Want to live in a van down by the river? Ford has a new vehicle for that

[Hydrogen]

• Ford on Thursday revealed the 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van, a new model of its full-size van equipped with more durable, off-road parts for outdoor enthusiasts.
• The automaker is attempting to cash in on the boom in sales of recreational trailers and vehicles, or RVs, during the coronavirus pandemic.
• The vehicle also could make “living in a van down by the river” more comfortable than late comedian Chris Farley — a cousin of the automaker’s CEO — made it out to be in a well-known “SNL” sketch.

DETROIT — Ford Motor wants to make “living in a van down by the river” a bit more comfortable than late comedian Chris Farley — a cousin of the automaker’s CEO — made it out to be in a well-known “Saturday Night Live” sketch from the early 1990s.

The Detroit automaker on Thursday revealed the 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van, a new lifted model of its full-size van equipped with all-wheel-drive and more durable, off-road parts for outdoor enthusiasts. It also comes ready for customization, also known as “upfitting,” to turn the vehicle into a living or sleeping space.

Ford is attempting to cash in on the boom in sales of recreational trailers and vehicles, or RVs, during the coronavirus pandemic. Ford already is one of the main companies that provides trucks and vans to upfitters to make them into RVs. It also has launched a slew of off-road vehicles in recent years such as the Ford Bronco SUVs and F-150 Tremor pickup.

“We will have more demand than supply, based on all the numbers we see,” Ted Cannis, CEO of the automaker’s Ford Pro commercial vehicle business, told CNBC.

Ford is touting the Transit Trail Van as a gateway into “van life,” a community of travelers who fully or partially live in their vehicles. Photos released Thursday by the automaker show the vehicle immersed in a scenic setting, including a couple who appear to be living by a river.

The 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van will go on sale in the spring, starting at $65,975. That’s about $15,000 more than a base passenger Transit van. The vehicle will be available in three cargo van configurations, including medium- and high-roof models and a high-roof, extended-length version.

The van will be produced at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri. The vehicle does not come standard with a living or sleeping space, but Transit Trail owners will have access to Ford Pro’s network of upfitters and interior installers.

The vehicle will be sold to consumers as well as commercial upfitters, which Cannis says can spend tens of thousands of dollars customizing such vehicles.


https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/ford-transit-trail-2023-targets-boom-in-rv-van-life.html

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The following is an interesting claim.

“We will have more demand than supply, based on all the numbers we see,” Ted Cannis, CEO of the automaker’s Ford Pro commercial vehicle business, told CNBC.

If the above quotation is accurate and demand for live in vehicles exceed supply despite large automakers like ford devoting entire production lines to satisfying demand. It would seem to mean large numbers of americans no longer can afford to rent a home or apartment and are instead living in their cars, trucks and vans.

It would seem that a massive cultural shift is occurring. Away from residential living, towards a more nomadic lifestyle. Whether or not the shift accompanies a trend away from city living towards more rural population growth remains unknown at this time.

It is possible that growth in business will occur along avenues which satisfy demand for these markets. Custom outfitting for vans, trucks and cars to make them more accommodating as live in vehicles could be on the rise. As well as products devoted to these areas.

These trends will introduce new obstacles and issues for people to overcome. How to receive mail while living in a van. Demand for PO boxes and similar services could rise dramatically. It is also possible that the unbanked demographic for the country will rise as it becomes more difficult to qualify for a bank account without a permanent residence. This trend could grow the number of americans who actively use bitcoin and other financial services catering to the unbanked.

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[ChiBitCTy]

Lol, I love this for several reasons. One, my uncle is a high ranking engineer for Ford. I saw him at a family wedding a couple weeks ago and we briefly discussed this vehicle. Second, I went to school at Southern Illinois University, the same school where Bob Odenkirk (aka Saul Goodman) went, which is who wrote this skit for Chris Farley.   Anyways I think Van life would be fun for a bit but I couldn’t do it long term though I think a lot of people are jumping on the van life and having success doing so, so this is great!  Certainly will help keep costs of life down in this insane, skyrocketing interest rate environment.

[Hispo]

 Anyways I think Van life would be fun for a bit but I couldn’t do it long term though I think a lot of people are jumping on the van life and having success doing so, so this is great!  Certainly will help keep costs of life down in this insane, skyrocketing interest rate environment.

I agree, i could not do it in the long term either, I am way accustomed to living in a house which does not move.
I would not mind to spend my vacations having adventures in one of those Ford vehicles, but living like that would be rough, people are already struggling with gas prices for example, imagine the gas consumption of living in a vehicle, specially in the winter when heating is most needed; also, one's connection to internet is supposed to be reliable wherever one decides to move in one of those, in the context of my country it would not be possible to have a good signal, etc.

I would rather regular housing to become affordable enough again.

[DrBeer]

The "living in a trailer" or "mobile home" movement historically comes from the United States. Yes, I agree - there was also some demand in Europe, especially in the days of hippies and so on. But it is a full-fledged noticeable movement - only in the USA (still Canada is next door, they also adopted the experience and the territory allows)
In times of recessions and crises, the demand for such solutions is growing, you can check the statistics. No wonder Ford decided to seize the moment and make money! Moreover, they have experience, the opportunity too. Ford 150 is a great machine! I really used it in the form of an ordinary pickup truck, but I liked it - a great working car, a kind of mini-office on wheels I especially liked the sockets in the second row, for connecting laptops and similar equipment

[romero121]

Initially van life used to be seen very rarely. Now this have turned to be a trend. Ford have well understood the need and the trend lunching a special vehicle for the same. It is possible to see a good list of videos in which people custom their old vehicles for van life with complete interior works. Now with the new vehicle things will be easier as everything is already planned and structured, just the interior based on convenience needs to be done.

The growing interest rate leading to the increased spending on home rents too a reason for people moving into van life. I see the advantage of van life as a way to get closer to the world, which means we'll able to learn more and interact with different communities than sticking to the same set of people around us. I don't know how good this would be in the long run, but this is quite good for people like me who is interested in travelling.

[Dorothy V]

• Ford on Thursday revealed the 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van, a new model of its full-size van equipped with more durable, off-road parts for outdoor enthusiasts.
• The automaker is attempting to cash in on the boom in sales of recreational trailers and vehicles, or RVs, during the coronavirus pandemic.
• The vehicle also could make “living in a van down by the river” more comfortable than late comedian Chris Farley — a cousin of the automaker’s CEO — made it out to be in a well-known “SNL” sketch.

DETROIT — Ford Motor wants to make “living in a van down by the river” a bit more comfortable than late comedian Chris Farley — a cousin of the automaker’s CEO — made it out to be in a well-known “Saturday Night Live” sketch from the early 1990s.

The Detroit automaker on Thursday revealed the 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van, a new lifted model of its full-size van equipped with all-wheel-drive and more durable, off-road parts for outdoor enthusiasts. It also comes ready for customization, also known as “upfitting,” to turn the vehicle into a living or sleeping space.

Ford is attempting to cash in on the boom in sales of recreational trailers and vehicles, or RVs, during the coronavirus pandemic. Ford already is one of the main companies that provides trucks and vans to upfitters to make them into RVs. It also has launched a slew of off-road vehicles in recent years such as the Ford Bronco SUVs and F-150 Tremor pickup.

“We will have more demand than supply, based on all the numbers we see,” Ted Cannis, CEO of the automaker’s Ford Pro commercial vehicle business, told CNBC.

Ford is touting the Transit Trail Van as a gateway into “van life,” a community of travelers who fully or partially live in their vehicles. Photos released Thursday by the automaker show the vehicle immersed in a scenic setting, including a couple who appear to be living by a river.

The 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van will go on sale in the spring, starting at $65,975. That’s about $15,000 more than a base passenger Transit van. The vehicle will be available in three cargo van configurations, including medium- and high-roof models and a high-roof, extended-length version.

The van will be produced at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri. The vehicle does not come standard with a living or sleeping space, but Transit Trail owners will have access to Ford Pro’s network of upfitters and interior installers.

The vehicle will be sold to consumers as well as commercial upfitters, which Cannis says can spend tens of thousands of dollars customizing such vehicles.


https://www.c[Suspicious link removed]m/2022/11/03/ford-transit-trail-2023-targets-boom-in-rv-van-life.html

....


The following is an interesting claim.

“We will have more demand than supply, based on all the numbers we see,” Ted Cannis, CEO of the automaker’s Ford Pro commercial vehicle business, told CNBC.

If the above quotation is accurate and demand for live in vehicles exceed supply despite large automakers like ford devoting entire production lines to satisfying demand. It would seem to mean large numbers of americans no longer can afford to rent a home or apartment and are instead living in their cars, trucks and vans.

It would seem that a massive cultural shift is occurring. Away from residential living, towards a more nomadic lifestyle. Whether or not the shift accompanies a trend away from city living towards more rural population growth remains unknown at this time.

It is possible that growth in business will occur along avenues which satisfy demand for these markets. Custom outfitting for vans, trucks and cars to make them more accommodating as live in vehicles could be on the rise. As well as products devoted to these areas.

These trends will introduce new obstacles and issues for people to overcome. How to receive mail while living in a van. Demand for PO boxes and similar services could rise dramatically. It is also possible that the unbanked demographic for the country will rise as it becomes more difficult to qualify for a bank account without a permanent residence. This trend could grow the number of americans who actively use bitcoin and other financial services catering to the unbanked.

It sounds like a laughing topic, but it does reflect a social phenomenon behind it. Many people choose to reduce the cost of living and live in an RV because of financial and work pressures. It is precisely because of this social need that Ford produced this type of car. If it's a short trip, I'm totally fine with it, but if the car is a house for a long time, I'll break down.

[steve5946]

My immediate family has owned two of the Ford transit 250 vans over the past five years and has had very good success with both of them.

They are as comfortable as a vehicle with the interior dimensions of a van can be, they have both been very reliable, and they have enough power to do their job well and still get decent gas mileage.

These types of vans are fun for long trips.

[Smartvirus]

Probably some good way to take a vacation but my place in time doesn't make me suit or prefer that lifestyle for an option. Most of all, have you guys been watching true crime story reconstructions on ID? I mean, it makes living in a lonely place really scary. It's practically putting yourself in harms way and in my nation, you don't do that. The crime might never be solved after its been done and the most you get is being blamed to have distanced yourself from places where you could have had some security.
Probably a good vehicle for sure but not an option  for me

[Gyfts]

The "van life" crowd fascinates me because how self sustaining they've become. They could stuff the entirety of their lives into the back of a van and survive the apocalypse.

It would seem that a massive cultural shift is occurring. Away from residential living, towards a more nomadic lifestyle. Whether or not the shift accompanies a trend away from city living towards more rural population growth remains unknown at this time.

High cost of living combined with unobtainable housing is what's driving this (no pun intended). The hippies from 20-30 years ago started the concept and lived in the back of vans for the novelty, not because they had to. Younger folks are doing it because it's more convenient than paying 2,000 USD in rent in a large city. I don't disagree.

[STT]

Anything this expensive should have some future proof design to its maintenance to justify the price.  Something like clever use of solar panels, regenerative braking and battery storage of energy could be justified and make it more carbon neutral.  Im aware anyone that rich to buy this new may not care but it would make for clever design to balance the cost of making with lower cost of running.
  I totally agree that the high cost of living and location in some areas to the land cost, taxes etc.  can almost make this vehicle the sensible choice which is amazing but very possibly true; part of that reasoning would come down to durability but also running costs, ease of use etc.    Some parts of the USA have very cheap power, others much less so hence I think it could be smart for it to be independent in that way in any way possible  I'd love to have one but I have no problem sleeping anywhere really so long as Im tired, others cant use a vehicle like this.

[The Sceptical Chymist]

If the above quotation is accurate and demand for live in vehicles exceed supply despite large automakers like ford devoting entire production lines to satisfying demand. It would seem to mean large numbers of americans no longer can afford to rent a home or apartment and are instead living in their cars, trucks and vans.

I wouldn't jump to those conclusions based on this article or anything Ford does.  If they were making a van-home for homeless people....they just wouldn't.  I think what they're capitalizing on is the whole "van life" trend, which has become quite popular in the past few years.  Jet Cash is living out his retirement in his van or RV if I'm not mistaken, and I've seen tons of videos on Youtube by people just cruising around whatever country they're in, having a great time.

They already make camper vehicles and such, and this just looks like Ford is scaling down the size of the vehicle being lived in according to what's trendy.  I just don't see this as evidence of an impending economic apocalypse or anything of the sort.  There's plenty of evidence elsewhere that it's coming, but not from Ford.

[Cryptomultiplier]

I think what Ford is trying to accomplish is original to the features it is meant for. Although one can easily say they are keeping up with the trend, but to displace the fact that most campers often make use of refurbished vans, with engines made by Ford or other motor brands engine, with a tweak, is often more expensive and more volatile especially during these economic times.
I love vans and would love to own one for the road. It suits a private lifestyle and can be economically efficient both in cost of maintenance and durability.
All thanks to Bitcoin or the emergence of other crypto that has made accessibility to funds on the go easy.

[Jet Cash]

I'm converting a van into a home for full time living. It's not because I can't afford a house, but because I enjoy the freedom. Yesterday I was on the beach about 100 yards from the sea. People pay £300,000 or more for a small flat with a view of this bit of the sea. I pay £140 for a whole year of parking there, and I don't have any of the associated costs that go with fixed base living. Right now I'm surrounded by trees. but tomorrow I might stay in a nearby town. I love the freedom of life as a digital nomad. Congrats to Ford for supporting this lifestyle, However, I prefer to convert an older van to suit my own needs. I don't like modern cards either, and I've recently bought a couple of Volvo 740s - one is a saloon, and one is an estate. They are easier to work on, and they don't have any of the government supervisory control chips in them.

[Flexystar]

They are trying to market it but it's not the thing for everyone's pie! It has limitations and it's all fine until you have to replace the sanitary pits by all yourself everyday or weekly basis and also have to pay off huge cost over maintainer. With the time it would be claustrophobic stay into such small spaces and would be crazy if I had to call my friends and family over the dinner. Lolz 

Each time I will have to park it somewhere I can build fire pit and also build camping tents to accommodate them. I am not sure how they are so sure about increasing their demand so much if it has that many challenges.

We can always rent them out instead of buying it. In fact it can be rented out in every county these days. No biggie there!

[og kush420]

They are trying to market it but it's not the thing for everyone's pie! It has limitations and it's all fine until you have to replace the sanitary pits by all yourself everyday or weekly basis and also have to pay off huge cost over maintainer. With the time it would be claustrophobic stay into such small spaces and would be crazy if I had to call my friends and family over the dinner. Lolz 

Each time I will have to park it somewhere I can build fire pit and also build camping tents to accommodate them. I am not sure how they are so sure about increasing their demand so much if it has that many challenges.

We can always rent them out instead of buying it. In fact it can be rented out in every county these days. No biggie there!

that is a dream home for a nature lover like myself. I would love to live in this kind of van.
Away from all the noise of the world with my own things. I am becoming an antisocial person and enjoys my own company. This is a beautiful creation by the Ford. Well done to the team