At first blush, the new Knaus Boxtime camper van appears to be a concept, not only because Knaus refers to it as the “camper van of the future” but also because it’s loaded with envelope-pushing features like a transforming wet/dry bathroom and weight-saving materials. As it turns out, though, the future is now. Knaus has prepared no less than four different variants of the smart, stylish Boxtime camper van family for forthcoming launch.
Two of Europe’s largest, most important RV manufacturing groups, Knaus Tabbert and Erwin Hymer Group often jostle for the buzziest design of the annual Düsseldorf Caravan Salon. Consider past debuts like the 2013 Caravisio towable yacht (Knaus), the Vision Venture futuristic B+ camper van (Hymer), the Dethleffs E.Home Coco self-driven caravan (Hymer), and the E.Power Drive Wankel-boosted e-camper van (Knaus). And those are just a few concept highlights; there are plenty of others, including some impressive production vehicles.
Knaus
This year promises to be quite a battle between the two formidable opponents, as Erwin Hymer brands have previewed gorgeous new launches like the Bürstner Signature and Dethleffs E.Home Eco. Not to be overshadowed, Knaus held its annual new product preview earlier this month and showed some of the new designs it’s bound to show at the 2025 Caravan Salon. The Boxtime ranks high among them.
One common thread that’s already uniting a number of this year’s Hymer and Knaus contenders is the transformable bathroom, which bridges the gap between wet and dry RV bathroom layouts. Traditionally a dry bathroom has separate and distinct toilet and shower areas, whereas a wet bathroom combines them both into a single compartment to save precious space.
Knaus
The wet/dry hybrid, on the other, hand offers a transformable space with separate toilet and shower “modes.” We saw a sliding variant in the aforementioned Signature, and Knaus unveils a swiveling design for the Boxtime.
The Boxtime’s centrally located bathroom starts off as a toilet room. The front wall, upon which the sink hangs, actually conceals the shower behind it. When it’s time for a full-body wash-down, the wall swings back in seconds, hiding away the toilet and sink behind it and opening up the unobstructed shower area. All four planned Boxtime models will include the swivel bathroom wall, but the dimensions and shape of the room itself appear to vary slightly from model to model.
Knaus
The more we see this type of convertible bathroom emerge in new and premium European camper vans and small motorhomes, the more we think it’s bound to become a standard around the world. It’s certainly better than showering in a cramped space between the sink and toilet, providing a more residential-like bathroom with completely independent toilet and shower areas, albeit atop the same footprint.
Another innovative feature Knaus highlights in the Boxtime’s design is the use of Light Weight Technology, recyclable materials it says cut a total of 60 kg (132 lb) off the curb weight of the Boxtime 600 MQ model. This starts with thinned-out interior wall profiles that not only save weight but result in an extra 7 cm (2.8 in) of width that allows for easier movement down the aisle between the galley and bathroom. The updated material set is also said to deliver more uniform thermal performance and better vibration absorption.
Knaus
The individual Boxtime models feature much the same layout but with some notable furniture differences, such as transverse vs. longitudinal rear beds. The longitudinal bed on the flagship 630 MX variant comes standard with a push-button electric lift system that raises it during the day for added cargo space. Power-lift beds are optional on the remaining three variants.
Knaus
Other features of note include a standard comfort bed system with disc springs, a panoramic front window over the van cab windshield, and a direct and ambient LED interior lighting system. Each van seats four people and sleeps three or four, depending on model.
Knaus has not yet released the full line-item spec sheet for the new Boxtime series, so we’ll have to wait for the particulars, including pricing information. The four individual models are the 540 MQ, 600 MQ, 630 ME and 630 MX. The initial photo batch included here highlights the 600 MQ exclusively, but hopefully Knaus will have additional models to show at the 2025 Caravan Salon.
Source: Knaus