Imagine running out of water on a remote camping trip in the dusty Outback, far from a river, lake or town water supply. Only to hit a button on a portable fridge-sized contraption located in the vehicle, and in a few hours have litres of fresh drinking water available, generated from nothing but thin air...
Well, that unlikely scenario could soon be a reality, with a new portable electronic camping device hitting the market that can generate up to 25 litres of fresh water in a day, from ambient air.
Produced by Israeli company Watergen, the Mobile Box is a world-first vehicle on-board drinking system and made its world debut recently at the Specialty Equipment Market Assocation (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, where it was displayed on the back of a camping-ready Ford Ranger pick-up.
To work, the Mobile Box plugs into a 12V or 220-240V power supply and for optimal water production needs access to fresh air, a temperature between 15–45°C and 20-99% humidity.
The water generation system uses a complex combination of dust filtration, Watergen's patented Genius heat exchange technology, UV filtration and mineralization, to produce the squeaky clean H2O...
The Watergen Mobile Box measures 630mm x 530mm x 460mm and weighs 30kg, and comes fitted with sturdy wheels so it can be moved around and mounted externally to a variety of vehicles, including trucks, trailers, buses, RVs and boats.
After SEMA, the Ford Ranger fitted with Watergen’s Mobile Box will set off on a 12-month publicity tour around the US, and the innovative product is set to go on sale in international markets including Australia.
It's priced at US$3000 in the USA, which converts to around AUD$4100.
Watergen, which describes itself as a "world leader in atmospheric water generation" offers a number of “plug-and-drink” water solutions for work, home recreational and commercial applications, with some producing as much as 6000 litres of drinking water per day.
The company also offers an on-board unit suitable for caravans and motorhomes that produces up to 40 litres of water a day.