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Imagine an affordable mobile home for college students, or developing nations, or even just Americans who are priced out of the area where they work.. http://w

Imagine an affordable mobile home for college students, or developing nations, or even just Americans who are priced out of the area where they work.. http://www.designboom.com/design/cornelius-comanns-bufalino/ http://www.designboom.com/design/cornelius-comanns-bufalino/

catbird 11y ago
That's so strange. If you're going to park your tiny home somewhere, why not make it the size of a regular car, like the VW Westfalia camper van? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Westfalia_Campers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Westfalia_Campers
- nosuchthing 11y ago
  Westfalias retail for upwards of ~$50,000, with 1980's models still fetching upwards of $15,000... If the Elio [1] can retail for $6,800 new, it's not a stretch to imagine a modern minimal camper-motorcycle/tuktuk/scooter for under ~$20,000... models for countries with less regulatory requirements like India or Asia regions might have much less expensive versions. [1] http://eliomotors.com/ http://eliomotors.com/
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
  - catbird 11y ago
    Ah, I had no idea that they cost so much. Thanks
  - shanemhansen 11y ago
    Westfalias are expensive because they are a bit of a fetish item. I have a 2000 converted camper van (pop top, fridge, solar panels, stove, running water) that I bought for 13k. It's still expensive, but not compared to a tempermental westfalia that's 20 years older.
    - nosuchthing 11y ago
      I assume it's somewhat due to the slim form factor? There are ford/dodge van campers but they're cumbersome compared to the slimmer Volkswagen Westfalias and similar early Toyota TownAce models. Westfalias have a much larger userbase and parts aftermarket though.
fwn 11y ago
Looks cool but maybe overengineered? I don't know about college students in the US, but German students live pretty cheap in shared flats. I pay 350 Euro for my share of an inner city Wilhelminian apartment house. It goes down to maybe 200 Euro. I can't see this to be a bigger problem in developing nations. I'd consider those mobile homes for the mobility though..

catbird 11y ago

That's so strange. If you're going to park your tiny home somewhere, why not make it the size of a regular car, like the VW Westfalia camper van? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Westfalia_Campers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Westfalia_Campers

nosuchthing 11y ago
Westfalias retail for upwards of ~$50,000, with 1980's models still fetching upwards of $15,000... If the Elio [1] can retail for $6,800 new, it's not a stretch to imagine a modern minimal camper-motorcycle/tuktuk/scooter for under ~$20,000... models for countries with less regulatory requirements like India or Asia regions might have much less expensive versions. [1] http://eliomotors.com/ http://eliomotors.com/
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- catbird 11y ago
  Ah, I had no idea that they cost so much. Thanks
- shanemhansen 11y ago
  Westfalias are expensive because they are a bit of a fetish item. I have a 2000 converted camper van (pop top, fridge, solar panels, stove, running water) that I bought for 13k. It's still expensive, but not compared to a tempermental westfalia that's 20 years older.
  - nosuchthing 11y ago
    I assume it's somewhat due to the slim form factor? There are ford/dodge van campers but they're cumbersome compared to the slimmer Volkswagen Westfalias and similar early Toyota TownAce models. Westfalias have a much larger userbase and parts aftermarket though.

fwn 11y ago

Looks cool but maybe overengineered? I don't know about college students in the US, but German students live pretty cheap in shared flats. I pay 350 Euro for my share of an inner city Wilhelminian apartment house. It goes down to maybe 200 Euro. I can't see this to be a bigger problem in developing nations. I'd consider those mobile homes for the mobility though..