- Honda has revealed the Base Station Prototype, a towable travel trailer with modular design.
- It is engineered for towing behind compact SUVs and EVs, including the CR-V.
- The pop-top design provides about 2.1m standing height and sleeping for four.
Honda has quietly wandered into the camping space, and done so in typically thoughtful fashion. The newly revealed Base Station Prototype is a lightweight, towable travel trailer designed to make camping simpler, smarter and more accessible, without demanding a full-size tow vehicle.
Honda says the prototype has been engineered to be towed by compact SUVs, including its own CR-V, the 0 EV-SUV, as well as a range of EVs.
Small outside, big ideas inside
Developed by Honda’s US R&D teams in California and Ohio, Base Station follows the brand’s long-standing “Man Maximum, Machine Minimum” philosophy.
In plain terms: minimise the hardware, maximise usable space. The result is a trailer compact enough to fit in a standard garage, yet tall and open once deployed.
A pop-up roof creates roughly 2.1m of standing room, while five large side windows flood the interior with light. Those windows are removable too, swapped out for accessories depending on how adventurous you’re feeling. At the rear, a top-hinged tailgate opens the cabin straight onto the campsite, blurring the line between indoors and out.
Sleeping is sorted via a futon-style sofa that folds into a queen-size bed, with an optional bunk for kids. Honda says the layout can comfortably accommodate a family of four.
Techy touches, no fuss
Honda hasn’t resisted adding some clever tech flourishes. Ambient light rings around the windows are fully programmable for brightness and colour, doubling as campsite lighting after dark.
Power comes from an onboard lithium battery paired with an inverter and integrated solar panels, enabling zero-emissions off-grid use. External power hookups and Honda generators can also be connected for longer stays.
The modular approach extends outside. The prototype shown wears optional extras such as an air-conditioning unit, external shower and a slide-out kitchen with running water and an induction cooktop.
Honda’s take on “democratising” camping
“Base Station is a perfect example of what can happen when you let a team of researchers, designers and engineers pursue bold new ideas,” said Jane Nakagawa, vice president of the American Honda R&D Business Unit. “We designed it to make camping more accessible and enjoyable for families across America.”
Pricing, final specifications and production timing haven’t been disclosed yet, but Honda is clearly positioning Base Station as a lightweight, cleverly packaged alternative to bulky caravans. If it reaches production largely intact, it could become one of the more quietly disruptive ideas in modern camping gear, very Honda, really.
