In January, Honda surprised us with something called the Base Station: A futuristic-looking towable camper designed to be light and versatile, with modular features ranging from air conditioning, to a shower, to a futon that folds out into a bed, depending on how the owner wishes to fill the space. It was indeed a neat concept, as an automaker like Honda surely would have much to offer to the recreational space, but we had precious few details about production feasibility. All we knew was that Honda was serious about bringing it to market.
But so much has changed for Honda in the last three months. It went from having three global EVs set to begin their rollout this year, to none. And while the Base Station was not an EV, it was holistically imagined as part of that ecosystem, alongside the Motocompacto. It echoed the design of the canceled 0 Series EV, not terribly unlike the late Chris Cutler’s homemade NSX trailer that delighted the internet years ago. The Base Station is also said to incorporate a standard lithium battery.
On Wednesday, Honda released two short videos illustrating the ambitions of its U.S.-based design team, and how its efforts stretch beyond cars to the wider realm of mobility. One of the videos, embedded below, centered on the Base Station. It’s not even two minutes long and well worth a peek if that January reveal caught your attention, because it showcases a live, full-size model, rather than the renders we’d seen before. It’s especially neat to watch the way the kitchen portion folds out of the outer wall, revealing a stovetop, sink, cutting board, and storage.
Inside the Design: Honda Base Station Prototype
Honda’s continued promotion of the Base Station piqued our interest. The cancelation of the 0 Series vehicles technically has no bearing on it, but it’s perhaps ironic that the only product that figures to bring their progressive design language to market will probably be a camper. I asked a Honda representative about the Base Station’s commercial status, and they simply replied, “We revealed the Base Station as a prototype with intent for production. We will have more to share later this year.”
Honda’s objective for the Base Station is a lightweight camper that most vehicles on the road—whether built by Honda or not—can easily tow. The latest video replaces the 0 Series SUV at the helm with a modern CR-V. And the way Honda is still talking about it, as a “time capsule” for the families that use it, definitely rings like a product fully intended for sale.
The question, as ever, is price. Previously the brand said it was eyeing a sum “competitive” for the Base Station’s prospective segment. Campers these days are big money, and my friend Andrew Collins projected this one would come in under $20,000. I have a hunch we’ll get a more concrete number “later this year,” as Honda teases.
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