The Honda Base Station is a Fresh Take on the Classic Travel Trailer
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Honda
While most of the RV industry was focused on all of the new models announced at the Florida RV SuperShow last week, a surprise announcement from Honda may have stolen the show. The Japanese automaker revealed a prototype for a new travel trailer, which the company says is designed to “democratize camping.” Dubbed the Honda Base Station, the lightweight towable is only a prototype for now, but it demonstrates plenty of innovation and ingenuity to deliver a fresh take on the modern RV.
Photo Credit: Honda
Developed by Honda’s US-based research and development team in Los Angeles and Ohio, the Base Station is built from the ground up to make camping as easy and appealing as possible. That starts with making the travel trailer easy to tow by giving it a weight that is under 1,400 lbs. That’s so light in fact, that it can safely be towed behind Honda’s own CR-V SUV or Toyota’s best-selling RAV4. And while the new camper is rather boxy in shape, it was built to reduce the impact of crosswinds, making it safer to pull down the highway.
Compact enough to fit into a garage, and yet still surprisingly roomy, the Base Station includes a number of thoughtful touches. For instance, the top of the trailer features a pop-up roof which allows taller campers to comfortably stand up inside. It also comes with a plush sofa that converts to a queen-size bed. Optional bunk beds expand the sleeping capacity to four, making this a viable option for small families.
Photo Credit: Honda
In its base configuration, the Honda Base Station is somewhat lean on amenities, but the R&D team gave it a modular design that adds versatility and customizability. The trailer ships from the factory with five large windows that allow plenty of air and sunlight to enter the cabin. But those windows can also be removed and replaced with a variety of modules that further enhance the camping experience. Those include a fold-out kitchen, an outdoor shower, and an air conditioner for warm weather outings. This modular approach gives Honda a great deal of flexibility for expanding the capabilities of the RV, with more options expected prior to it going into production.
That isn’t to say that the Base Station ships as just an empty box. In addition to the sofa in the main cabin, the trailer also includes interior and exterior LED lighting, and a heater. The rig also comes with roof-mounted solar panels, an inverter, and a lithium-ion house battery, which can be expanded for extended off-grid outings. Naturally, it also supports plugging into power at the campsite and adding a Honda generator is another quick and easy solution.
Photo Credit: Honda
“Base Station is a perfect example of what can happen when you let a team of researchers, designers, and engineers pursue bold new ideas to create new value for our customers,” said Jane Nakagawa, vice president of the American Honda R&D Business Unit via a press release. “Just like the Motocompacto, Base Station is the product of fresh and innovative thinking. We designed it to make camping more accessible and enjoyable for families across America.”
For now, Honda is keeping further details about the Base Station under wraps, other than to say it plans to put the travel trailer into production sometime in the near future. The price remains unknown as well, although the company says it is targeting an entry-level model in the low $20,000 range. Those looking for more information can sign up for future updates here.
That’s about all we know about the Honda Base Station at the moment, but we’ll continue to follow its progress as it nears production and release.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. An avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
