The campervan of the future: concept vehicle VisionVenture by Hymer and BASF

WYANDOTTE, MI, October 10, 2019 – The VisionVenture, co-created by BASF and HYMER, is a near-production glimpse into the future of van life. Using the development expertise of the BASF Creation Center, a new class of van has been created that blazes a trail in lightweight construction, independence, travel experience and design. The vehicle celebrated its world premiere at the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf, Germany, at the end of August.

“HYMER is synonymous with premium quality, innovation and a sense of discovery. The VisionVenture developed in tandem with BASF perfectly captures these values. It already promises to give our customers an entirely new sense of freedom,” said Christian Bauer, Managing Director of HYMER GmbH & Co.KG.

Sustainable, smart and stylish: VisionVenture innovations

More than 20 high-performance plastics and a new painting technology from BASF are used in the concept camper and impress with a huge range of properties. BASF and HYMER use various innovative lightweight materials and processes in the interior and exterior, providing greater comfort while also making the vehicle more robust. The VisionVenture also sets new benchmarks when it comes to design and offers new solutions for energy management, thermal insulation and electrical components, a tailored package of measures for preventing noises and vibrations, and more than 100 3D-printed components round off the vision of modern travel.

“Our products give the designers unprecedented new options and functionalities for the VisionVenture,” said Martin Jung, Head of Performance Materials at BASF. “The end result demonstrates the full diversity of our material competence – from inspiration to finished product.”

Other VisionVenture innovations include: 

• The VisionVenture's self-inflating pop-top roof is a world first and one of the van’s most striking features. It inflates in less than 60 seconds, creating more living space than ever before. BASF’s Elastollan^® coating on the roof creates an outer wall that is resistant to water as well as wind and guarantees a peaceful night’s sleep at a pleasant temperature.
• The cushions and mattresses in the VisionVenture remain pleasantly fresh and cool even on the hottest day. This is down to the temperature-regulating effect of BASF’s Elastocoat^® C Spray Gel.
• The VisionVenture makes a strong design statement. A key contributor to the van’s cozy feel is Haptex^®, BASF’s polyurethane system for imitation leather, which spans the entire interior. This material feels pleasantly soft and is available in a range of colors and textures. It is also extremely easy to clean and does not contain organic solvents.
• By combining plastics with natural materials such as hemp and slate to produce cupboard doors and kitchen fronts, the concept van has no need for heavy alternatives like wood or chipboard.
• For functional reasons, camper-vans are usually cream or white to avoid overheating during the summer. The gray-green VisionVenture proves that  personal choice can also apply to the paintwork – thanks to BASF’s Chromacool temperature-management technology. Chromacool is available in a wide variety of colors. It reflects the sun’s infrared light, thus reducing the build-up of heat in the vehicle body. This passive temperature management means that heating of the vehicle’s surface is reduced by up to 68 °F, with the inside temperature dropping by as much as 39 °F. Less energy is needed for air conditioning, which helps to reduce fuel consumption, or to increase the range of electric vehicles.
• BASF’s Infinergy^®, primarily associated with the Energy Boost running shoe from adidas, appears in jet black for the first time in the VisionVenture. In the steps and the bed frame, it gives pressure point relief together with pleasing aesthetics. As a connection module, it holds the slats in the slatted base together, resulting in an excellent, individually adjustable mattress base on account of its high material resilience.
• Meanwhile, to avoid any compromises in comfort on the open road, BASF and HYMER have come up with a customized NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) package for the VisionVenture to reduce vibrations and block noise in the interior, drive or chassis.

About BASF’s Performance Materials division

BASF’s Performance Materials division encompasses the entire materials know-how of BASF regarding innovative, customized plastics under one roof. Globally active in four major industry sectors – transportation, construction, industrial applications and consumer goods – the division has a strong portfolio of products and services combined with a deep understanding of application-oriented system solutions. Key drivers of profitability and growth are our close collaboration with customers and a clear focus on solutions. Strong capabilities in R&D provide the basis to develop innovative products and applications. In 2018, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of €7.65 billion. More information online: www.plastics.basf.com.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 20,000 employees in North America and had sales of $19.7 billion in 2018. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 122,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of around €63 billion in 2018. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.