In a van, every pound and every inch counts, and you recharge mostly while driving. That changes which specs matter.
Portable unit or built-in system?
A portable power station is a sealed battery, inverter, charger and solar controller in one box. You don't wire anything, and it moves with you if you sell the van. A built-in lithium battery, inverter and DC-DC charger system can scale bigger and integrate more cleanly, but it costs more and needs careful wiring. A common middle path: start portable, and add an alternator charger if you drive daily.
Typical daily budget for a remote worker
- 12 V compressor fridge: ~300–600 Wh/day, depending on heat and how often you open it
- Laptop: 60 W × 6 h ≈ 360 Wh
- Phone, lights, fan: ~150 Wh
- Satellite or cellular internet: ~50–100 W while on, so 8 h ≈ 400–800 Wh
That totals about 1,200–1,900 Wh/day (illustrative). That's more than a 1 kWh unit unless you recharge every day, which is why charging while driving matters so much in vans.
Charging while you drive
A standard 12 V socket gives about 100–120 W, so an hour of driving adds only about 100 Wh. Options that move faster:
- High-output alternator chargers. EcoFlow sells an 800 W unit compatible with the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus. EcoFlow says it fully charges in about 1.3 hours at 800 W. It requires installation on the starter battery.
- Bigger solar input. Roof panels plus a unit that takes 500 W or more of solar, such as the BLUETTI AC180 (500 W) or the DELTA 3 Plus (2 × 500 W).
Weight and footprint
From the comparison: the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 weighs 7.7 lb, the BLUETTI AC70 22.5 lb, the DELTA 3 Plus 27.6 lb, and the AC180 35.3 lb. BLUETTI says the AC180 must stay upright, so plan a strapped, upright spot with airflow around the vents.
Winter van life
If the van sits below freezing overnight, the battery may refuse to charge until it warms up. See the cold & altitude guide. Keeping the unit in the insulated living space rather than an exterior locker helps.