Camarukuma Concept, the Japanese motorhome based on an igloo

The motorhome and camper van market is becoming more and more popular, and there are more and more models available. In Japan it is exactly the same as in our market, and we have several options for testing these vehicles. One of them is the Camarukuma Concept, a project born from three companies that has been presented in Japan these past few days.

It is a project by Hoshino Resort Alz Bandai, Camping Car Co. and the Development and Prototyping Department of Toyota. These three companies have joined forces to create this prototype, and to shape it they have drawn inspiration from an igloo. The interior is designed in that style: white, clean and open, recalling those traditional structures built from ice.

The starting point of this vehicle is the Robinson 771 compact caravan, which in turn is based on the Toyota HiAce. Its exterior barely differs from that of the original. It is inside where the important changes lie, and where the design work has been done to give it a unique and different look.

Snow, the main theme of this vehicle

The fundamental idea behind this vehicle is that users can enjoy the snow even while resting. The technology used to create the interior atmosphere is the Toyota 2.5D printing system. Thanks to it, the texture of the materials is achieved, resembling stacked blocks of ice, like the walls of an igloo.

The Nippon Design Center is in charge of the interior design and keeps the white colour throughout the cabin, except for the tiles in the kitchen. The bed takes up the full wall-to-wall space on the floor, and there are several large windows, both in the cabin and in the bedroom above the driver’s cab.

It has no kitchen or bathroom, but there is a television and a washbasin on the wall. It is a concept already being used by a well-known Japanese ski resort for its motorhome rental programme. It is not likely to go into production, but it could be a good option for those who rent or buy a motorhome to head to the snow and enjoy it.