While other brands are convinced that outrageous price tags and ostentatious cosmetics are the key to a market-topping camper van, Alphavan has won the day with a quieter grade of van life luxury. Its family-size Sprinter RV is one of the most luxurious live-in vans we've covered, and it's proven a versatile platform for various uses. The latest model becomes something of a wandering five-star backcountry lodge aimed at thrill-seeking families and groups, combining Alphavan's spacious floor plan with gear-shuttling capabilities meant to haul skis, paddleboards, bikes and more into thrilling, hard-to-reach spaces.
Alphavan has previously created convincing Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 and Sprinter toy hauler camper van models, and last year, it introduced the original Off Grid 4x4 van. It's now preparing to give the updated 2026 model a full and proper debut at this year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon.
The Off Grid 4x4 spec picks up where those previous Adventure Alphas left off, designed to transform distant dirt into glamping-grade base camps and bring along the gear necessary to keep pushing beyond the campsite circles, gravel road ends, faded-out trails and over-forested offshoots that a hulking 736-cm-long (290-in) super-high-roof van simply can't maneuver.
The backbone of the Off Grid 4x4 package is the large full-length roof rack that's topped the van since last year's launch, fronted by a side-to-side line of beefy off-road auxiliary lights. The rack carries up to 1 kW of solar panels as standard to help feed the LPG-free off-grid power system. The rack can also hold a rooftop tent, adding another story and two more sleeping berths to the spacious two-room, four-sleeper interior for a total of six people.
The large tubular roof rack is back for MY2026, and this time it's complemented by a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) carrier that hangs off the van's side. The addition is part of what Alphavan calls a newfound focus on "multi-sport and regeneration," a design that promises to turn a humble Mercedes Sprinter van into a remote backcountry adventure lodge loaded up for days' and weeks' worth of high-adrenaline outdoor pursuits and comfy overnight recovery.
The theme continues on the dual rear doors, where Alphavan offers the option of a combination ski/bike rack for all-season outdoor endeavoring. Those who prefer can opt to keep their bikes inside the doors, either secured down via the rear garage tie-down track or more easily accessible via an available slide-out tray.
Called the FlexPort, the rear garage doubles as a children's bedroom, one of Alphavan's original signature features. During the ride, it can be used to store luggage and gear, including those skis and bicycles. At camp, owners install a single or double short mattress transversely atop over-wheel-well consoles to create a private kids' room, separated from the rest of the floor plan via a front wall with access door.
Those mattress-supporting consoles hold key systems hardware, and the FlexPort is also where you'll find the washing machine – a potential game-changer since all those outdoor activities are going to create some seriously dirty laundry.
The Off Grid 4x4 doesn't lean solely on its solar-backed electrical system to earn its "off grid" status, further cutting ties in the communications and bathroom departments. Alphavan was among the first RV companies in the world to include Starlink internet, which it carries over to its latest van. It then uses a waterless "sealing bag" toilet, one of the hot, growing trends of the 2025 RV season, to eliminate the need to separately store and dump waste water. The sealed toilet bags can simply be disposed of in the garbage.
The floor plan of the Off Grid 4x4 appears much the same as in all past Alphavans, a slight spin on the classic European rear bed layout with a raised bed nook that's carved out into its own private space, complete with 200 x 160-cm (79 x 63-in) queen bed and starlight headliner. The center of the van is occupied by the wet bathroom and galley, the front filled out with a dinette that includes an extendable table, swivel cab seats and a two-seat rear bench.
For the 2026 Off Grid, Alphavan has added the option of an additional removable rear seat so the van can seat up to five and sleep up to six (with rooftop tent). It's installed the most recently updated Mercedes-Benz MBAC smart home hardware for full systems monitoring and control from the driver's cab infotainment display, living area display and mobile app. It's also upgraded the master bed with a mattress it developed in collaboration with German sport and recovery specialist Blackroll – the "regeneration" part of the equation.
The Alphavan Off Grid 4x4 comes built atop the 736-cm Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 419 CDI 4Matic panel van with super-high roof. Thanks to the lightweight construction ethic around which Alphavan was founded, it maintains a vehicle weight below 3,500 kg (7,700 lb), leaving between 600 and 1,000 kg (1,322 to 2,200 lb) of payload, depending upon whether buyers select the 4,100- or 4,500-kg (9,259- or 9,920-lb) chassis.
We'll look to get critical details about what size battery and complementing electrical hardware are at the business end of the solar panel wiring, additional standard features, pricing information and optional equipment once Alphavan officially premieres the 2026 Off Grid 4x4 at the Caravan Salon next month.
We can say that the current 2025 Alphavan 4x4 starts at a cool €260,000 (incl. VAT, approx. US$305,925) in Germany, with the Off Grid package tacking on another €15,000 ($17,650). That's an athletic leap from the €167,000 price tag from just three years ago, though that was before taxes. We'll wait to see how many euros the new 2026 Off Grid 4x4 package adds to the final equation.
Alphavan recently moved its production and development headquarters to Leutkirch im Allgäu, down low in southern Germany, and is kicking off the new era with the 2026 Off Grid 4x4.
"With the move to Leutkirch, we are now looking forward to the future of our manufactory in a great environment with a lot of commitment from the community," managing director Philipp Wex said. "The latest Alphavan model gives a first glimpse of where the journey is headed."
Looks like a journey worth following.
Source: Alphavan
