From old diesel to electric dream: Peter-Paul and Ellen found their ideal camper

After years of travelling with an old diesel camper, Peter-Paul and Ellen from Leimuiden found their future in the Outbase ID.Buzz campervan. And now Peter-Paul also uses it for his work — which makes Ellen a little jealous. This is their story.

Peter-Paul and Ellen from Leimuiden initially rented a camper to travel with their children. They enjoyed it so much that not long after — almost by accident — they bought an old diesel camper through an auction site.

With that camper, they spent years travelling with their children to Norway, Sweden and the Baltic states. But by now the children have left home, the camper was getting older, and the couple wanted something new.

Time for something new: but what?

Looking for another camper turned out to be more difficult than expected.

“Second-hand petrol vans? Hardly any to be found. Another diesel then? No longer an option — we wanted something future-proof.”

Peter-Paul also had other reasons to make the switch to the ID.Buzz. As an independent auditor in the food industry, he travels all over the country to certify companies for food safety and quality. An electric car was already on his wish list, so why not combine the two?

The puzzle falls into place in Hardenberg

They visited several camping fairs and checked out all the brands. Peter-Paul really wanted to be able to cook both inside and outside. A simple transformation from bench to bed was also important. And then, at the fair in Hardenberg, they suddenly came across the Outbase ID.Buzz.

“With other campers, I often felt: it’s just not practical.

But with Outbase, all the pieces of the puzzle really fell into place. The design is so clever.”

And the price? It was considerable, but Peter-Paul looks at it differently: “I already wanted an electric car for my work. So the extra cost for the camper function felt relatively low. And then you have both a daily car and a camper.”

“Everything fits easily. Being outside is wonderful, but inside is comfortable too.”

Camper life with the whole family

In May 2024, Peter-Paul and Ellen received their ID.Buzz and immediately took it to Denmark, where the weather was beautiful. Later, they travelled to Scotland together with their two sons, aged 19 and 21. “One son slept upstairs in the pop-up roof, which he found super easy. The other slept in a tent. We even had space left over. It was really cosy. On rainy evenings, they would all sit together playing games in the camper. The ID.Buzz may look small from the outside, but inside we’re constantly amazed by how much space there actually is.”

“We even once stayed overnight at a whisky distillery, because we had enjoyed a few too many glasses. All of us slept in the camper. It worked out perfectly.”

Even on the hilly roads of Corsica, the camper drove wonderfully. “We took small rocky roads where big campers simply can’t go. Those people really missed out on the most beautiful part of Corsica.”

Working and living on wheels

Peter-Paul happily drives his white ID.Buzz all across the Netherlands. If he works more than 80 km from home and needs to be at the same location the next day, he sleeps in his camper. “At first, the limit was 100 km, but I enjoy it so much. I’d rather camp than spend an hour in traffic.”

He finds his spots via Park4Night or the NKC app, and only chooses campsites or camper pitches with a shower. Hotels? Not for him. “They’re so impersonal. Being in nature on a small campsite — that’s real enjoyment.” At home, Peter-Paul has a charging station, so on the road he rarely needs to recharge. He usually cooks for himself, with the occasional visit to a restaurant. His wife Ellen is sometimes a little jealous. “Off you go again with the camper…,” she says. Luckily, they often head out together as well.

Rediscovering the Netherlands
Closer to home, Peter-Paul and Ellen are also taking more weekend trips. They both love it, so whenever they can go together, they seize the opportunity. “Even when I visit my father in the care home, we take the camper. That way we can be there two days in a row. We use the van in so many different ways.”
As for the camper itself, little needed to be adjusted. “We did make an awning out of an old tent canopy — works perfectly.”

An investment in the future

Although the camper also looks businesslike (a deliberate choice as a self-employed professional, which is why it’s white), Peter-Paul often has to explain why he drives a camper. “People see a man on his own, wearing a shirt, in an ID.Buzz camper and don’t immediately understand.”
He is considering renting out the camper occasionally. “That way it truly becomes an investment.” In any case, he believes its value will remain strong. “We want to keep this camper for at least twenty years.”

No rush, just happiness

Not everything is perfect: going on a winter sports trip with the electric camper turned out to be a challenge. “The charging stations along the way were slow because of the crowds, the battery performed less well in the cold, and the journey ultimately took much longer than with a petrol car. But that also makes sense. With this camper, rushing to your destination isn’t really the idea. You need to take your time.”

And that’s exactly what Peter-Paul is doing now. “I want to enjoy it now, not only when I retire. My dream? To work in the winter and be free in the summer. Then head out for long trips with our Outbase ID.Buzz.”