Kill It With Fire Before It Lays Eggs! Those Times the Prius Got Its Own Camper Conversion

Yes, what you're looking at is a very real deal, and one manufacturer from Nagano, Japan, made a name for itself by showcasing the Prius Camper (it has several names) at the Tokyo Auto Salon back in 2012. While no one seemed to know who this crew was back then, time brought the truth to light.

With a bit of searching, I was able to track down this abominable machine to none other than Car-Taka, short for Carinterior Takahashi, which, these days, has suspended the construction and sale of this quirky habitat, AKA the Relax Cabin. It's a bummer because, honestly, there are countless folks reading this who would jump on this on the first occasion they got one; I'd consider this sort of construction if I owned a Prius.

So, what the heck did we miss out on? Well, according to Car-Taka's website, this thing was able to accommodate five people, and not just in a seating position, but during overnight sleeping sessions. Yes, five people sleeping in a friggin Prius! How is this possible? Well, let's dive in, shall we?

For starters, it's important to note that Car-Taka sold this thing as either a separate component or as a complete vehicle, with the former starting at around $20K. You might as well get the car to go along with it for about $16K extra.

Considering I'm not the most car-oriented human at autoevolution, I'll just be sticking to the things I do know, campers, and all that brings us to that overgrowth of a cabin sitting on the back of that possibly unwilling Prius, which, mind you, is crafted out of nothing more than fiber reinforced plastics, so it's light and should hold up against a hailstorm or two.

What's really important to note, however, is the way it's built, as a cab over habitat. It's this design that would allow the Relax Cabin to accommodate up to five guests; three can rest their bones overhead, while another two in the bedding area created below. I'm not going to lie; I've been in a Prius before, and that's going to be one hell of a tight fit for your average North American, European, South American, or any other human with a non-Asian body size. The protruding wheel wells aren't going to help, either.

Another reason for that funky-looking and tumorous appearance is aerodynamics. According to Car-Taka, the Relax Cabin was designed to take advantage of the Prius' original design, not lugging it down against the headwind but streamlining the experience.

But what about the interior? According to the images in the gallery, there wasn't much to the Relax Cabin; it's just a shell thrown over a Prius to help create some bedding space. To enter the proverbial habitat, you could simply crawl to the rear from the front two seats or head to the back and enter the cabin via a door integrated into the shell.

Nonetheless, looks can be deceiving as the Relax also integrated features like insulation, a battery and charger, LED lighting, an over-the-top bunk, and a moonroof, perfect for falling asleep under the stars. Other than that, whatever you needed, you had to bring along.

Still, Car-Taka did offer an array of add-ons to choose from. Their price list still showcases that you could have chosen an electric sunroof, Webasto heater, portable fridge, and even mess with the fabrics used inside. If we added a solar panel on top and brought along some water and a pump, we'd be looking at a decent weekend getaway machine.

Now, there's something I need to point out about all this Prius camper stuff. Back in 2012, it wasn't Car-Taka that sold these babies, but rather a crew dubbed Campinn; Car-Taka is just one of the only manufacturers, or rather, resellers of the Relax Cabin-style after-market add-on for the Prius.

What does this mean? This means that there has to be some manufacturer at the center of it all, most likely Chinese, who's cranking out Prius campers with anyone's brand on them. All you have to do is find them. Personally, if I owned a Prius, as horrid as this tumor-like overgrowth comes across, I'd rock it; why the hell not!? It takes the rather city-oriented Prius and transforms it into a mobile habitat that, for two people, would be more than enough for extended weekend trips.

What about you? If you owned a Prius, maybe you do, would you take a step into a mobile-living future with a habitat that's nearly as large as the car it's on? Feel free to leave your two cents below.