In November 2023, I came across an interesting article about the possibility of Van Life Coming to an End. The conclusion made by author Dalton Johnson is Maybe. He gave six reasons that can be summarized below.
Article can be found here: https://www.mensjournal.com/pursuits/adventure-travel/why-people-are-quitting-van-life#
As a micro van owner of a Cascade camper (built professionally on a 2020 Ram Promaster City cargo van chassis, #167), I can emphatically state our Cascade Camper Van community is still thriving in April 2024.
Yes… we have been negatively impacted by the Ram Auto Industry’s decision to quit manufacturing four cylinder Promaster City vans. Their main reason given was lackluster sales. This statement is disingenuous at best because consumers could not easily purchase new Promaster City vans during the two year, COVID-19 Pandemic. Due to automotive chip shortages in Taiwan! My sister drove to Illinois in 2021 to find a new Promaster City cargo van for her office cleaning business. She could not find a new Promaster City van at any Ram dealership in central Ohio!
The Biden Administration has been heavily promoting electric vehicles. And it’s no coincidence that Ram, Nissan, Ford & Mercedes are discontinuing the manufacturing & sales of their four cylinder, cargo vans in America. Connect the government overreach dots! Cascade Camper is now manufacturing Kitchen Pods for Sprinter vans since they are not currently on the gas vehicle discontinued list.
Full-time van life can be exhausting, especially if you’re attempting it inside a van you cannot stand upright inside the interior. And the higher cost of gasoline prices make Sprinter vans (larger 6 cylinder & diesel engines) more costly to drive. However, in 2024…I am still in love with the economical cost & freedom of using my 2020 Promaster City camper van as a daily driver. And as a part-time explorer! I average over 30 miles per gallon driving my 4 cylinder Promaster City camper van. And I’m never bored. I go to the beach, different camp sites, and can easily tow a kayak trailer or haul a bicycle on my trailer hitch rack. As a female solo driver, I feel safe staying overnight at Cracker Barrel restaurants and paying for a healthy breakfast there (as my gratuity) at 7 a.m. the following day. I also conceal & carry legally across several state lines for personal protection. Our Cascade Camper membership is free of charge. We share modification ideas, upcoming camp outs, and daily adventures with each other on our members only, Facebook page. Let me know in the comment section below, if you think Van Life is coming to an End? Or not.
Micro Van Life 