Part House Boat, Part Camper Trailer: Meet the Caracat Amphibious RV
Even before James Bond showed off his submarine car in 1977’s film “The Spy Who Loved Me,” the idea of driving an amphibious vehicle has titillated our collective imagination.
Nearly a half-century later, the Caracat aims to fulfill that long-time dream.
The Caracat — the name of both company and product — is a towable camper with an expandable pontoon system for travel on water. With a tiny outboard motor, you won’t keep up with any super villains, but you’ll be able to chill in style and get around on the water.
Its designers seem to clearly understand what consumers would want from a vehicle like this. Heating and air conditioning? Check. Solar-powered battery system? Check. Wine cooler? Pop the cork, my dear.
Built, with a fiberglass hull and available in a few different sizes, the Caracat takes on the label of “luxury camper hybrid.”
“Equipped with superior technology and furnished with every imaginable luxury, this vehicle is a realization of a dream,” the company says on its website.
Caracat: Design Details
In essence, the Caracat comes equipped with all the basics of an off-grid camper trailer. It’s got both freshwater and gray water tanks, a refrigerator, and a small kitchen.
If you’ve ever been on a powerboat, then the navigation system and deck equipment will look familiar. Thanks to its humble 8-horsepower electric motor, the basic Caracat also remains cost-efficient and easy on the environment.
If going slow sounds like a drag, it’s possible to upgrade the Caracat to a 100-horsepower setup. Customers could opt for gas and diesel energy options for the camper’s utilities as well, like climate control and kitchen appliances.
The German engineering behind the Caracat is also focused on sustainability with its toilet. The boat burns all human waste to avoid pollution (according to the brochure, which did not elaborate on this).
Is There Something Fishy About the Caracat?
While a camper that can double as a boat sounds appealing, we can’t help but notice there’s no actual proof of the Caracat launching or floating in water.
The images supplied by the company appear to be renderings Photoshopped onto gorgeous watery landscapes. Seems a little fishy to us (pun intended).
Caracat: Models & Pricing
With its retractable pontoons, owners can tow the Caracat on public roads, with standard lanes being 8 feet wide. When expanded, the vehicle becomes about 12 feet wide.
The Caracat comes in three models: 66, 76, and 86. These names refer to their length in meters: 6.6 m (22 feet), 7.6 m (25 feet), and 8.6 m (28 feet). Other than expanded space, the brochure doesn’t mention many additional features of the various models.
Caracat declined to post any prices for its camper hybrid on its website. New Atlas reports that the Caracat starts at around $130,000 for the smallest model.
That price tag is pretty competitive for similar-sized luxury camper trailers, and those aren’t also a boat. Not to mention the original Lotus submarine car from “The Spy Who Loved Me,” which sold at auction in 2013 for $864,600.
