The vehicle comes with water, electricity, and gas; a lawyer states that according to relevant laws, such a modified vehicle cannot be driven on the road.
A self-made "RV" has everything from water and electricity to gas, allowing you to cook and even take a shower. Hu Xiaocong, a resident of Shenxian'ao Community in Liuyang City, Hunan Province, built his own "RV."
Original intention was just to go camping with family
Hu Xiaocong, 30 years old, runs his own auto repair shop. He usually enjoys camping. A month ago, he suddenly thought: what if one day, when taking the family out camping, suddenly there's wind and rain, thunder and lightning, the tent flapping noisily, and rain keeps seeping in... How miserable what should have been a lovely camping trip would be. Hu Xiaocong thought, “How great it would be to have an 'RV'!”
With this idea in mind, the post-80s young man bought a second-hand Iveco and started building his own "RV." Now, this "RV" is 60% complete, with a kitchen, bed space, and toilet already in place. “In another ten days or so, the 'RV' will be ready. Then I can take my family to Tibet for the New Year: no more wind or sleeping in the open, and my daughter will definitely be happy!” Hu Xiaocong said recently.
Experience: the vehicle has full water, electricity, and gas supplies
In the "RV," electricity, hot water, and a refrigerator are all self-made, and of course, there’s also a self-contained gas supply. The reporter personally got on board to experience it. This second-hand Iveco has its cargo area divided into three main sections. The largest section in the middle is the bed, next to which is a “corridor,” and at the end of the bed is the toilet. These three areas are the most important parts of the "RV," and Hu Xiaocong has integrated his design concepts fully—bed boards that can be disassembled and used directly as a dining table. The corridor holds a “stove,” while the toilet includes a squat toilet that can also be used for showering.
Aside from having the hardware in place, software support is needed, and of course, that involves water, electricity, and gas. Where does the electricity come from? Hu Xiaocong lifted the “bed board” to show that underneath there is an “inverter” that can step up 12-volt DC power to 220-volt AC power. “Whenever I want, I can turn on the TV and speakers too!” Hu Xiaocong said. “There’s a water tank under the vehicle that can hold about 80 liters of water.” The water tank is located next to the muffler, whose heat is just enough to “warm up” the water in the tank, making it suitable for showers. Then he lifted the stove cover to reveal a gas canister that can be used directly for cooking and boiling water.
Question: Can a modified vehicle be driven on the road?
Can an Iveco, which has the qualifications of a “special-purpose work vehicle,” still be driven on the road after being turned into an “RV”? Faced with this question, Hu Xiaocong said that any random modification of a vehicle is against regulations and illegal, but some modifications are exceptions—for example, modifying a vehicle into an ambulance or a rescue vehicle—which requires the modified vehicle to have a special qualification, namely the “special-purpose work vehicle” qualification. “My vehicle is a second-hand Iveco, which was originally registered as a 'special-purpose work vehicle' by the previous owner. Modifying it into an 'RV' does not violate any laws or regulations.”
The reporter looked up “special-purpose work vehicle” online and found that only Iveco models with 7 seats that are listed in the special-purpose work vehicle announcement directory can be considered special-purpose work vehicles, characterized by having no scrap age limit and allowing mixed loading of passengers and cargo. The reporter specifically consulted a lawyer on this, who stated that according to relevant laws, such a modified vehicle cannot be driven on the road.
