The camping concept Teardrop Trailers are said to have originated in the 1930s in the United States – with sleeping space for two in the front and an open kitchen in the back. Now they have returned as Lifestyle CampersI've seen them many times along the road, but at eCarExpo I got to take a closer look at one of these vehicles for the first time.
The cart in the picture is hand-built by Lifestyle Camper in Ukraine. The model is called X-Line Premium and has, among other things, a roof rack with awning and Webasto diesel heater. In addition, you can mount a roof tent on the trailer. Then 4 people can go on a trip together.
What kind of camping life do you prefer?
Caravans like this are marketed to a target group that you could probably call “young, active and sporty”. I imagine people who spend their days doing activities – such as hiking, off-road cycling, pole hunting, kayaking, hunting, fishing, mountain climbing, to name a few. Put on the tip, the caravan becomes a gathering place for the evening before a warm, dry and comfortable overnight stay with breakfast the next day – before moving on to new adventures.
At the other end of the camping spectrum, we find those who keep their caravan standing all year round with a pitched tent and a fenced-in deck – like a cabin.
Wilderness camping?
Light weight, high ground clearance and tires with a thick tread bring to mind forest roads and off-road driving. In that case, you should know a kind landowner. Camping in nature is not prohibited, but few landowners welcome wilderness campers. Quite the opposite. Small exits and forest roads are often closed with boulders or barriers. I know motorhome owners who have spent a lot of time looking for idyllic campsites, you know the kind you find in brochures. It's not easy. With a little luck, you can find a driveway parking without a "Camping prohibited" sign.
Be prepared that it can be difficult to find a good place to camp in the wilderness. In practice, this means that you have to seek out campsites. In Sweden and Denmark there are large rest areas with toilets and screened areas where private cars can also stay overnight. But not in Norway. According to the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Norwegian rest areas are not intended for camping. If you stay overnight in a location clearly visible to everyone traveling along a main road, you may also risk getting unwanted visitors during the night.
Camping is not a bad choice
Even with an outdoor shower and Portapotti, it can be good to have access to electricity, hot showers and toilets. You can still live a nice camping life and enjoy the benefits of a Lifestyle Camper. The trailer in the picture has a curb weight of 723 kg (not the lightest on the market) and a total weight of 1000 kg. The total width at the wheels is 1,98 meters, but the body is only 1,45 meters wide, so that the rear view through the side mirrors is maintained. The chassis is from German KNOTT with torsion suspension, shock absorbers and overrun brake. The frame is galvanized and V-shaped. The trailer in the pictures meets the authorities' requirements for Tempo 100.
Vegvesen.no – Approval of trailers to drive at 100 km/h
Suitable for electric cars
The small teardrop-shaped caravans are well suited to electric cars – both in terms of weight requirements and low air resistance that does not steal too much range. The photos were taken at KIA's stand at eCarExpo 2025. The towing vehicle is a KIA EV9 with 4-wheel drive that can tow a trailer of 2500 kg. I have taken the liberty of photo-editing two of the photos. The main photo has a "new" background and in the photo below the caravan is clipped together with a KIA EV3 which is a smaller model. It can only be delivered with front-wheel drive but is approved to tow a trailer.
Kia EV3
KIA EV3 at eCarExpo 2025 (Photo: Terjes Biler)
A real "boxy" design! The EV3 is 4,3 meters long, takes 430 liters of luggage and offers a class-leading range of 601 km with a battery pack of 81,4 kWh.
See
Xcamp.no (Norwegian retailer)
TuristplanNorge.no – Find camping here!
