The Vehicle
Off on vacation! The Happier Camper HC1 is ready to start your next road trip. This lightweight caravan does not need a lot of horsepower to be pulled, which makes it accessible to any average person. Only thing you need is wanderlust. With a base price of $ 34,450, it is certainly not a bargain, but the caravan convinces with its modular concept. Thanks to the box system, the vehicle can be individually adapted to the wishes of the customer, both while configuring it and during its use.
So, whether a kitchenette or more sleeping space is required is up to the customer. The user is also free to remove the modules from the vehicle in order to use the trailer to transport a scooter or kayak. The boxes are made of a robust material, which means they can be rearranged several times without any visible wear.
The Technology
In this case, the explicit lightweight construction concept cannot be reduced to just one material or one manufacturing idea. It is much more about the interplay of a load-bearing outer skin made of 100% fiberglass, a fiberglass honeycomb sandwich floor, the modularity of the equipment and the targeted topographical adaptation of design surfaces to ensure stability, for example in the fender, door and tailgate area. The design is therefore tailored to the strength requirements and not, as usual, the limiting factor in the development process.
The Lightweighting Effect
All in all, these adjustments lead to an empty weight of less than 500 kg with a length of 3 meters. Compared to the all-time classic Eriba Touring with only 70cm less living space length, the HC1 has only about 2/3 the weight of the Eriba variant.
With a length of 3.7m, the Eriba model weighs 0.72t when empty. Thus, the HC1 even beats the model that has been optimized over 60 years with a lower specific mass per meter of caravan length.
In conclusion, it can be said that it is not the modular concept, but the consistent interaction of strength requirements and design adjustments that make the Happier Camper HC1 one of the lightest and most flexible representatives in its class.
More like this:
- Lightweight Garage #37 Multimaterial Design @BMW 5 Series
- Lightweight Garage #36 Fiber Reinforced Plastics @ BMW i3
- Lightweight Garage #35 Safety and Lightweight @ DLR Safe Light Regional Vehicle
- Lightweight garage #34 CFRP rims of the Ducati Panigale V4
- Lightweight garage #33 Camper of the future@ Hymer VisionVenture
You find additional TGM Articles here.