PROS
- Twin beds in the overcab
- Rear “U” lounge dinette
- Double floor
- Stowage space
- Versatile and spacious bathroom
- Quality and aesthetics
- Limited length
CONS
- The garage is missing
- Excessive height
- 6kW heating only optional
- Some details can be improved
- High price
Suggested retail (Italian) price: € 69,600.00 inc. VAT
August 3, 2021 – We bet you’ve never seen a motorhome like this. And even if you have seen it, you have not looked into it. The coachbuilt is out of fashion. It’s “old stuff”, it’s “family stuff”. What if it were a brilliant vehicle for the couple who love comfort but are looking for a compact vehicle? Yes, because this amazing Eura Mobil is only 650 centimeters long. But it offers an unparalleled space.
We discovered it thanks to a video published by Camper Online, and it intrigued us so much that we waited a few weeks to see it and then we moved 200 kilometers just to be able to touch it! We did it thanks to the courtesy of the Italian sales manager of the brand, who showed us where to find the vehicle, and to the Cavour Camper dealership in Cavour, in the province of Turin, who allowed us to “play” with the vehicle to be able to test it, photograph and film. Yes, we also made a video, which you can find on our YouTube channel.
And here is the protagonist
But we have not yet introduced the protagonist: it is a Eura Mobil Activa One 650 HS. It is useless to go around it (even if we will do the same to discover every detail!): it is really a coachbuilt. What distinguishes it from its peers? Three things: it has a rear “U” lounge dinette (as used in many vehicles of 20 years ago), it has an incredible and very spacious double floor and – this is what makes it unique – in the overcab it offers two longitudinal twin beds instead of the classic transverse double.
This choice eliminates at once the most annoying limitation of the overcab, because there is no longer the problem, for those who sleep on the innermost side, of having to climb over the travel companion to get on and off the bed. Eura Mobil then brilliantly solved the second limit of the overcab, which usually requires a ladder: an element that those who are less comfortable and/or a little older in age hate and would never want to use. On this coachbuilt, a vertical drawer that can be removed from the cabinet behind the driver’s seat houses a real stair, with three large steps that lead to the beds easily and without having to be budgies on the rungs.
The cockpit disappears
The beds are large and comfortable with very thick mattresses. They are 2 meters long and 80 centimeters wide: like those at home. The overcab is served by 2 side windows, reading lights and storage pockets. We would have genuinely appreciated a skyroof, but it’s probably okay to add it later. Between the two beds, a sliding wooden element closes what remains of the cabin ceiling and completely isolates the bedroom from the part below. In short, the cockpit in this motorhome is only for one thing: travelling. Despite this, we cannot speak of waste of space: what is under the end of the beds, in addition to the folding stair, has been used to obtain two very large wardrobes, one for hanging garments and one organized with shelves.
With this we have seen the first 2 meters of the 6.5 that make up the vehicle. They are the 2 surprising for their practicality, but the ones behind them are striking for their elegance and livability. At the entrance, organized with an electric step and two recessed inside, given the height created by the double floor, you enter a very airy environment, closed only in front of the entrance from the bathroom wall.
On the left there is a fairly spacious kitchen. The depth of the module, organized in a linear way with a 3-burner hob with piezoelectric ignition and a round steel sink, offers sufficient work space. The sink might have deserved a little more depth, but these are small things in a very functional environment. The stowage space is huge, with a series of very capacious “soft” drawers. The 142-liter column refrigerator sits just opposite, topped by another cabinet. It is trivalent (that is, it can be used at 230V when connected to the mains, at 12V while traveling and with gas in free parking), with automatic selection of the energy source. Above the kitchen area, served by the dedicated window, there is also a 40-centimeter skyroof.
A lounge for two
The show is behind, with a convivial “U” lounge that invites you to be comfortable and to share with guests. It is better to underline that, although this space can be converted into a double bed (140 by 200 centimeters), the Active One 650 HS seems tailor-made for the couple. Among other things, even the transport of the two additional passengers is not the best in comfort, since the seats reserved for them during the journey are right at the back of the vehicle, which is not the most comfortable area of a motorhome. So, the rear is a lounge dedicated to a crew of two, where you can stretch your legs without problems for total relaxation, or an area that offers ample possibilities for hosting friends and relatives.
Three large windows – among other really beautiful: they are flush with the bodywork – surround the living room, organized around a table on a central leg that moves in all directions. A maxi-skyroof completes the equipment as regards natural light and ventilation. The total hanging loop offers plenty of storage space. Of the 8 cabinets that start from the entrance door and reach the refrigerator wall, 7 are divided internally by a shelf, thus ensuring the best possible arrangement for objects.
The only notes that can be made in this area are the space for the TV, which must be mounted on the wall of the refrigerator in a vertical position and then rotated when needed, and the table: if it had been book-style, it would have facilitated movement on the benches of the dinette. But if these are the “defects” of a motorhome like the Active One 650 HS, we are willing to forgive them!
A well-designed bathroom
In this context, the bathroom is created in a single environment, with the shower tray which is an integral part of the floor of the room. The spaces, however, are abundant, so much so that here there is no wall, as happens in the so-called “variable” bathrooms, but only the sink, which is also generously sized. Once the shower area is cleared, the compartment is created through round methacrylate walls. The internal space is abundant, so the shower, which has an equipped column independent from the sink tap, is very comfortable.
There is plenty of space for items intended for personal hygiene, divided between a large wall unit with 3 shelves, severaò open compartments and a small, closed compartment under the sink. The toilet is a Thetford with a removable cassette. The ventilation of the bathroom is guaranteed by a 28 cm side skyroof. If you want to be picky, in this environment the edges of the open compartments are a bit low and while traveling they may not be enough to hold the objects.
Lighting, which is designed to have ambient light, reading spots and diffused light, deserves a separate chapter. Unfortunately, having seen the vehicle only during the day we could not appreciate its qualities, but from what we have seen, even at night everything is designed for maximum comfort and great elegance. In this regard, we emphasize how the light color of the furniture is very pleasant and contributes to the sensation of brightness of the entire habitation.
Great load capacity
As mentioned at the beginning, one of the qualities of this coachbuilt is the presence of the double floor, particularly useful both for winter insulation (the drinking and recovery water tanks are inside) and for the storage space. The major limitation of this vehicle is thus the lack of a real garage, which limits the possibility of transporting bicycles.
The rear locker is very abundant, but here you can only foresee folding bikes or, in our opinion better, electric scooters. If, on the other hand, the idea is that of the traditional two wheels, you have to move towards the installation of an external bike rack. For everything else, there is no lack of space. The double floor is “through” and is accessible from both sides: a hatch near the entrance door, a larger one on the opposite side and two under the rear dinette. On the other hand, there is no possibility of access it from the habitation, where only the two hatches for the inspection of the tanks are present.
Technique and mechanics
The drains are easily accessible from inside the locker, while a pair of 11 kg gas cylinders is placed in a compartment positioned on the left side, in a sufficiently low position to be comfortable. In terms of systems, heating and hot water are entrusted to a 4kW gas Truma Combi (optionally the 6kW version with electric heaters), while the tanks are 150 liters each.
Last, but not least, the mechanics. Basically, we are talking about a 140 horsepower Fiat Ducato (in the season that is about to begin it will become the New Ducato of equal power) with manual climate control, double airbag, cruise control, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, tint bumper, glossy black grille, electric exterior mirrors, DAB+ radio with rear view camera and pleated blinds (almost useless given the arrangement!).
Let’s talk about prices
As you can see, a vehicle almost ready to go, even if not cheap. The suggested retail price is in fact € 69,600 (Italian price including VAT), justified by the construction technique, quality, and equipment. If we had to choose what to add, we would put a veranda, we would change the small standard service battery (80Ah Gel) with a lithium one (LiFePO4) and we would add a couple of photovoltaic modules and an inverter.
But wanting to customize the vehicle more, in addition to the individual upgrades (160 or 180 horsepower engines, 9-speed automatic transmission and so on), Eura Mobil offers some additional packages. The one named Prestige adds automatic climate control, leather steering wheel with radio controls, satellite navigator and a rear view camera with double eye (€1,300), while the Driver Assistance package offers aid for emergency braking and for lane maintenance, rain and twilight sensors, adaptive high beam assistance, road sign recognition system and tire pressure sensors (€1,090). In short, for a reasonable customization, the outlay does not increase that much.
Watch out for the weight!
A reflection should be made on the weight in running order, which affects the load capacity. In the standard configuration, we are talking about about 3,070 kilos, which leaves only 430 kg of margin. Those who do not have problems with higher category licenses can evaluate the update of the maximum capacity to 3,650, 4,250 or 4,400 kg, the others better being aware of what they are going through. For the sake of scruple, we weighed the vehicle, and when empty it reached 2,900 kilos: calculating the driver (standard weight 75 kg), 25 liters of water, 1 gas cylinder and 90 percent of the fuel, as required by the regulations, the declared figure turned out to be consistent.
As usual, we had fun configuring the vehicle as if it were the one of our dreams and we had no spending limits. And as usual we have exaggerated. As mentioned, the Active One 650 HS can basically be taken as it is, but when you are faced with a well-done configurator like that of Eura Mobil letting go is easy. Here’s what we put on our shopping list (Italian prices including VAT):
- Activa One 650 HS: € 69,600
- 160CV engine: € 2,500
- Automatic transmission: € 3,490
- Spare wheel: € 690
- 90-liter fuel tank: € 190.00
- Tow hook: € 1,790
- Capacity increase to 4.4t on Maxi châssis: € 1,790
- Prestige package: € 1,300
- Driving assistance package: € 1,090
- Energy Plus package (2 lithium batteries): € 3,990
- Plug-In package (external shower and gas, multifunction socket, satellite preparation, SOG): 890 €
- Living area door with central locking: € 390
- Panoramic insulated glass roof: € 1,190
- Rear parking feet: € 490
- 4 meters mechanical awning: € 1,250
- Combi 6 EH heating: € 590
- Alarm system for doors and hatches: € 690
- Roof-mounted air conditioning unit: € 2,490
- Truma DuoControl CS: € 390
- Extractor hood: 420 €
- Oven: € 890
- Pair of loudspeakers in the living area: 290 €
- TV stand: € 590
- 32-inch TV: € 1,590
TOTAL: 98,580 euros! With a weight of 3,374.3 kg and a residual capacity of 1,025.7 kg
Yes, we have exaggerated, but this is a game we like to play from time to time. Among other things, we would not even have finished with the accessories, because there would be no solar panels, a good inverter and a skyroof in the overcab…
Seriously, we believe that this Eura Mobil has contained measures that certainly favor its handling. The wheelbase, for example, is shorter than that of six-meter camper vans. Here you pay more for the inevitable width (232.2 centimeters) and the considerable height (315 centimeters). The latter is more of a nuisance on all those occasions in which exceeding 3 meters (such as in ferries or in some motorway tunnels) leads to significant price increases.
But the Active One 650 HS is so beautiful and so unique that even that can be forgiven!
THE TECHNICAL DATA OF THE EURA MOBIL ACTIVA ONE 650 HS
- Type: Coachbuilt
- Roof: in anti-hail fiberglass
- Dimensions (length-width-height): 650 x 232 x 315 cm
- Travel/bed places: 4/4
- Mass in running order/fully laden: 3,070 / 3,500 kg
- Optional laden mass: 3,650, 4,250 or 4,400
- Wheelbase: 3,800 mm
- Basic mechanics, displacement/power: Fiat Ducato 2.3/140CV
- Optional mechanics: 160 and 180CV
- Fiat/Al-Ko low frame: yes
- Increased tank: optional
- Air conditioning: yes
- Cruise control: yes
- Passenger airbag: yes
- Fog lights: yes
- 16″ wheels: yes
- Spare wheel: optional
- Radio: yes
- Rear view camera: yes, single eye
- Automatic gearbox: optional
- Construction: sandwich walls
- Floor/wall/roof thickness: 38/39/30 mm
- Double floor: yes, height 37 cm
- Layout: twin beds in the overcab
- Living area: rear “U” dinette
- Twin beds size: 80 × 200 cm
- Bed size in dinette: 140 × 200 cm
- Third bed dimensions: –
- Internal height: 217 cm
- Cockpit blinds: yes
- Door with mosquito net: yes
- Centralized cell door locking: optional
- Heating: 4 kW gas
- Kitchen: Gas piezo
- Refrigerator: 142 liters trivalent
- Cylinders: 2 × 11 kg
- Shower: separable with methacrylate walls
- Service battery: 1 Gel x 80Ah
- Drinkable water: 150 liters
- Gray water: 150 liters
- Gray insulation: yes
- Electric step: yes
- Heated floor: no
- Garage: no
Italian price starting from: € 69.600,00 including VAT
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