Outdoors

Expandable camper pod turns Cybertruck or F-150 into a micro-RV

Expandable camper pod turns Cybertruck or F-150 into a micro-RV
The Form camper is the first universal pickup camper we've seen in the Cybertruck era
The Form camper is the first universal pickup camper we've seen in the Cybertruck era
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What starts as a cargo box in the pickup bed becomes a cozy micro-home
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What starts as a cargo box in the pickup bed becomes a cozy micro-home
Double bed folded out and ready to sleep
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Double bed folded out and ready to sleep
The bed folds away during transport to make room for the kitchen block to slide into the main box
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The bed folds away during transport to make room for the kitchen block to slide into the main box
Under-bed storage
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Under-bed storage
The main camper includes a hard roof, hard walls and an exit door under the side canopy
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The main camper includes a hard roof, hard walls and an exit door under the side canopy
The flip-up, fold-out table creates a dining/work surface to be used with the bench and perhaps the step up to the bedroom
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The flip-up, fold-out table creates a dining/work surface to be used with the bench and perhaps the step up to the bedroom
The bathroom includes a privacy door
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The bathroom includes a privacy door
The far end of the Form camper houses the wet bath with shower and portable toilet
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The far end of the Form camper houses the wet bath with shower and portable toilet
Inside the bathroom with closed door
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Inside the bathroom with closed door
Form plans to offer 12.5 cu ft of kitchen storage space to go along with 25 cu ft of under-bed storage
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Form plans to offer 12.5 cu ft of kitchen storage space to go along with 25 cu ft of under-bed storage
Kitchen with dual-hob cooktop, slide-out counter, sink, fridge and plenty of storage for utensils, pots, pans, dishes, etc.
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Kitchen with dual-hob cooktop, slide-out counter, sink, fridge and plenty of storage for utensils, pots, pans, dishes, etc.
A better look at the full multi-slide kitchen block and cushioned bench/wet bath
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A better look at the full multi-slide kitchen block and cushioned bench/wet bath
The bidirectional kitchen can be used indoors or out
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The bidirectional kitchen can be used indoors or out
Cabinets and drawers also open from both sides
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Cabinets and drawers also open from both sides
A few possible accessories such as a side-mount sofa and outdoor table
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A few possible accessories such as a side-mount sofa and outdoor table
The electrically actuated legs should make it easy to back up to load and pull forward to unload the Form camper
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The electrically actuated legs should make it easy to back up to load and pull forward to unload the Form camper
Illustration of what the Form camper will look like on the road with hitch support
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Illustration of what the Form camper will look like on the road with hitch support
Form camper without the side canopies
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Form camper without the side canopies
Form camper with side canopy set up
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Form camper with side canopy set up
The Form camper is the first universal pickup camper we've seen in the Cybertruck era
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The Form camper is the first universal pickup camper we've seen in the Cybertruck era
Form Camper looks to create a comfortable, easy-to-use pickup camper that works with both the Cybertruck and traditional pickups
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Form Camper looks to create a comfortable, easy-to-use pickup camper that works with both the Cybertruck and traditional pickups
A nice feature of the Form design, the camper can be demounted and left at camp while the truck is free to explore and adventure
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A nice feature of the Form design, the camper can be demounted and left at camp while the truck is free to explore and adventure
Form Camper intends for its camper to be compatible with the full range of pickups, including the market-leading Ford F-Series
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Form Camper intends for its camper to be compatible with the full range of pickups, including the market-leading Ford F-Series
View gallery - 23 images

Tesla threw a big, clanky wrench into the pickup camper industry machine when it introduced the Cybertruck. In an instant, the world's hottest pickup truck was entirely incompatible with every traditional camper product out there, from basic shells to huge slide-in expanders. There are certain to be plenty of Cybertruck-specific campers to fill the void, but California startup Form Camper has designed a pickup camper that works with both the Cybertruck and traditional pickups. It starts off as a carbon fiber box that fits neatly between the bed walls before expanding electrically into a hard-walled hut for all-electric camping.

In order to fit both Cybertruck and traditional pickup beds, camper builders will have to create designs that do not sit on or extend past the bed sides, where Tesla's angled rails will interfere. In the case of CyberLndr that means sizing an expandable box to the Cybertruck's unique dimensions and tying it to Tesla's battery. Form Camper goes with a more universal approach, creating a basic rectangular box sized to fit between the sides of virtually any pickup bed.

Of course, a box isn't exactly comfortable to sleep in for those that count themselves among the living, so Form is engineering a full expansion system. Instead of simply folding out, Form's electrically-actuated box-in-box design extends off the back of the pickup truck to create a separate room that drops down to ground level, simultaneously deploying a single hard roof over the entire space. It works like so:

FORM Camper Detail

The fully deployed interior will have 71 square feet (6.6 sq m) of total floor space inside the walls and include a door to the outside. A pair of nylon-ripstop canopies will deploy off the sides to expand overall sheltered space.

The Form camper reminded us at first sight of a high-tech, pickup-top version of an Aussie hard-floor camping trailer, but it operates more similarly to a pickup version of the ioCamper and has an interior more like the recently launched Flip90 truck camper. Like the ioCamper, it will be able to camp with or without the base vehicle, in this case, relying on electric telescopic legs to lift off the bed and stand on its own at base camp. The truck will then be free to venture out on daytime adventures without having to lug around the camper bulk.

What starts as a cargo box in the pickup bed becomes a cozy micro-home
What starts as a cargo box in the pickup bed becomes a cozy micro-home

The Form interior will require just a little bit of setup to complete an estimated five minutes of total setup time. Users will fold out the double bed in the pickup-top section of the camper, which is folded in half to make room for the stored kitchen block that slides out during expansion. They will then slide out the kitchen cooktop and sink and the separate worktop when needed. The kitchen block will also include a fridge/freezer and various drawers and cabinets. Bidirectional slides and dual-sided cabinets will allow the kitchen to be used seamlessly inside or outside.

Between the kitchen block and rear wall, the Form will have a cushioned bench for dining on the flip-up table across from the seat-step up to the bed. Remove the bench and the space will then double as the wet bath, providing a portable toilet, wall-mounted shower, and privacy door.

A better look at the full multi-slide kitchen block and cushioned bench/wet bath
A better look at the full multi-slide kitchen block and cushioned bench/wet bath

Plans call for the Form camper to be LPG-free, running entirely off a battery, either the available 300-Ah deep-cycle lithium-ion battery or the large automotive pack of an electric truck like the Cybertruck or F-150 Lightning. A 400-watt roof-integrated solar charging system will help prolong battery life and off-grid autonomy. The camper promises to provide further off-grid readiness by carrying 189 liters of fresh water below the bed and a reverse-osmosis system for purifying extra water in the field.

Form will use a weight-shaving sandwich construction of aluminum honeycomb between carbon fiber, keeping the estimated dry weight down to 1,000 lb (454 kg) and tank-filled wet weight to 1,300 lb (590 kg). It plans to launch with a single size that measures 9.8 x 4.4 x 3.4 feet (300 x 135 x 102 cm) when packed down into box form. The camper will be designed to work with the full gamut of pickup trucks with beds between 5.5 and 8 ft (1.7 to 2.4 m) long. Shorter-bed trucks will require a hitch-mounted support arm to stabilize the camper during expansion.

Form Camper intends for its camper to be compatible with the full range of pickups, including the market-leading Ford F-Series
Form Camper intends for its camper to be compatible with the full range of pickups, including the market-leading Ford F-Series

In addition to the Cybertruck, Form is building its early advertising around market leaders like the F-150 and Chevy Silverado. We confirmed with the company that the initial single-size camper model will not work with the Rivian R1T because of the truck's unusually short 4.5-ft bed.

Form plans to complete a prototype by the second quarter of 2022, and specs and features are subject to change. It intends to begin production in the second half of 2022 and will offer a limited first run of 500 units. Retail price is estimated at US$69,500, but those who preorder now can get a discount of between $5,000 and $20,000 with varying levels of fully refundable down payment. The lowest $49,500 price level requires a $10,000 deposit and will only be offered in quantities up to 25 units.

A nice feature of the Form design, the camper can be demounted and left at camp while the truck is free to explore and adventure
A nice feature of the Form design, the camper can be demounted and left at camp while the truck is free to explore and adventure

We look forward to taking a close look at the prototype once it's developed.

Source: Form Camper

View gallery - 23 images
8 comments
8 comments
Smokey_Bear
70 grand! Jesus, sometimes I feel like everyone on Earth makes 10 times what I do.
Demosthenes
It looks so nice and cozy in the great outdoor ...
JDC1
I'd love to see a designer like this to make carbon fiber bed extensions similar to the "box" shown on the F-150 for smaller trucks. (Not a camper, just a bed extension). I don't always need a full sized truck, but when I need the truck bed, I need something more than what the Santa Cruz, or Maverick gives. Having an expandable carbon fiber bed which would give me the capability to carry plywood, or full sized lumber but revert to the normal sized bed for every day driving would be the best of both worlds.
jerryd
Make an aero camper starting from the windshield peak following the rails with most everything and a tent /screen room with a solar roof would be far more useful, 30% of the cost.
A door between the cabin and camper allows the CT heat and A/C and seats to be used. I'd replace the cabin seats with bench seats that reverse facing aft as a couch and make into a double bed or seats that lay down into single beds give you another room. Maybe just remove the rear seats and use the space for other things.
Uncle Anonymous
I guess that if you can afford a Cybertruck, then one of these would be in your budget range too. But for us normal folks, the estimated retail price of US$69,500 is a lot of cash. Looking at the camper market, there are a lot of options that will not force you to sell your house.
Daishi
$70k is a bit much but there are enough people sitting on millions from Tesla stock and early Bitcoin holdings that they will find customers anyway. EV skateboard platforms allow a lot of cabin room/flexibility. I have not yet seen this applied well to a van platform that would make a good camper or tech worker remote office but expect that it will in time. Probably the closest design I have seen so far is the solar powered Stella Vita built by college students that was featured here: https://newatlas.com/automotive/solar-team-eindhoven-stella-vita/
MQ
Putting a 3m box on a Dual Cab Pickup...

Way to go.. Seems like a ridiculous amount of overhang, looks like it needs another set of wheels.
As it is a transformer box already, simply telescope it down to under 2m long, then it will sit on the lowered tailgate of a short bed and well inside a standard length (a single cab, long bed will be no problem)

Rich solutions like this are really boondoggles in a 5star resort. The folk who have a reality including a new cyber truck probably last glamped pre-2005...

(Carbon Fibre in thus application is 100% showboating with no real advantage - replacing lightweight ripstop nylon with CF is not weight saving...)

Enjoy...
ljaques
Let's guess how many people will spend $40k on the truck and then cough up $70k for a camper shell. I think I can count the number on my little digits. (That'd be fewer than 21. ;)