One of many buzziest highlights of this 12 months’s CMT camper and journey present, the brand new Freescape camper van combines a versatile flooring plan like nothing we recall seeing earlier than with a singular patented pop-up roof system we positively have not seen earlier than. The all-wheel-drive Ford Journey camper van is as able to reside off-grid as it’s to run errands on it.
One does not have to wander deep into the halls of CMT 2026 to search out some eye-opening improvements. The Freescape camper van is among the most conspicuously recent new designs of the present, and it is proper within the hallway, mere steps from the badge-scanning turnstiles of the principle entry.
What’s fascinating sufficient about Freescape’s van that present goer after present goer can not help however to cease and stare, no less than momentarily, is the distinctive pop-up roof system, a patented design that is being known as the primary of its form. It is definitely the primary we have seen on a manufacturing van and never a concept camper.
CC Weiss/New Atlas
Freescape combines the thought of a side-expanding pop-up roof tent with an inflatable development extra generally utilized in roof-mounted tents, not built-in pop-tops. The design sees the van roof tilt out of the best way towards the driving force’s facet and the internal tent inflate on the push of a button. Inflation works through an air compressor saved away within the van cabin, and tent setup takes roughly seven minutes.
The tent breaks down and stows away much more rapidly, as a number of its a number of valves enable for quick deflation whereas additionally serving to to stop whole failure within the case of a leak in one of many air body segments. As soon as the tent is deflated, the proprietor folds the ground again inside and closes the roof. An attachable cloth headliner retains the tent out of sight contained in the van.
The benefit of inflating a tent off the facet of the automobile on this manner is multifold. To begin, it creates a 79 x 55-in (200 x 140-cm) longitudinal double mattress, comfortably wider than the 81 x 49-in (205 x 125-cm) mattress Ford provides in its personal Nugget pop-top. A pair of assist poles helps to stabilize the prolonged mattress.
Freescape
Width tends to be at a premium in camper beds, in order that’s a plus by itself, however the larger benefit of the side-extended design is the truth that the mattress is positioned on the overhang, leaving the complete quantity of headroom open always contained in the van itself, without having to elevate the mattress out of the best way. This makes it simpler to entry the mattress and handy for one particular person to take an upstairs whereas others stay within the cab with out shedding out on standing room.
By extending over the facet of the van, the tent additionally works as its personal awning, offering some shade and climate safety with out the necessity for a separate awning.
Freescape
Freescape didn’t expend all its creativity designing the patented inflatable roof, saving a lot for the versatile decrease flooring plan. Like many different camper van builders, it begins with the widespread flooring rails working lengthwise for mounting and eradicating the rear seats and different {hardware}. The 2 commonplace seats fold flat to create a decrease double mattress, this one nicely narrower at 79 x 39 in (200 x 100 cm).
In contrast to different camper van builders, Freescape additionally provides a set of traverse tracks towards the entrance of the cabin. These serve to carry the kitchen block slides in order that the sink, induction cooktop and drawer stack can glide clear throughout the ground, from a stowed place behind the driving force’s seat and straight via the sliding door for outdoor cooking. Campers can then prepare dinner beneath the prolonged roof tent. The sliding unit additionally features a worktop extension that may be secured at a number of heights on the finish of the block.
CC Weiss/New Atlas
Along with excessive left and proper positions, the sliding kitchen can also be designed to cease in the midst of the van, the place its prolonged countertop can function a desk to be used from the swivel passenger’s seat. Mixed with the swiveling eating desk, the setup permits a number of digital nomads to comfortably clack away on their keyboards on the similar time – no banging elbows or rubbing knees.
Freescape
Shifting again from that sliding flex block, the rest of the kitchen space and sidewall console is straightforward and simple, incorporating a worktop/facet shelf simply contained in the window and extra storage beneath.
As in lots of small camper vans, the facet kitchen extends again right into a full peak cupboard on the rear of the van. Right here, Freescape shops in a heavy-duty electrical system constructed for off-grid autonomy with a mixture of 300-Ah lithium battery, 3,000-W inverter and 340 watts of photo voltaic panels.
Additionally included within the construct is a 25-liter recent water tank. An outside bathe is built-in neatly right into a cubby behind the wall console, making for straightforward showers and kit/canine cleanups.
CC Weiss/New Atlas
As for the rest of the tailgate space, Freescape additional expands flexibility by providing shelf-like modules that consumers can stack into completely different preparations or take away as wanted. Its CMT exhibition van features a stack of those cabinets on one facet and a top-loading Dometic fridge on the opposite.
For our cash, we might simply as quickly go away these bins on the store as a result of we might fairly have extra free house to retailer different tenting and sports activities tools. However others’ mileage will fluctuate, and the modular storage system may show a really perfect technique of organizing and accessing issues for some campers and street lifers.
Past the detachable rear storage modules and slide-around kitchen, the inside will be rearranged for various functions utilizing the ground rails. Van house owners can add seats for extra on a regular basis passenger functionality, rearrange them round completely different cargo and tenting wants, or take away them utterly for extra cargo capability. They’ll additionally use the rails to safe cargo, mount bikes and extra.
Freescape
Freescape plans to construct its camper on a number of completely different Ford Tourneo Customized trims. The four-sleeper debut mannequin featured in all our photographs is constructed atop a 199-in (505-cm) Ford Tourneo Customized with 168-hp diesel engine, eight-speed computerized transmission and all-wheel drive. It consists of the complete inside build-out, electrical system, inflatable pop-up roof and recent water tank, together with a diesel camp heater and moveable dry separating bathroom. It costs in at 79,990, however word, the Dometic fridge shouldn’t be listed on the pricing spec sheet.
Freescape additionally plans to construct packages on the brand new Volkswagen Transporter/Caravelle, which shares a platform with the Ford Transit/Tourneo Customized.
Supply: Freescape
