British holidays have taken a beating over the past few years. From the ever-extending lockdowns and “red lists”, to strikes causing airport chaos and flight cancellations, the obstacles in the way of a relaxing, international vacation were often insurmountable. So it’s no surprise that the UK has experienced a surge in at-home holidays.
This so-called “Staycation Boom” saw Brits substituting their usual Malaga beach rentals for Cornish B&Bs or picturesque campsites in the Scottish Highlands. And while for some the swap was only temporary, many more have embraced the trend long-term. In 2021, 16,608 new motorhomes were registered with the DVLA, topping the existing sales record by 8 per cent. Caravan and campervan prices have shot up too, as supply struggles to keep up with growing demand.
In fact, interest in motorhomes has grown so intensely, owners across the country have reported strangers knocking on their doors to ask if their vehicles are for sale. And many commercial vans are being bought with the intended purpose of being converted into a camper.
All this motorhome enthusiasm is well-founded. After all, who wouldn't want to skip the fight for expensive holiday rentals, but still getting to enjoy their dream destination? And while campervans are sometimes seen as a budget holiday option, that doesn’t mean the experience has to feel low-cost. Indeed, if you have a high-power battery, then anything is possible.
Portable power company Bluetti, for example, has built a battery that can power even the most bougie camping setups for days. When you pair its AC500 inverter with its B300S expansion batteries, you can generate enough power to run a regular home—not just a mobile one. It can deliver 5,000 Watts of power, which is more than enough for a kettle, a stovetop, a pizza oven—even a treadmill, if you can fit it in there.
Depending on how many B300S batteries you plug in—and it can take six at once—the AC500 can dole out more than 18,000 Watt-hours of energy. For context, that’s enough to roast five chickens consecutively in a standard electric oven, letting it cool down in between birds, so it packs in a lot more energy than you’d get from a camping stove, even if you had a couple of backup gas canisters. And it’s totally portable—charge it before you go, from a standard wall socket, with solar panels, or using one of the seven other charging options, and you’re all set. Top-ups on the go are possible, of course—you can even use your vehicle’s cigarette-lighter port.
The key benefit of a power source like this—besides the clear joy of being able to play The Last of Us in the great outdoors—is the freedom it grants you.
Outdoor enthusiast Adam Neal, who swapped his international travels for car camping in the UK post-pandemic, envisioned exactly that when he was given Bluetti’s AC500 and B300S to try out. “Imagine RV camping in some really remote area and you taking this with you,” he said in a video. “Three or four days with your electrical cooking equipment, your cooler boxes for your beers, your sound systems—you could have a proper, bling setup… This thing is going to set you up perfectly.”
Sitting in a random Derbyshire field, Neal whipped himself up a stir-fry on his electric hob, nuked a packet of rice in a microwave, and started up his popcorn maker, all plugged into the Bluetti AC500, all at the same time.
Campers are typically restricted to campsites or motorhome parks, where each plot gets a plug. But if you can supply your own power, you can go anywhere. And the better the battery system, the longer you can stay. If you’ve got solar panels and a Bluetti battery setup, your holiday never has to end.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
