See inside the prototype for a new $24,000 Tesla Cybertruck camper attachment
Grace Kay
- A startup is looking to sell a $24,000 camper extension for the Tesla Cybertruck.
- Space Campers has been collecting $100 refundable reservations since May 2022.
The Tesla Cybertruck is only weeks away from its scheduled delivery event — and some companies have already begun building accessories for the electric-pickup truck.
Lee Wilkerson, the founder of Space Campers, told Insider he was inspired to launch his company shortly after Elon Musk announced Tesla would be building the Cybertruck in 2019. Wilkerson said he saw an opportunity to build something around the versatility of the Cybertruck.
"The cool thing about the Cybertruck is the fact that they will make one truck body shape and you won't have to juggle any submodels," Wilkerson said. "Once I started thinking about building it, I couldn't get the idea out of my head," he added.
Take a look inside the camper designed to seamlessly attach to the bed of the Cybertruck. The company has a physical prototype, but the pictures of the camper attached to the Cybertruck are digital renderings.
Space Campers started taking $100 refundable reservations for its wedge-style camper in May 2022.
The company would not comment on how many reservations it had received to date.
"We've had a lot of interest, but we're trying to keep our numbers down right now," Wilkerson said. "We haven't promoted this too much because we're still sitting on standby a bit till we see more clarity on the truck. I think on November 30, a lot of things will be cleared up."
Wilkerson, a mechanical engineer who has worked at several startups, said the company has about five internal team members and has partnered with outside manufacturers on the project.
The camper, which is currently listed for $24,000, is designed so that it can be set up in moments with the switch of a button.
It attaches to the bed of the truck with clamps — and when it's not in use, Cybertruck owners can still have full access to the bed of their truck, according to the prototype.
The camper is even designed to travel with Tesla owners on a day-to-day basis without too much of an impact on the vehicle's range.
At its peak, the ceiling of the camper reaches eight feet, according to the specs for the prototype.
The lowest portion of the camper clocks in at about six feet, according to the company.
The camper comes with a bed that can comfortably sleep two people.
The memory foam mattress can also be folded to make a couch-structure, according to the specs for the prototype.
The bed can be extended so users can enjoy more of the scenery.
"The best thing about it, is that pretty much every feature has multiple uses," Wilkerson said.
For example, the bed platform can be taken out of the camper and used as a table, according to the company.
Though users might have to bring along their own foldable camp chairs.
The bed's platform can also serve as a projector.
The company said the screen can either be tucked inside the camper or used in the open air.
Similarly, an extension that's attached to the bed can be made into a bench and the area can become a makeshift office space.
The camper could be perfect for remote workers.
Take a look at a video from the company that shows how the space can be converted.
Space Campers also offers the option to further accessorize the camper.
The company says a kitchen can be built into the storage compartments in the camper. Space Campers also sells a portable toilet and shower extension, according to its site.
Space Campers isn't the only company to capitalize on the hype around the Cybertruck.
In 2021, Insider's Brittany Chang reported that tech company Stream had started making camper attachments for the EV and the company had already hit $150 million in preorders for its CyberLandr, a $55,000 attachment.
Stream has not published any updated preorder numbers since.
Space Camper's founder said designing the camper has been the easy part, at least when compared to some of the unpredictability related to the Cybertruck release.
Since Musk first announced the Cybertruck, the company has delayed its release at least seven times, including two years of delays. While Wilkerson said Space Campers has a contact at Tesla, the EV maker has not officially shared any specs with the company.
"It's a little bit of this game of up and down with all the Cybertruck news," Wilkerson said. "We want to have all our ducks in a row, but we're waiting to turn the ramp up back on until Cybertruck is definite."
A spokesperson for Space Campers told Insider the company anticipates it will ramp up production in the second quarter of 2024.
Space Campers also faces some uncertainty with getting access to the Cybertruck once it's released. Over 1.5 million people have put down a $100 reservation fee for the Tesla truck as of last year, according to Electrek. And even people who ordered the truck within an hour of Musk's first announcement of the EV have told Insider they have tens of thousands of people in front of them, at least according to an online queue estimator.
Wilkerson said the company is not one of the early reservation holders, but has befriended some people who have access.
For his part, Musk has said the ramp up in Cybertruck deliveries might be slow.
During Tesla's earnings call last month, the CEO said it will require a "staggering" amount of work to scale production of the vehicle due to its "newness." The billionaire said the company hopes to produce about a quarter million Cybertrucks per year — but likely not until 2025.
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