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Is this solar-powered Ecocapsule the future of independent living?

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I'm one of those contradictory specimens that loves the idea of camping, but hates actually camping. It's too cold at night, too hot during the day, and about as comfortable as an ill fitting pair of jeans. Even the recent phenomenon known as “Glamping” frankly doesn't appeal to me, because if you're going to be paying that much for a tent, you'd at least expect a TV and a comfortable bed. Right? I know I can't be alone in thinking that “Living off the land” would be so much more palatable if the comforts of home were actually possible, and available for not only a reasonable price, but without creating an environmental cluster fuck. So enter Slovakian design team Nice Architects, and enter the “Ecocapsule.”

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This egg shaped capsule could effectively revolutionise what it means to live a nomadic existence, as it could give us the opportunity to live free of rent or electric bills, almost wherever we want in the world! The Ecocapsule runs entirely on solar and wind energy, allowing its dwellers to live both literally, and figuratively, off the grid. The mobile home is completely self-sustaining thanks to a 9,744 watt battery, a 750 watt wind turbine, and efficient solar cells that could quite feasibly provide support for up to a year in almost any location on earth with a decent amount of sunlight (so Manchester's off the cards). The ingenious capsule also uses a rainwater collection and filtration system, so provided you don't decide to camp out in the middle of the Sahara Desert, you should also have enough drinking water to keep you properly hydrated throughout the summer months and beyond!

The Ecocapsule from Nice Architects is a completely self-sustaining portable home

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Inside, the 4.5 metre long and 24. metre wide capsule looks surprisingly roomy, and Nice Architects have managed to fit a LOT in there given the space. There's a kitchenette with running water, a flushable toilet, a shower, a bed, and work space, with room for two people. Whilst the company website says it can comfortably fit two people, however, if you're a little on the hefty side I wouldn't hedge your bets (being a man of the portlier persuasion myself, I certainly wouldn't). The portable home can also be transported with relative ease by being attached to the back of a car like a trailer. If you happen to drive an electric car (and if you're seriously considering the Ecocapsule, you probably do), you can also use the egg to charge your vehicle! Making it not only a completely self-sustaining living solution, but a self-sustaining transportation solution to boot!

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Beyond the idea of living comfortably on the road, the capsule also has plenty of other potential applications, from providing shelter in disaster areas to doubling as a scientific research station. The Nice Architects website states: “With its immense off-grid life span, worldwide portability and flexibility, it is suitable for a wide range of applications: from an independent research station or a tourist lodge to an emergency housing or a humanitarian-action unit.”

The prototype for the Ecocapsule is due to be unveiled at the Pioneers Festival in Vienna

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The prototype for the Ecocapsule is due to be unveiled today (May 28) at the Pioneers Festival in Vienna, with pre-orders available by the end of the year and a planned shipping date of initial units in the first half of 2016. A price has yet to be announced, but with the shipping costs alone stretching into the thousands, I wouldn't expect an RRP of less than £50,000. Still, with that much eco-friendly technology and that much style (seriously, look at the thing), if I had a spare 50 grand knocking about I'd be first in line to sign up for the future of nomadic living! Surely it beats paying half a million quid for a hovel in the centre London?

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Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer, struggling musician and wannabe nomad (he loves his creature comforts too much) from Kidderminster in the UK.

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