You don’t necessarily need a van or a pickup truck to have a camping rig capable of going off-grid for weeks on end. Wheelhome believes popular Model 3 is an ideal candidate to transform into a camping legend with a roof camper that fits seamlessly against its curving roofline.
The British manufacturer has been building compact camper cars and tiny caravans for more than three decades, but this latest conversion (or installation, rather) gives EV campers something entirely new to think about. With no modifications required to the car per se, Wheelhome has been able to turn the Tesla Model 3 into an electric rooftop camper complete with a sofa cum bed, an equipped kitchen, a sink, and a portable toilet, all within the full standing room and naturally lighted interior.
Designer:
The entire setup is made possible by mounting the Wheelhome Dashaway eRC (electric roof camper) onto the roof of the Model 3. Designed to sit on an additionally purchased Tesla roof rack and towbar, the Dashaway pop-up camping rig starts at about £23,400. It is a rooftop camper with a fast set-up time and an elevating roof, which adds roughly 150 kg of dead weight and turns the Tesla into a campervan-like facility for up to two people to share.
Dashaway eRC is a practical solution for the top of a Model 3 because, unlike the hard-sided rooftop tents, it has a nice standing height inside. The pod with a window and a mesh door offers ample natural light inside, while its fiberglass pop-up top keeps the construction lightweight and durable. The spacious interior cabin is good to sleep a couple and also cater to their daytime requirements with a two-seat rear-facing bench (that converts into a bed), plenty of storage just ahead.
The series of cabinetry is topped with a sink and a hideaway porta-potty (portable toilet). The folding counter and cabinets make space for a full-fledged kitchen, which can be packed with an induction cooktop, oven, microwave, and air fryer. Interestingly, the camper’s Water supply, compressor fridge, and the power bank reside behind the driver’s seat (converting the back into a two-seater bench). Behind the folding seats is Model 3’s boot, which is provided with storage containers (two of them a meter long each) for storing and transporting supplies.
You don’t need to be hooked up to a campsite for power; the camper’s battery can be powered by the car’s own low-voltage system, and the campsite electric grid can be used to charge the car battery, when required. The Wheelhome Dashaway eRC on the roof of the Model 3 is completely dismountable. According to the makers, it’s effortless, even a one-person can easily set up and remove the rooftop camper. Of course, you could wonder about the drag and range limitation with the Dashaway on the roof. Early tests suggest there are very few performance issues; yes, the speed takes a dip, but the camping solution doesn’t add more than 10 percent loss of the car’s range.
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