If you happen to’ve been interested by #vanlife however can’t justify dropping $100,000 on a kitted-out camper, a brand new patent from a Chinese language automaker gives a compromise—however you won’t prefer it.
Seres, a outstanding EV maker out of China, simply secured a patent for an in-car rest room that slides out and tucks away beneath the seat. The patent, first reported exterior of China by Autoblog, was filed in April 2025, accepted final week, and is presently energetic.
The patented design appears to be like sensible sufficient, with a rail system that permits a compact rest room to slip out from underneath the seat like a drawer and stay hidden from view when not in use. It’s meant to “fulfill customers’ rest room wants on lengthy journeys, whereas tenting or whereas staying within the automobile,” in line with the filing.
The design features a fan, exhaust system, and high-tech tank with a heating ingredient to dry out waste. The system will be activated via a button or by voice command, although the latter is likely to be a characteristic too far for an already pretty unusual thought.
All the pieces and the kitchen sink
Corporations patent all types of issues they by no means have any intention of sending to the manufacturing line, however this idea may very well be loopy sufficient to work in some markets. Whereas in-vehicle bathrooms aren’t more likely to land stateside exterior of Sprinter vans and Greyhound buses, it’s not inconceivable to think about that individuals with some GI issues may not less than take into account the choice in a traditional automobile. Public loos will be laborious to return by, even in the event you’ve acquired a spot to park.
In China, automakers have turned to in-cabin maximalism to face out from the competitors. A large van referred to as the Mega, made by Seres competitor Li Auto, contains an infinite wraparound display screen, fold-flat bed-like seats, and a dual-purpose fridge that may warmth and funky drinks. That mannequin advertises “the spaciousness of a luxurious condo wherever you go.”
So once you begin considering of a automobile as an on-the-go dwelling house, an built-in commode mechanism makes somewhat extra sense.
Whereas U.S. #vanlife is a principally solitary affair, Chinese language vehicles just like the Mega are huge, feature-packed choices designed for household street journeys—not moody Instagram journeys to the desert.
It stays to be seen whether or not the in-vehicle rest room design will ever really materialize, however Seres’s Aito fashions, developed in partnership with Huawei, are wildly well-liked in China. Final 12 months, Seres beat out BMW and Mercedes to high luxurious automobile gross sales within the nation.
