The ioCamper Truck II Is the Little Transformer That Puts a 2-Person Home in Your Pickup

This is today's motivational message but framed within a story relevant to our interests: that of the greatest RV that never was, the ioCamper transforming module. Some context is necessary to get to the core of the message, epitomized by the latest product bearing this name, the ioCamper Truck II.

ioCamper is not an established manufacturer, though not for lack of trying. The name first popped up on the international radar back in 2016 with a concept simply called ioCamper, a camper module that effectively exploded into a 6-person home at camp. It was described as the dream RV without being an actual V (as in, vehicle), allowing you to use a van you already owned for transport.

The module never took off, despite or perhaps because of its bold design that proposed all the creature comforts of an actual RV in a fraction of the space of one. Hungarian engineer Tamas Laczko, who designed and built that first unit, took all the necessary steps to bring it into production, even turning to crowdfunding as a last resort.

The RV module struggled for years, with Laczko constantly tweaking and overhauling the idea in the obvious hope that it might pick up traction beyond getting coverage – and praise – from established media. By 2021, the RV was made to travel on a trailer base, but not even that worked in its favor.

In 2023, Laczko switched focus once more, taking the idea of a transformable habitat and scaling it down to size. The ioCamper Truck was born, an expanding module that sat in the bed of most pickups, with the ability to turn into a 5-person habitat at camp. Details about the module were scarce at the time we covered it, but have since been ironed out, with the maker promising that each module is unique due to the customization options available.

In late 2023, ioCamper, through partner and distributor Richter-Manufaktur, opened up the books for the follow-up iteration of the ioCamper Truck, the ioCamper Truck II. The name won't win any awards for originality, but the concept deserves at least a slow clap for the sheer determination and hard hustle it showcases.

This is the latest and smallest take on the once bold ioCamper RV, adjusted for the demands of the market, reality, and a very competing market. And it's still a 2-person comfy habitat you can add and remove to a base vehicle whenever you feel like heading out on a short adventure.

Like its direct predecessor, the ioCamper Truck II is designed to work with most types of dual pickup trucks, sitting in the bed of the vehicle and expanding at camp to offer the most comfort possible for the available footprint. Unlike its predecessor, this version only expands upwards, being essentially a larger version of a hard-walled pop-up tent.

The ioCamper Truck II module is smaller, lighter, easier to set up but also sparser in features than its older sibling. It's made with fiberglass reinforced PE material, insulated sandwich walls and rubber sealing all around, so that it's wind- and rainproof.

Measuring 310 cm (122 inches) in length, the module is 170 cm (67 inches) wide and 200 cm (79 inches) high in camp mode, but it keeps a much lower and more aerodynamic profile while on the road.

Setting it up takes between 5 and 10 minutes and is a one-person job, not counting the time you'll need to have it secured in the bed of your pickup. That's not too daunting a task either, since all you have to do is drive the truck under it, lock it in place, and secure it for the road.

The module weighs 350 kg (772 lbs), presumably with everything inside it. That means a double bed with an extension which, when removed, doubles as a dining table, under-floor storage, opening windows with blinds and screens, a portable powerstation, mounting elements, adjustable leveling legs, and the platform that becomes a deck once you reach your destination.

By comparison, the original Truck module had a hotplate and a small fridge, while the first ioCamper RV module even had a bathroom with shower right next to the small but complete kitchen. Then again, the Truck II module is no longer designed for families but for an active, adventure-seeking couple who might use it on shorter outings.

It's made for "wild campers, hikers, bikers, fisherman, hunters, and festival fans," offering only a basic shelter from the elements and a basic degree of comfort. It beats sleeping on the ground in a tent, that's for sure, while also having the advantage of being a removable module that allows you to keep using your truck the rest of the time, when you're not out with it.

Whether this advantage is worth the €9,999.90 asking price is an entirely different discussion. That's the starting price, btw, and it's roughly $10,842 at the current exchange rate. It also doesn't include taxes and shipping.