning that can be pulled out outside of the tiny home.
There are solar panels and two 360-amp hour lithium-ion batteries that power the interior of the van. The secondary alternator on board recharges the van's battery while it's moving or idle, according to Outside Vans.
A ladder on the rear door allows for access to the roof.
The roof also has a custom safari basket and electric bike rack with a 110-volt charger.
