What is V2L — and why it changes campervan electrics

V2L stands for vehicle-to-load. It lets your EV export mains power from its high-voltage battery through an onboard socket — the same battery that drives the van. In a camper context, that means the biggest, most expensive component of a traditional build (the leisure battery) is already sitting under the floor.

Traditional campervan electrics work like this: charge a leisure battery from the alternator and solar, then run 12V devices directly and 230V appliances through an inverter. An EV camper flips it. The van’s traction battery already holds ten times more energy than a typical leisure bank — so the question stops being “how do I store enough power?” and becomes “how do I tap what’s already there, safely?”

Which electric vans can power a conversion?

V2L sockets are appearing on more EVs every year, but very few are vans you’d actually convert. This page focuses on the one that matters today.

The Kia PV5 — the first proper EV camper platform

The Kia PV5 is the electric van that changes the conversation: a proper compact van, purpose-built for conversion partners, with V2L capability as standard. This is the vehicle our EV pre-wired power board was designed around — engineered, tested and running in real customer builds.

We built the first PV5 pre-wired power board for a customer’s conversion, and it’s now available as a full kit: the Kia PV5 campervan electrical system and V2L pre-wired power board — including a real customer build video showing exactly what it does.

The EV power boards

The EV pre-wired power board takes the van’s V2L output and turns it into a complete, protected campervan electrical system — 12V distribution, 230V sockets, fused circuits and proper isolation, pre-wired and labelled exactly like our renowned range. It bolts in, rather than a weekend of wiring from scratch.

On the board, the power splits two ways. The 12V side runs through an optional buffer battery — charged whenever the van is on or in camping mode — into a Victron Blue Smart charger and a 12V fuse box, so your 12V systems keep running even when V2L is off. The 230V side runs through a proper consumer unit and a Victron Filax transfer switch, which still lets you plug into a mains hook-up on site and save the traction battery for longer stays.

Shop EV camper electrics →

Not sure which setup fits your build? Design your system or speak with an expert — that’s what we’re here for.

The honest engineering notes

EV conversions differ from combustion-van builds in a few ways worth knowing before you plan:

• V2L has a wattage ceiling. The van caps what the socket can deliver — the PV5 caps at 3,000W — so size your board and appliances inside that limit, the same way you’d size any inverter system.
• The van is always in the loop. A V2L-fed system runs when the van is ready to give power — you’re never fully independent of the vehicle’s own systems.
• Protection isn’t optional. A V2L socket is not a campervan electrical system. Fusing, isolation and earthing still have to be engineered properly — which is exactly what a pre-wired board handles for you.
• Don’t guess with high-voltage platforms. If you’re converting an EV van, buy a board that’s designed for that vehicle with fitted guidance, not adapted from a combustion-van kit.

Every Rayne Automotive board ships with the wiring knowledge behind close to 10,000 vans powered — and if your question isn’t answered here, ring the workshop. Real people, real answers.

Frequently asked questions

Does V2L have a wattage limit?

Yes — the vehicle caps the output of its V2L socket, and the figure varies by model. The Kia PV5 caps at 3,000W. Your electrical system needs to sit inside that cap with headroom to spare; the PV5 board is engineered around the vehicle’s real output. Check the board listing or speak to us for your exact setup.

Can I charge a leisure battery from my EV?

You can — but in a well-designed EV build you may not need one at all, since the traction battery already dwarfs any leisure bank. If you want a buffer battery (for V2L-off times or redundancy), the board range supports it: the buffer charges when the van is on or in camping mode, and your 12V systems run from it. Tell us your plan and we’ll spec it properly.

Is the power board compatible with my PV5?

Yes — the V2L pre-wired power board was designed and tested on the PV5 specifically. It ships as a complete kit with the exact connectors your van needs. If you’re converting a different EV van, speak to us before buying.

Can I run an inverter from V2L?

You don’t need to — V2L already delivers 230V mains. What you need instead is safe distribution, fusing and isolation, which is what the board provides. If your plan genuinely needs extra 230V capacity or a battery-backed inverter, that’s a consultation conversation — we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s necessary.

I’m converting a different EV van — can you help?

We haven’t tested other EV platforms yet, so we won’t pretend otherwise — but if you have a project on another electric van, we’d genuinely like to hear about it. Speak with us before you commit to parts and we’ll tell you honestly what’s possible.

Are EV campervan electrics safe?

Engineered correctly, yes — the same standards as any campervan electrical system: proper fusing, isolation and earthing, plus respecting the vehicle’s own V2L limits. The unsafe version is improvising around a high-voltage platform. Our boards exist precisely so you don’t have to.