|
The motorhomes of the future?
There's a fine tradition of concept cars being designed to push automotive design into the next stage, and often the weird and wonderful design features seen on these one-off cars at car shows often find their way into standard saloon production.
So bearing that in mind, I wonder what elements of these stylish, unusual and sometime mind-boggling concept motorhomes we'll find in our next new motorhome?
The NAU Ecco
NAU is a design studio that works on a wide range of design issues, from architecture to video to exhibition and future design.
The Ecco (also seen above) is clearly a futuristic take on the motorhome. Only slightly shorter and wider than a VW Campervan, it packs a lot into an innovative package. Made predominantly from sleek aluminium and glass, and powered by electricity for zero emissions, it certainly ticks all the "future design" boxes.
It reminds me of an electric razor somewhat, but I do like the photovoltaic cell roof that becomes a solar "sail" when raised.
Plans for the NAU Ecco
(home-build not recommended!)
As you can see from the plans here, the NAU Ecco has been ingeniously put together to give maximum use of the interior when used as a living space.
The bed platform lies behind the rear passenger seats, and when the roof is raised it lifts up with it to take its place above the lounge / dining area which is formed by the four seats swiveling to face each other. With a separate shower and toilet, a pull-down bed for a child or extra guest, and great panoramic views for all passengers, they seem to have thought of everything.
The Colim concept
Designed by German Christian Susana, this concept motorhome (or should that be fifth wheel?) features a detachable habitation unit and a cab section that drives away as a small town car, giving the flexibility of being able to park in towns for visits while touring, while avoiding the necessity of towing a small car with your motorhome or RV.
Even the name is a design feature, as Colim stands for Colours Of Life In Motion! Designed for two to four people, the living space and the car section are both flexible and can be reconfigured to suit the owners' living arrangements.
Roof deck anyone?
The Austrian-designed Marchi Mobile EleMMent concept RV is truly a sight to behold!
With a full-length slide-out on one side, and an extendable canopy on top for the roof "sky lounge", this RV has it all.
The Buffalino
I love this ingenious design by German Cornelius Comanns!
Based on the little Piaggio Ape 50 three wheeled trucks that are used all over the world, this single-occupancy vehicle would be cheap to buy and economical to run. With a bed, seating, fridge, basin and storage, it would be too much to expect there to be a toilet and shower, I suppose...
.
The Harmony
Weili Feng is the designer of this clever, if unusual-looking motorhome. The interior is pretty standard, with sofa area that converts to a bed, small seating area, kitchen space and toilet (no sign of a shower though). It's the outside design, and power sources that make this a concept motorhome with a difference though, as with hydrogen fuel cells for power, it's an all-terrain vehicle that includes not just road and off road, but also water!
Harmony on the high seas!
Here we get a picture of what the Harmony would be like on the water.
With pontoons on the side for buoyancy and stability (they're the small white pods on the side) and jets for propulsion when in the water, it's just as eco-friendly when in sea-going mode, as the large, flip-up "solar paddle" seen in this pic harvests solar energy.
|
