Summer is not over yet! That means you still have time to go out and enjoy what nature has to offer. If you plan to hit the road on an e-bike, you might take some inspiration from this talented guy, who shows you how to add a camper trailer to your next two-wheeled adventure.
Drew, the guy behind the popular Drew Builds Stuff YouTube channel, made a one-person camper trailer earlier this year. He shows the whole process, along with the materials he used. It’s a simple teardrop camper, but it’s a cool project for those with some welding experience who like to take matters into their own hands.
Since his invention was pedal-powered, it was a bit difficult to take it on long journeys or on non-flat terrain. So he decided to make an e-bike camper to make cycling trips easier and more comfortable. First, he had to electrify his bicycle. But instead of buying a conventional battery for his two-wheeler, he made one himself.
The reason why he decided to take the DIY route was that it was cheaper. Plus, he wanted something with a large capacity that would allow him to effortlessly pull a 200-lb (91 kg) trailer behind him. To make a 51Ah 48V e-bike battery, he connected in parallel 17 batches of 13 serial-connected battery cells. In total, he hot glued together 221 batteries. This is the first time when he has built something like this. Still, there is room for improvement, such as adding physical spacers so the cells don’t end up with each other or adding ventilation to the case used for the battery.
Overall, he spent less than $1,000 CAD (~$1,290 USD) to make everything. However, he plans to come up with another version of the camper in September. We’ll see what changes he makes and what cool additions he brings.
To complete the e-bike conversion, Drew used a kit that came with everything except for the battery. As for the camper, he tweaked some of the elements to make it safer. Drew took off the frame and welded on some bars around the wheels so that the axles were supported on both sides. He added a 100-Watt flexible solar panel on the top of the camper. Then he took the connectors, put them through the roof, and connected them with the power bank that he placed on a shelf inside the trailer.
You can watch the whole process in more detail in the clip attached down below. Overall, version 2.0 of the camper looks incredible. It’s more stable, and the battery offers a range of more than 100 km (62 miles), improving the cycling experience.
Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature. Full profile
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