Despite what Instagram might have you believe, decking out your own custom vanlife rig from scratch ain’t easy. It takes a ton of time and even more money, and that’s assuming you already know what you’re doing. If you’re eager to hit the open road with your own tricked-out camper van but would rather leave the hard work to the pros, Vanspeed has you covered with its all-new California Coast build.
Get the full details on Vanspeed’s 2024 California Coast camper van
For its latest build, the SoCal-based company leaned heavily on the easy, breezy West Coast vibe for inspiration. The California Coast configuration is all about taking your outdoor sports obsession—whether that’s biking, surfing, kayaking, or hiking—with you wherever the road takes you. It starts life as a very capable and tech-heavy Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144 before Vanspeed customizes it to within an inch of its life to make it into a true vanlife-worthy chariot.
Stepping inside, it’s clear that this is no ordinary camper van build. Beautiful wood finishing, high-end finishes, and warm LED lighting abound. There’s a compact kitchen that’s surprisingly full-featured with a two-burner induction cooktop and an Isotherm fridge/freezer combo. A 25-gallon onboard freshwater tank provides plenty of water for drinking, dishes, cooking, and washing up. Plus, there’s ample storage between four drawers and several ceiling-mounted cabinets.
With a heavy focus on outdoor gear, Vanspeed built in tons of under-bed storage and a clever “gear garage” at the rear. It’s purpose-built to accommodate larger items, including everything from hiking backpacks and mountain biking accessories to snowboards and kayaks. Whatever you need to take with you, the California Coast has you covered. There’s even a built-in vacuum system and a quick-connect outdoor shower, so you can keep your van clean, inside and out.
Like all good custom van builds, the California Coast comes with a beefy solar electric setup. At its core is a 2,000-watt Xantrex inverter/charger mated to a 215 amp-hour AGM battery. Twin 100-watt Zamp solar panels keep it all topped up, and there’s even a 30-amp shore hookup for fast power-ups when you finally make it back to civilization. USB and standard 110-volt power outlets are thoughtfully placed throughout the cabin, allowing for quick top-ups of your mobile gear.
Build and spec your own Vanspeed California Coast camper van
The new California Coast build starts at $65,000, plus the cost of the donor Sprinter van. Because Vanspeed makes clever use of preset configurations, the company can turnaround their conversions in less than three months (compared to the typical 6- to 8-month waiting period). But, if even that’s too long, Vanspeed frequently has turnkey van builds ready to roll starting from around $140,000. Either way, you’ve got plenty of time to start planning your next camping trip right now.
