SwissRoomBox: How To Convert Your Car Into A Motorhome (and back again…)

Most motorhomes are based on vans of one sort or another. There are good reasons for this, but what if you want a motorhome but need to own a car – and you don’t want to own two vehicles?

It’s a problem I have an interest in as my van conversion is my sole vehicle and there are times when I wish it was a car, not a van.

Although there are motorhome conversions based on people carriers – most obviously the Mazda Bongo conversions pioneered by Wellhouse Leisure and others – these are usually permanent and reduce the vehicle’s car-like qualities. In addition, they require you to own a rather odd Japanese import vehicle – not everyone’s cup of tea.

One alternative solution I came accross recently is the SwissRoomBox. It requires no permanent installation but transforms a medium-sized car into a capable small motorhome in just a few minutes:

As you can see, the SwissRoomBox is packaged into a number of cleverly designed boxes that hinge, fold, slide and come apart to create a sink, fridge compartment, table, seating and even a shower. At the end of the day, it’s then possible to create a double bed within the car that’s big enough for two:

I have to admit that I’m quite impressed. It isn’t a motorhome – you have to cook, wash and eat outide – but it will fit into a wide range of cars with almost no installation required (presumably the fridge is powered from the cigarette lighter) and is pretty flexible for weekends away, campsite use and days out. It doesn’t require that you own a van or a second vehicle and can be lifted out of your car and stored in a garage or shed when not in use.

The SwissRoomBox is being launched in Europe next month – as yet, there doesn’t seem to be any price information available on the company’s website. It will be interesting to see how much it costs, though.

In the meantime, here is a surprisingly entertaining video showing the SwissRoomBox in use in all its combinations in the back of a Skoda Yeti:

(Found via CaravaningBlog.es)