Tiny Houses

Egg-shaped tiny house finally hatches

Egg-shaped tiny house finally hatches
Pre-orders for the Ecocapsule are now open, with 50 units expected to ship in 2018, and more next year
Pre-orders for the Ecocapsule are now open, with 50 units expected to ship in 2018, and more next year
View 8 Images
Pre-orders for the Ecocapsule are now open, with 50 units expected to ship in 2018, and more next year
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Pre-orders for the Ecocapsule are now open, with 50 units expected to ship in 2018, and more next year
The Ecocapsule measures 4.67 x 2.2 m (15 x 7.2 ft) and reaches a height of 2.5 m (8.2 ft)
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The Ecocapsule measures 4.67 x 2.2 m (15 x 7.2 ft) and reaches a height of 2.5 m (8.2 ft)
Access to the Ecocapsule is gained by sliding door
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Access to the Ecocapsule is gained by sliding door 
The Ecocapsule has 8.2 sq m (88 sq ft) of floorspace
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The Ecocapsule has 8.2 sq m (88 sq ft) of floorspace
The Ecocapsule's bed
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The Ecocapsule's bed 
The Ecocapsule's kitchenette
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The Ecocapsule's kitchenette
Like the Covo, the Ecocapsule can be controlled by an iOS or Android app, which monitors how much power is being used and can adjust lighting, ventilation, etc
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Like the Covo, the Ecocapsule can be controlled by an iOS or Android app, which monitors how much power is being used and can adjust lighting, ventilation, etc
The first finished Ecocapsule being delivered on the roof of the UNIQ building in the Bratislava city center by helicopter
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The first finished Ecocapsule being delivered on the roof of the UNIQ building in the Bratislava city center by helicopter
View gallery - 8 images

Regular readers may remember Ecocapsule's eponymous prototype tiny house from back in 2015. In the interim, the Slovak firm has been developing its egg-shaped dwelling and reports that the first unit is now complete. An initial run of 50 is being sold this year and more are planned for 2019.

The Ecocapsule measures 4.67 x 2.2 m (15 x 7.2 ft) and has a maximum height of 2.5 m (8.2 ft). The interior floorspace is 8.2 sq m (88 sq ft), and it weighs 1,650 kg (3,637 lb) when its water tanks are full. The micro home has a steel frame with fiberglass shell and polyurethane foam insulation and it doesn't need foundations, just a suitably solid and flat piece of ground.

Access to the little dwelling is gained by sliding door (the prototype had a lifting door) and the interior has a bed and a small camper van-style bathroom with shower and composting toilet. The kitchenette includes a sink and electric cooktop, while a mini-fridge is optional. Elsewhere lies a small seating area, closet, desk and some storage space.

The Ecocapsule gets power either from a standard grid hookup or can run off-the-grid with a 880 W solar panel array and a 750 W wind turbine mounted on a telescopic pole, though these little micro-turbines aren't generally considered very effective. Both are hooked up to batteries and water can either come from an integrated rainwater collection system that stores water in tanks or drawn from an external source, like a stream.

The Ecocapsule's bed
The Ecocapsule's bed 

A heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit (HVAC) keeps the temperature comfortable and, like the Covo, the Ecocapsule can be controlled by an iOS or Android device, which gives information on how much power is being used and how much water is in the water tanks, as well as offering control over lighting, ventilation, and other systems.

Ecocapsule told us that an initial run of 50 units are available as pre-orders for €79,900 (US$97,800), with delivery promised for 2018. A cheaper second run is planned, with delivery for that slated for early 2019, price TBA. As we said last time, when delivery was expected for 2017, this second run seems the smarter option, given the delays and uncertainty of launching a new product like this.

Source: Ecocapsule

View gallery - 8 images
4 comments
4 comments
Buellrider
100K maybe if that thing was 4 times as large in every direction and then it would be pretty nice little home. I bet they get zero orders for that egg. Apparently, here in the midwest, 100K goes way further than it does where this little egg is made. I'd call that a rotten egg.
Douglas Bennett Rogers
It looks like it could potentially float, a valuable property.
Pablo
Too heavy, too expensive to be offset by the “cute, novel” factor... you can get a pretty darned nice Airstream for $100k.
Fairly Reasoner
Out of business in eggsactly no time.