Sydney Ferbrache

At the age of 24, Sydney Ferbrache left her boyfriend and quit her job to travel across North America in a van with just her dogs. Prior to full-time van life, Sydney worked all through college to save as much money as she could because she knew she wanted to explore the world further but wasn’t exactly sure how. She eventually discovered van life through social media and decided to take the plunge in order to live a simpler life and maximize travel time.

Three years in and Sydney is now a full-time digital nomad, has a podcast about solo van life, and recently started her own coffee brand. She has traveled throughout Canada, most of the United States, and Baja California, Mexico. After seeing how dramatically her friend and fellow van lifer, Jarrod Tocci, loved upgrading his van’s lead-acid battery bank to more reliable, sustainable, and longer-lasting RELiON lithium batteries, Sydney knew they would also exceed her expectations and enable greater self-reliance.

Sydney’s power system includes:

Sydney’s 2017 Ford Transit van is powered by two reliable, long-lasting RELiON RB100 lithium batteries and a 400W Renogy solar array. This system powers the lighting, outlets, a refrigerator, and a water pump for a pressurized sink system within Sydney’s van.

Why Sydney switched to lithium:

“I had two AGM lead-acid batteries that stopped working well after about two years. They just had a hard time staying charged after only a couple of years. The batteries would regularly die, which would prevent me from using basic items like lights, which you can imagine was pretty disruptive to my work. I didn’t want to always have to think about whether I was using too much energy and whether I’d have enough battery life to last me through the day.”

Why Sydney chose RELiON:

“My fellow van lifer friend, Jarrod Tocci, actually recommended I look into using RELiON lithium batteries. It’s been a night and day difference. I never think about how much energy I’m using anymore and can now focus exclusively on my work and enjoying my travels.”

How Sydney’s lithium system helped her challenge her limits:

“My RELiON batteries last incredibly long. Even if I don’t have sun for a week, these batteries can provide a week’s worth of energy. They’ve allowed me to stay off-grid for much longer periods of time, which is great because I never feel rushed and can choose to stay as long as I’d like at any of my new destinations. I can also work for longer periods of time without worrying about my energy use.”

Sydney’s advice for people considering switching to lithium batteries:

“If I were to do it all again, I’d start off using lithium batteries and ditch the lead-acid batteries, and associated headaches, altogether. For a more relaxed and self-sufficient lifestyle, there’s no question that RELiON lithium batteries are the way to go.”

Sydney’s favorite part of van life:

“The freedom it allows me to have, including working remotely and seeing the world in ways that weren’t possible before. I don’t have the hassle of renting a car and finding a hotel and I can spend as much time as I want in any new place I fall in love with.”

Follow along with Sydney and her adventures with her dogs on Instagram and check out her podcast that includes van life advice, tips, and stories from the road.