What once looked like it might be a wildly creative design project with questionable marketability has officially spawned a product family. The original Z-Triton amphibious etrike camper eventually launched and became the BeTriton in 2022. Realizing that some potential customers might prefer a more flexible multi-use solution than a full-time etrike/camper/electric boat, BeTriton has now introduced a trailer version of its original boat-camper that adventurous cyclists can tow with their own electric bicycles.
While there's definitely a cool factor to the very small selection of products that can rightfully call themselves motorhome-cycles, particularly one that's amphibious, a trailer-based bike camper seems a more natural solution. Many folks who might consider pedal-assisted cycle-camping likely already own a bike or two and might not want the expense of buying a whole new etrike. And pedaling a regular ebike with a trailer attached seems like it'd be much more natural than pedaling a wide, oversized boat-camper with high, upright cockpit.
That's all to say that a BeTriton trailer makes a lot of sense to us. Riders can use the ebike they already own, ensuring more comfort and familiarity during the ride. They can then use the same ebike on non-camping rides, simply unhitching the trailer and leaving it at home – no need to own a second ebike for that purpose, as with the original BeTriton. Eliminating all the bicycle hardware from the BeTriton equation also drops thousands of dollars off the price tag.
The 4.5-m (14.8-ft) BeTriton trailer is actually longer than a few auto camping trailers, but with its steel and aluminum frame and carbon fiber and glass body construction, the three-wheeler weighs in lighter than virtually any auto camping trailer at 140 kg (309 lb, without its marine drive batteries). That's well more than other bicycle camping trailers, owing to its dual-purpose on-water capabilities, so you'll definitely want to hitch it up to an electric bike, not just a traditional pedal bike.
We wonder if the BeTriton trailer wouldn't benefit from the type of self-powered e-drive that something like the Pelican cargo eTrain employs, but BeTriton says the trailer is meant to be towed via standard ebike. Trailer payload is listed at 160 kg (352 lb), so riders can carry clothes, the marine-drive batteries, camping gear, children and/or other essentials inside.
At the water's edge, the BeTriton unhitches, rolls into the water, swings around 180 degrees so its bow is up front, and motors around via a 2.2-kW electric drive. A single lithium battery team has 1.4 kWh of capacity for an estimated range up to 12.5 km (7.8 miles), and BeTriton offers a dual-battery layout for double the capacity and range.
The BeTriton is built to float up to 260 kg (573 lb) worth of people, pets and gear on inland and coastal waters and has a modest max speed of 8 km/h (5 mph). As on the original BeTriton etrike, the wheels of the trailer flip up out of the water, and a pair of inflatable side pontoons adds stability. The wheels can also be removed quickly via a few bolts for those who'd prefer to take them off while on the water.
In terms of overnighting, the BeTriton offers a snug two-person floor measuring 97 x 210-cm (38 x 83-in). A sleeping mat is optional, and weather protection is provided by way of an aluminum-framed PVC cockpit cover. One or two available seats provide sitting room in camper and boat mode.
BeTriton launched the trailer for preorder this month, and a €100 refundable deposit secures your place in the queue. The complete boat-camper-trailer starts at €10,550 (approx. US$11,550) for the single-battery base model and €12,950 (US$14,175) for the dual-battery model with additional upgrades like a sleeping mat, exterior navigation lights and interior storage organizers. Those prices do not include tax or shipping. Global deliveries will begin in 2024, and those who preorder will be notified when it's time to configure their trailer build.
BeTriton also offers a boat-trailer model without the tall camper canopy frame starting at €9,900 ($10,850). For reference, the new BeTriton 3.0 etrike camper starts at €17,900 (US$19,600).
You can watch the BeTriton trailer in some short land and water action and learn more in the video below.
Source: BeTriton
