Junya Zhen and Jie Cui, two former teachers from Hebei province, gave up their jobs in 2023 to travel across China in a hybrid SUV, the Wey Lanshan (Wey 07). They spend months sleeping on folded flat seats, cooking meals while traveling, and sharing their journeys on social media. Their content, which includes landscapes from Yunnan’s tourist spots to Tibet’s deserts, has attracted more than 570,000 followers on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin, the Chinese equivalents of Instagram and TikTok. Their story is part of a growing trend: on Douyin, the hashtag "car-camping life" has already gathered 9.2 billion views. China has become the world's largest market for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, with over 44 million such cars on the road in 2025, making up about 13% of the country's total vehicle fleet. In the first quarter of 2026, the number of charging stations surpassed 21 million, a 50% increase from the previous year, with most highway rest areas now offering charging sockets. Economic factors like near-zero inflation, a housing crisis, and high hotel prices in popular destinations like Sanya—where costs can triple during peak season—have made car-based travel a more affordable option. During the five-day Labor Day holiday in 2026, 325 million internal trips were recorded in China, with 92% by road, and nearly a quarter of highway traffic came from new energy vehicles (NEVs), including hybrids and electric cars. Rental of electric vehicles during the 2025 Chinese New Year also rose by 600% compared to the previous year. In China, where multi-generational households are still common, the car has become a unique space for privacy and personal time. Daniel Wu, global marketing director of Xpeng, explained to Bloomberg that many Chinese people spend an hour in their vehicles after work before returning home, simply because the car is a comfortable and private space. This insight has led manufacturers to innovate: Xpeng, for example, sells an accessory that turns its car into a mini-camper, similar to Tesla's Model Y. Lea Lee, a 33-year-old designer, even quit her job to live full-time in her car with her two cats, which are difficult to bring to hotels. This lifestyle has sparked a new economy. On JD.com, a major Chinese e-commerce platform, a basic customized mattress priced at 109 yuan (about 14 euros) has sold over 600,000 units. Dan Deng, who targets the high-end market, sells mattresses for 200 dollars (about 170 euros) with an integrated pump to flatten the car's fold-down seats, generating 10 million dollars (about 8.6 million euros) annually. He plans to double this figure. According to iiMedia Research, the Chinese camping market is expected to grow significantly, reaching about 62 billion euros by 2030, up from 31 billion euros in 2024. The trend of integrating camping features into vehicles is not new. As early as 2022, Chinese car manufacturers introduced various innovations, such as the Wey Camp Mode (from Great Wall Motor), which folds seats flat and regulates cabin temperature for overnight stays. Xpeng’s Sleep Mode plays sounds like white noise or thunder, while Rox Motor Tech has even installed a rear kitchen with an induction stove and water dispenser. These features rely on the vehicle’s large battery, which can power lights, a mini-fridge, or a 4K projector without the bulk of a traditional camper van. Similar concepts are being explored by other automakers, such as Toyota’s mini electric camper van. However, Tesla was the first to introduce a camping mode in its cars in late 2019. In this context, Xiaomi unveiled its SkyNomad N90 Max on September 7, 2026. The SUV is an EREV (extended-range electric vehicle), meaning it has a small gasoline engine that recharges the battery without driving the wheels, allowing for a combined range of up to 1,705 km—enough to travel non-stop from Shanghai to Beijing. The Explorer Edition of the N90 Max, priced at about 299,900 yuan (about 38,000 euros), includes a roof tent that deploys with the press of a button, seats that convert into a bed, and a native camping mode. The standard N90 Max starts at 269,900 yuan (about 34,000 euros), which is about 30,000 yuan cheaper. Deliveries are expected to begin in November or December 2026, initially only in China. Xiaomi’s approach is not random. Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, reportedly read 1,400 customer comments before finalizing the car, showing that the demand for camping and lifestyle features comes directly from users. The company has even created a dedicated sub-brand for family hybrid SUVs, with the SU7 and YU7 remaining "driver" cars. In Europe, the trend is still emerging, with Tesla offering an inflatable mattress for the Model Y and Volkswagen converting its ID. Buzz into a camper van. However, nothing matches the integrated roof tent of the N90 Max. The difference lies in context: China’s extensive charging network, free highways during holidays, and rising hotel prices have no direct equivalent in Europe. If Chinese automakers like BYD, Xpeng, and Xiaomi bring these features to Europe, European manufacturers like Stellantis, Renault, and Volkswagen will need to respond. For now, these models are tailored for the Chinese market, but the idea of a car designed primarily as a living space may soon cross borders.