Couple swaps hotels for a Tesla bedroom

Jan Pedersen and his wife have spent the past three years travelling around Europe and sleeping in the back of their Tesla, according to DR. The couple say the setup gives them greater freedom and flexibility.

At first glance, the car looks like an ordinary white Tesla. But beneath the boot floor is a small refrigerator, while the boot can be turned into a bedroom with a bed, pillows and a duvet.

Pedersen, who lives in Ribe, built a wooden frame for the car. By folding down the seats, the couple can place a mattress inside and use it as a bed. Preparing the frame and mattress takes about 45 minutes.

Sometimes they park at rest areas and sleep in the car. On other trips, they stay at campsites, where they put up a tent that extends from the vehicle and creates a more traditional camping setup.

“It gives you a feeling of freedom to be able to stay wherever you want and drive on whenever you want,” Pedersen said. “There is no stress about having to catch a flight or reach a hotel.”

Pedersen said more people are choosing the same type of travel. The couple have increasingly met others sleeping in their cars and arriving at campsites in Teslas.

Trend researcher Anne Sofie Lahme said the development reflects a combination of flexibility, freedom and a desire to be closer to nature. She described sleeping in a car as a simple way to experience greater freedom outside everyday life with full-time work and family responsibilities.

Lasse Grunstrup, product manager at FDM Travel, said the trend had become particularly clear over the past five years. He pointed to the ease and flexibility of travelling by car, adding that some newer electric vehicles are well suited to sleeping in because they have flat boot spaces and a camping mode.