Who has taken their EV6 camping yet? Are you sleeping inside? What appliances are you using? How much power is that using? Are you in an RV slot to charge over night? What can you share about your experiences? How far can I stray from that last rapid charger before heading into the wilderness? I am ready to head up to the mountains but not really sure of the best way to make use of the car.
Camping experiences or advice with EV6?
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Ral-eighV6
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Yes I removed the composite false floor thingy to get more space. Box sits in the hole that was left after removing that false floor. I used 18mm thick plywood that was doubled (glued together) on the sides and 4x near the seats. Probably way too much material and its quite heavy, but I have never done anything like this and carpenters I contacted were not interested. There are no screws, the box can be disassembled by just lifting the parts. I added some felt furniture pads between car plastics and the wood to make it even tighter fit (and to not scratch the car). Rear of the box was 4x 18mm thick since one plywood cover plate was using half as support and other plywood half. Cover and basically the box is also held in place relation to each other with long bolts that drop through drilled hole in the cover to the 2x sides and 4x plywood. They are there just by gravity and no tools required to install. These bolts or holes are not visible in the pictures since not done yet at that point. I used the idea from the video I posted in this thread.
Yes most definitely you could make a drawer. And actually could still access the space below the drawer but drawer would need to be pulled out and then open the hinged cover for the access. Just need to use more creativity depending on what you want. And if you have the skills or motivation/patience then go for it. I did not so I went with simple that works for me
Also I though that the cover could open by sliding or hidden gas strut hinges (or some kind of hinges) could also be used so the whole cover would rise flat and could serve as an table while access to storage is open.Dimensions for the box are 20cm high. 4x 18mm part near the seats 82,3cm long (there is cut out in the center since the floor is not flat at least on GT). 1x 18mm part near the rear is also 82,3cm long. Side 2x 18mm parts are 81cm long. I also made center support for the box since my plan was to enter the car through the rear hatch, but actually we have never yet used it and have used rear doors instead. So the support is pretty much useless and overkill again, probably 15mm cover would have no problem even without the center support and 80kg on one point. But at least its on a hinge so I can turn it away if I need to put bigger stuff there. Some knowledge of plywood strength would have been useful
I have to see if the rear hatch will be used in the summer time when its actually warm. But beware this box like this weights many many kilos Maybe I could still make round cut outs to get rid of excess weight without making it any weaker, but I'm too lazy and don't have the tools.The cover is 15mm thick plywood and again, maybe an overkill. Here are some dimensions in the picture. The 81cm part with the hinges goes couple of cm over the rear seat edge, so the 4 hinges support the last plywood part. This was my plan to see if it can be only supported in air only by the hinges and be careful not to put too much pressure there since its only our heads there. Then after install the last plywood part actually comes some 5-8cm over the middle console, so I just put foam support in between the console and plywood since there is a 3-4cm gap. That worked just fine and gives a lot of support, so now I only need to be careful with not putting too much weight on the corners, maybe it could take it but don't want to find out
Hinges are there because when you want to drive the car the seats need to be moved in the normal position and plywood needs to be folded so the seats can fit. Mattress needs to be lifted or rolled back to be able to turn the plywood. I was also thinking that maybe some sliding solution would be also an option, but this was easier for me since I'm not an expert in woodwork. That's why I wanted a professional for skill and ideas, but no one I contacted answered or were interested in this kind of project. Whole cover will fit in the trunk in case rear seats needs to be used, that's a second function of the hinges to get the part to fit in the trunk area.
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Btw in December we slept two nights in the car and it was -9c and -14c (6,8°F) cold temperature. 13% and 16% battery usage for 8h so almost 1,5kw consumption for the colder night. Auto climate was set to 20c but in these outdoor temps some sensor was too cold so it was pushing too hot air (like over 40c vent temp) and its was 26,5c (I dont know where this indoor sensor is located, but clearly it does not use this one to control the heating) and felt like a sauna when I woke up in the middle of the night. Had to actually set the temperature to the lowest possible 17c setting, that gave nice 20-21c indoor temp.
Oh yes and in the autumn holiday we slept 6 nights in a row in the car and visited beautiful national parks. Now the setup is quite proven and very comfortable to sleep. Cheap travel, at least in Finland. In Europe generally the electricity prices for EV charging are so high it would basically be cheaper to travel with gasoline car. So maybe some year they drop to reasonable level and we can travel to Italy and Alps
Oh yes and in the autumn holiday we slept 6 nights in a row in the car and visited beautiful national parks. Now the setup is quite proven and very comfortable to sleep. Cheap travel, at least in Finland. In Europe generally the electricity prices for EV charging are so high it would basically be cheaper to travel with gasoline car. So maybe some year they drop to reasonable level and we can travel to Italy and Alps
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Hi, thanks a lot for alls this precious informationsYes I removed the composite false floor thingy to get more space. Box sits in the hole that was left after removing that false floor. I used 18mm thick plywood that was doubled (glued together) on the sides and 4x near the seats. Probably way too much material and its quite heavy, but I have never done anything like this and carpenters I contacted were not interested. There are no screws, the box can be disassembled by just lifting the parts. I added some felt furniture pads between car plastics and the wood to make it even tighter fit (and to not scratch the car). Rear of the box was 4x 18mm thick since one plywood cover plate was using half as support and other plywood half. Cover and basically the box is also held in place relation to each other with long bolts that drop through drilled hole in the cover to the 2x sides and 4x plywood. They are there just by gravity and no tools required to install. These bolts or holes are not visible in the pictures since not done yet at that point. I used the idea from the video I posted in this thread.
Yes most definitely you could make a drawer. And actually could still access the space below the drawer but drawer would need to be pulled out and then open the hinged cover for the access. Just need to use more creativity depending on what you want. And if you have the skills or motivation/patience then go for it. I did not so I went with simple that works for me
Dimensions for the box are 20cm high. 4x 18mm part near the seats 82,3cm long (there is cut out in the center since the floor is not flat at least on GT). 1x 18mm part near the rear is also 82,3cm long. Side 2x 18mm parts are 81cm long. I also made center support for the box since my plan was to enter the car through the rear hatch, but actually we have never yet used it and have used rear doors instead. So the support is pretty much useless and overkill again, probably 15mm cover would have no problem even without the center support and 80kg on one point. But at least its on a hinge so I can turn it away if I need to put bigger stuff there. Some knowledge of plywood strength would have been useful
View attachment 18260
The cover is 15mm thick plywood and again, maybe an overkill. Here are some dimensions in the picture. The 81cm part with the hinges goes couple of cm over the rear seat edge, so the 4 hinges support the last plywood part. This was my plan to see if it can be only supported in air only by the hinges and be careful not to put too much pressure there since its only our heads there. Then after install the last plywood part actually comes some 5-8cm over the middle console, so I just put foam support in between the console and plywood since there is a 3-4cm gap. That worked just fine and gives a lot of support, so now I only need to be careful with not putting too much weight on the corners, maybe it could take it but don't want to find out
Hinges are there because when you want to drive the car the seats need to be moved in the normal position and plywood needs to be folded so the seats can fit. Mattress needs to be lifted or rolled back to be able to turn the plywood. I was also thinking that maybe some sliding solution would be also an option, but this was easier for me since I'm not an expert in woodwork. That's why I wanted a professional for skill and ideas, but no one I contacted answered or were interested in this kind of project. Whole cover will fit in the trunk in case rear seats needs to be used, that's a second function of the hinges to get the part to fit in the trunk area.
View attachment 18259
I'd have a problem with the headroom.
I'm a large man, and I find it hard to get dressed with a low ceiling. Yes, you can camp with a tent attached, but this is easier for me. I added a panel spanning the rear seat footwell. That's an XL sleeping bag. Ingress at night, with wet feet (geriatric bladder) via passenger rear, then a simple tuck-n-roll to get into bed.
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I'm a large man, and I find it hard to get dressed with a low ceiling. Yes, you can camp with a tent attached, but this is easier for me. I added a panel spanning the rear seat footwell. That's an XL sleeping bag. Ingress at night, with wet feet (geriatric bladder) via passenger rear, then a simple tuck-n-roll to get into bed.
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Yes its a bit of a compromise, not a 5 star hotel For us there is about 50cm space from mattress to the ceiling at rear doors. With repetition we have learned to fold our selves in ok through the back doors, but its easier since wife is small and I'm somewhat "normal" size. Getting dressed inside needs to be done lying on the mattress of course. Now I remembered that the main reason we used back doors because there is space for shoes on the floor, from back hatch there is just wide bed and don't want to get sand or dirt on the bed. Yes we could put shoes in the bag and then put under the mattress in the corner (there is some space), but it takes again more time and when its cold all the heat will escape from the car during this
What I saw somewhere is that you could remove the rear seats and modify the mechanism so that they fold more flat and reinstall them. I don't remember where but someone did that to their EV6. That would give more headroom, but also would take some storage space away since the bed is not raised so much.
For us there is about 50cm space from mattress to the ceiling at rear doors. With repetition we have learned to fold our selves in ok through the back doors, but its easier since wife is small and I'm somewhat "normal" size. Getting dressed inside needs to be done lying on the mattress of course. Now I remembered that the main reason we used back doors because there is space for shoes on the floor, from back hatch there is just wide bed and don't want to get sand or dirt on the bed. Yes we could put shoes in the bag and then put under the mattress in the corner (there is some space), but it takes again more time and when its cold all the heat will escape from the car during this What I saw somewhere is that you could remove the rear seats and modify the mechanism so that they fold more flat and reinstall them. I don't remember where but someone did that to their EV6. That would give more headroom, but also would take some storage space away since the bed is not raised so much.
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If I would cook on the road I would seriously think about ~35cm wide ~75cm long slide out from under the bed. You could still use below slide out as storage and inside slide out box for kitchen stuff, induction cook top etc. Even sink with running water would not be impossible to hide inside slide out There are a lot of wasted space in the car that could be used for specially molded water tank for the space. That would be a little hardcore build but would be interesting to see
There are a lot of wasted space in the car that could be used for specially molded water tank for the space. That would be a little hardcore build but would be interesting to see Wow, nice work Urban! I just registered to this forum to say thank you for sharing your solution!!Yes its a bit of a compromise, not a 5 star hotel
What I saw somewhere is that you could remove the rear seats and modify the mechanism so that they fold more flat and reinstall them. I don't remember where but someone did that to their EV6. That would give more headroom, but also would take some storage space away since the bed is not raised so much.
With regards to your last paragraph: I removed the seating area of the rear seats but the mechanism still prevents the seats from folding completely flat. Does anyone have a clue how to modify the mechanism? Any help is much appreciated!
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I love the build out that Urban did here, but I like you am a bigger guy and would like to have the space more so over a full mattress. Just a point of clarity - do you need to remove / replace the false floor near the liftgate, or is the piece you added just to extend your “floor” to the back of the front seats? My only concern is causing damage to the rear seats or false floor by laying on them. Appreciate any thoughts.
I love the bed frame design you came up with and I'm brainstorming how to make it for our '22 EV6 Wind when we take a cross-country trip. Question: what did you use for a mattress (brand, dimensions, type etc.)? I'm considering an air mattress (REI's Camp Dreamer or SoundAsleep), but worry about available space/headroom. Plus, I don't want to wake up and find myself on the plywood. I also considered a pad, but I doubt I'd have enough support, any suggestions?
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its a foam mattress thats 4,72” (12cm) thick in total and surface 1”+ is memory foam. 6,56ft (2m) long, 3,9ft (1,2m) wide. Very comfortable. Just slept on it 25 nights with my wife on a Europe roadtrip. Got it from a local store here (normal home stuff, not car related).
I took Urban's idea and ran with it to make a modified platform for our car - works great! I don't want to clutter up this thread, but I posting some pics and rough dimensions on another thread. You can also get more ideas from others by searching "car camping" in the Search Community bar above.
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Thats weird. I dont even have to use utility mode and still no time limitations. I have noticed 15min timelimit only if you start ac through phone app (preheating/cooling).
We are planning a car camping trip to the Grand Canyon this summer in our EV6 Wind. I called KOA Kampgrounds along the way and was told by one of them that that particular campground doesn’t allow for EV charging at the site due to older infrastructure (weird, since they have 50 amp outlets…) - something to be aware of and ask about as you plan a trip. I built the platform using user Urban’s design and it works great. Let us know if/when you do your trip.
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Curious why no one is using an air mattress? Are they not comfortable? Takes up less space when your not using it during the day.
How about a portable heater so you don't have to use your cars hvac
What about those battery box (dji, anker, delta flow etc) so you don't need to use cars battery. And can an electric cooler to keep food, drinks cold?
Definitely an induction plate to cook food. I plan to change to an inoiq 9. definitely want to go camping but sleep inside my car with my wife and 2 small dogs
The KOA company line is EV charging is not allowed using campsite pedestals and only allowed at dedicated EV charging stations. See Camping at KOA campgrounds with an electric vehicle (EV).
In my experience, the dedicated chargers are located at the office building, not at campsites so not very useful for car camping. I usually make an online reservation (via KOA app) with a note explaining that I plan to charge my vehicle with my EVSE limited to 30A (60%, ~6kW) on the 50A pedestal. Most KOAs either don't notice or care. Only twice have I been refused and a couple times got a follow-up call to explain my setup. Sidenote - I once got turned away upon arrival at the Outer Banks, NC KOA not because of EV charging, but the site owner did not allow sleeping in a car (but pickup campers are OK?).
I understand campground reluctance on EV charging. If you don't limit your EVSE to 40A or less, you can damage the pedestal by exceeding the continuous load limit on a 50A circuit. It also drives the campground operator's power cost if more EVs charge at pedestals. Personally, I wouldn't mind a $5-10 surcharge for EV charging. Either that or they need to provide EV ready campsites with dedicated charging stations. Otherwise I'd reserve the cheapest site but sleep in the car at the office charger (where provided).
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Kitchen was a huge success. 11300km and 33 nights slept in car. Accomodation costs for the whole trip only 72 euros. Some wineries even had spot for the car, electricity, shower, toilet and wine tasting with 18 wines and one juice, all this for free, its crazy!
So many camping spots were absolutely epic with gorgeous views, sunsets, sunrises and even fell asleep watching starry sky from the open sunroof.
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So many camping spots were absolutely epic with gorgeous views, sunsets, sunrises and even fell asleep watching starry sky from the open sunroof.
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