New technology is making ‘bike camping’ a whole lot easier: ‘Quite literally a house you can tow with your [bicycle]’
A new solar-powered bike camper can change your rugged bike trip into the wilderness into, well, a rugged bike trip into the wilderness with a nicer place to sleep.
The Finnish-made camper, called the Hupi, is taller and more spacious than the more common teardrop-style bike camper. The Hupi also comes with all sorts of amenities. When laid out, the bed takes up the full trailer. But fold one half of it up, and you have access to a desk or an optional minifridge. There’s also room for storage under the other half of the bed.
The social media account @Inyerself posted pictures on X, formerly Twitter:
Outdoor Camping Welcomes the Electric Bike Hupi Trailer https://t.co/LJQWpq0Uoc#camping #outdoors #ElectricVehicles #ebikes #writerslift #wednesday #wednesdaywisdom #wednesdayvibes #happywednesday #humpday #Transportation #campinglife #campingtrip #innovation #TechNews #Fun pic.twitter.com/LjgpeLrLzr
— Inyerself (@inyerself) August 9, 2023
With up to 250 watts of roof-mounted solar panels, along with an onboard battery and inverter, the camper can power your electronics, including lighting and a microfridge.
There’s also an option to install an electrical system to keep your e-bike charged and ready to ride. A fully decked-out Hubi can include a propane stove, a portable grill, a skylight, and a TV.
The Hubi weighs around 150 pounds and is meant to be pulled by an electric bike. It could be pulled along behind a regular bike, but the weight alone would make it hard to travel anywhere too far, not to mention going uphill or trying to stop while moving quickly.
The Hubi is the brainchild of Finnish inventor Urpo “Upi” Merranmaa, who was gifted an e-bike but wasn’t sure what to do with it. He wanted to take the bike on long trips, but didn’t want to sleep in a tent. So he came up with the idea for the Hubi and says he put in 5,000 to 6,000 hours designing it before introducing it to the world.
The Hubi will allow adventure enthusiasts to enjoy the amenities of home while out in the wild without having to use batteries to do so.
While the Hubi doesn’t cost an exorbitant amount of money, it also isn’t cheap. The Hubi runs about $6,700. But if you use the Hubi and its solar panels to charge your e-bike rather than plugging it in at home, that can save you at least a little bit of money on your electric bill.
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