I spent three weeks in a motorhome in Spain in February 2026. Not my usual van -- a friend's Pilote Pacific P626D, seven metres long, built-in shower, permanent bed. A different world from the converted Trafic I live in part of the year.
And a different world in energy terms too.
A motorhome consumes more, weighs more, has more space, and its occupants have different expectations. The station that works brilliantly in a campervan is not necessarily the right one for a motorhome. If you are looking for a campervan station instead, my guide to the best campervan stations is better suited. This article was born from that realisation, from conversations with motorhome owners on service areas, and from my own testing.
A campervan is typically a couple or a solo traveller, a 35-50 litre fridge, a few LEDs, a phone charger. Daily consumption: 300-600 Wh.
A motorhome is typically a couple or family, an 80-150 litre fridge (sometimes a converted domestic unit), a TV, a blown-air heating system, a water pump, more generous lighting, multiple chargers, and sometimes a microwave or coffee machine.
For a detailed method, my article on wattage sizing for vans explains the approach. Realistic daily consumption for a motorhome in normal use: 800 Wh to 1500 Wh. Double or triple a campervan.
Weight is a factor too, but differently. A motorhome with a 3.5-tonne GVWR has more payload margin. A 30 kg station is a lot in a 2.8-tonne van. In a motorhome, it goes unnoticed.
Space is not a problem either. Motorhomes have underslung lockers, under-seat storage, sometimes a rear garage. You can stash a large station and extension batteries without sacrificing living space.
Final difference: the demographic. Without stereotyping, many motorhome owners are over 55, want comfort and simplicity, and do not want to manage a DIY electrical system every morning. The station needs to be invisible.
Typical consumption posts, detailed.
Large compressor fridge: 50-80 W average over 24 hours (it cycles). Per day: 600-1000 Wh depending on size, ambient temperature, and door-opening frequency.
LED lighting: 20-40 W. Over a 4-hour evening: 80-160 Wh.
Diesel/gas heater blower: the heater runs on fuel, but the blower fan is electric. Truma Combi, Webasto, Eberspacher -- they draw 20-50 W. Over a cold 10-hour night: 200-500 Wh.
Water pump: 60 W but intermittent. Per day with shower and washing up: 30-60 Wh.
TV: a 22-24 inch 12 V screen draws 30-50 W. Over a 3-hour film: 90-150 Wh.
Assorted chargers: 50-100 Wh per day.
Total: 1050-1970 Wh per day. Round to 1000 Wh for frugal use, 2000 Wh for comfortable use.
Add a microwave (1000 W, used 10 minutes twice daily): another 350 Wh. A Nespresso machine (1200 W, 3 coffees daily): 100 Wh more.
For 2-3 days of autonomy without recharging (the comfort standard for most motorhome owners), multiply daily consumption by 2.5 (the extra 0.5 covers inverter losses and safety margin).
Frugal use: 1000 Wh x 2.5 = 2500 Wh. Comfortable use: 2000 Wh x 2.5 = 5000 Wh.
We are firmly in big-station-plus-extensions territory. A standalone 2000 Wh station suffices for one day but not for a full weekend off-hook.
That is why expandable systems dominate the motorhome market in March 2026.
Base: 2042 Wh. Expandable to 12,256 Wh. Output: 3000 W. LFP 4000 cycles.
My number-one recommendation for motorhomes. Extension packs of 2042 Wh each let you build exactly the capacity you need. Two packs give 6126 Wh -- 3 days of full comfort. Solar input up to 1400 W for multi-panel roof setups.
Weakness: no UPS mode, and the total cost climbs with extensions (station + 2 packs = roughly 5500 euros). But the reliability and modularity compensate.
Capacity: 4096 Wh. Expandable to 12,288 Wh. Output: 3600 W. LFP 4000 cycles.
The beast. Launched late 2025, it has established itself as the premium benchmark. Base capacity of 4096 Wh already covers two comfortable days without extensions. The 3600 W output swallows everything -- microwave, portable air con, induction hob.
Built-in UPS with 20 ms switchover is a real plus on flaky campsite hook-ups. The EcoFlow app is the most complete on the market. Weight of 51.5 kg is imposing, but in a motorhome locker it is irrelevant. Price: roughly 3500 euros -- competitive per Wh given the base capacity.
Base: 2048 Wh. With two B300S: 8192 Wh. Output: 2200 W. LFP 3500 cycles.
The value-for-money option. The AC200MAX has been on the market a while with numerous positive returns. The 2200 W output covers most motorhome needs bar an induction hob. The B300S extension batteries at 3072 Wh each are amongst the densest available.
Station + one B300S costs roughly 3800 euros. Cheaper than Jackery for more Wh. The trade-off is lower output and a less polished interface than EcoFlow.
Capacity: 3840 Wh. Expandable to 26,880 Wh. Output: 6000 W. LFP 3000 cycles.
The most powerful portable station on the market in March 2026. 6000 W continuous is enough to run a small motorhome including air conditioning. The expansion capacity of nearly 27,000 Wh is extraordinary.
Price matches: over 4500 euros for the station alone. Size and weight (60 kg) restrict it to vehicles with genuine storage space.
Capacity: 2048 Wh. Expandable to 4096 Wh. Output: 2400 W. LFP 3000 cycles.
If budget is tight or needs are modest, the DELTA 2 Max is an excellent entry point at roughly 1800 euros. Built-in UPS is a welcome bonus. Mains recharge in 80 minutes is the fastest in the market. Expandability caps at 4096 Wh though.
| Model | Base cap. | Max cap. | Output | Chemistry | Cycles | Weight | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackery 2000 Plus | 2042 Wh | 12,256 Wh | 3000 W | LFP | 4000 | 27.9 kg | 2200 EUR |
| EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 | 4096 Wh | 12,288 Wh | 3600 W | LFP | 4000 | 51.5 kg | 3500 EUR |
| Bluetti AC200MAX+B300S | 2048 Wh | 8192 Wh | 2200 W | LFP | 3500 | 28.1 kg | 1800 EUR |
| Anker SOLIX F3800 | 3840 Wh | 26,880 Wh | 6000 W | LFP | 3000 | 60 kg | 4500 EUR |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max | 2048 Wh | 4096 Wh | 2400 W | LFP | 3000 | 23 kg | 1800 EUR |
The motorhome comes with a 100 Ah 12 V auxiliary battery (1200 Wh), a converter, and a charger. Why not just upgrade with a bigger lithium battery?
Fixed 12 V has advantages: integrated, permanent, recharges automatically via the alternator whilst driving.
But serious limits too. Installing a 200 Ah LiFePO4 battery requires a compatible DC-DC charger, possibly an external BMS, heavy-gauge cabling, and often a specialist electrician. Total cost: 2000-3000 euros. And if you sell the motorhome, the installation stays.
The portable station you carry out and take with you. Use it at home as backup. Lend it. Place it in a locker and connect with a cable. No drilling, no permanent wiring, no modification to the original electrics. Change vehicles and your station follows.
The ideal compromise for many motorhome owners in 2026: keep the original 12 V installation for basics (lighting, water pump, heating) and add a portable station for everything else (dedicated fridge, microwave, TV, heavy loads). The two systems coexist without interfering.
Four sources complement each other.
Mains hook-up at service areas and campsites. When plugged in, the station recharges in 1-2 hours.
Rigid roof solar panels. 400 W of panels (two or three rigid units) produce 1500-2500 Wh per day in summer in southern Europe. In winter, halve that.
Charging whilst driving. Some stations accept 12 V input via the lighter or direct alternator connection via a DC-DC charger. Power is limited (200-500 W), but over 4 hours of driving you recover 800-2000 Wh.
Generator. The last resort -- noisy and polluting but effective. A small Honda EU22i at 1800 W recharges a 2000 Wh station in 2-3 hours.
The rear garage locker is the most common spot. Pros: easy access, ample space, natural ventilation when the hatch is open. Con: it is the coldest point in winter. My article on stations and cold weather explains the risks.
Inside the habitation area, under a bench seat or in a low cupboard, maintains stable temperature year-round. Ideal for battery longevity. But space is tighter and you need ventilation -- a station on fast charge generates heat, and a sealed cupboard can hit 50 degrees in summer.
My recommendation: under the dinette bench seat, with ventilation holes drilled in the plywood (four 5 cm holes suffice). Accessible, temperature-stable, discreet.
Secure the station with ratchet straps or a custom box. Heavy braking at 80 km/h throws 30 kg with considerable force. See my solar installation guide for cable routing through the roof via a waterproof gland.
Do not underestimate consumption. Measure with a watt meter for a week before buying. For home backup during outages, I have a dedicated guide to backup batteries.
Do not rely on solar alone in winter. Southern France in December: 3-4 hours of useful sun. Your 400 W panels produce 600-1000 Wh -- insufficient against 1500 Wh consumption. Plan for hook-up stops or a generator backup.
Do not neglect ventilation. A big station discharging 2000 W generates heat. In a sealed locker, thermal protection will trigger.
If I were buying a motorhome tomorrow: EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3. 4096 Wh base covers 2 days. UPS mode handles dodgy hook-ups. 3600 W powers everything. Extensions available if needed.
For a tighter budget: Bluetti AC200MAX + one B300S. Best Wh-per-euro on the market.
For full-time motorhome owners wanting to forget hook-ups exist: Anker SOLIX F3800 with its 6000 W and monstrous expansion possibilities.
Choose the right capacity using our comparison tool, couple it with roof solar, and enjoy the road without counting watts.
No, a motorhome easily consumes double or triple. Bigger fridge, TV, blown-air heating, water pump, more lighting. You go from 500-800 Wh per day in a van to 1000-2000 Wh in a motorhome. That completely changes the station sizing.
The portable station is more flexible: take it out, lend it, reuse at home. The converter on the engine battery recharges automatically whilst driving but is limited in capacity and non-removable. My advice: keep the engine battery for basics (12 V lighting, pump) and add a station for the rest.
You need grunt: at least 3000 W output for a portable air con unit, and 4000+ Wh capacity for a few hours of running. The Anker SOLIX F3800 at 6000 W is the only one that handles it comfortably. But be prepared: air con empties a battery at a frightening rate.
Cedric
