Let’s face it, there are a few countries in the world that excel at building off-grid and off-road-capable travel trailers. This includes North America, Australia, and even Germany and the UK. However, there’s a new kid on the block, South Africa.
Okay, so South Africa pumping out travel trailers isn’t necessarily new, but in recent years, this country has been seeing more and more activity. Well, in my explorations of the growing off-grid scene, I’ve stumbled upon AlphaGo and their one and only S6 Air, a hybrid and inflatable double-fold habitat that’s ready for a family of six adventurous souls.
Now, whenever I talk about a camper, I like to shed a tad of light on the crew behind the magic, but this unit is just so juicy that I’ll only briefly point out that AlphaGo is a rather new crew on the scene, born only in 2022 and currently offering just the S6 Air as their only camper option. But, you don’t need much to do things right, and that’s what AlphaGo seems to be banking on, and when I say “not much,” I mean it; the S6 Air starts off priced at 450,000 South African Rand, which is under $25K American. If that’s not a deal, I don’t know what it is.
But, I’m not just going to leave things in the “Air” like that, but rather, take you on a short weekend (at the time of writing) trip into a life lived out of an S6. So, grab your family, your 4×4, hitch up the S6, and let’s hit the road, or lack thereof; the S6 is a fully off-road-capable unit, built around a galvanized steel chassis and a 10-leaf spring suspension. Go ahead, take that rouge road you see breaking away from the tarmac; just make sure you know how to handle the leaf-spring setup.
Photo: AlphaGo
Once you’ve reached that hidden haven in the middle of nowhere or even a trailer park, it’s time to unfurl the S6’s magic. But first, huddle around with the family, take in the sights of the world around you, and listen to birds chirping and wind rustling through the treetops.
With a bit of a breather out of the way, it’s time to start assigning tasks to the group members and getting your campsite in order. The kids may be sent to gather firewood while your significant other helps you unload some campground essentials from the aluminum body of the S6; your job is to pitch that massive tent overhead.
Now, one of the neat things about the S6 is the fact that during this stage, all you need to do is unfold the two sections of the roof and transform them into bedding platforms, and, at the press of a button, watch the S6 take its final form. Five minutes later, you’re done with your task and take a seat nearby; your significant other gives you a long look and you smile, knowing you drew the longest straw.
Photo: AlphaGo
Feeling a tad bad for the rest of the gang, you decide to continue prepping the S6 for its temporary resting place. You’ll help set up the bedding areas at each end of the S6, get the central dining area all ready to go, and peel back those massive window blinds, revealing unobstructed views of the world outside. Do note that the dinette is also modular and doubles as a third sleeping area.
Back outside, you may want to unload the unit and set up an outdoor dining area, gear for tomorrow’s adventures, and last but not least, the slideout galley loaded into the S6’s shell. Access to 75 liters (20 gals) of fresh water, a two-burner top, and a 90 l fridge/freezer. Prep the outdoor shower annex and ready the toilet to return that which was borrowed (food and drink) back to the Earth.
As for the electrical systems, AlphaGo gives us a few essentials such as a charging system and 100 Ah of battery power, but everything else is extra, including an inverter and any solar panels you may need on your trips. AlphaGo does offer an array of upgrades and options, so you can just use them as a one-stop shop.
Photo: AlphaGo
With all that up and ready to go, the kids start to come out of the woodwork with bundles of wood for tonight’s fire and ghost stories. I recommend a telescope and some S’mores to accompany those stories. When was the last time you saw the stars above unhindered by city lights?
There’s just one catch to the S6 Air: since it’s a unit from South Africa, it’s tuned to their local laws and road regulations, so for anyone outside of this country, you’ll have to look elsewhere to rock this unit. Oddly enough, some nations, such as Australia, can run such a unit, even parts of Europe, if I’m not mistaken. If your road laws and regulations don’t let you live out of an S6, then it will remain an inspiration for a cheap, rugged, and family-ready camper done right.
Last but not least, you may have felt as though you’ve been looking at a camper built by another world-renowned crew. I’m talking about Opus Camper, and the reason why the S6 looks like one of their units is that Opus licensed this design to AlphaGo. So, for $25K, you’re actually buying an Opus unit, sort of. Enjoy the trips out there.
Source link : https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-cheapest-hybrid-double-fold-travel-trailer-is-found-in-south-africa-priced-under-25k-237334.html
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Publish date : 2024-07-21 20:36:18
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