Discovering the PonGo, a bivouac trailer created by a couple of engineers from Tulle (Corrèze)
You can sleep, cook, eat and wash there. More comfortable than a tent, more versatile than a caravan, here is PonGo, an autonomous bivouac 4×4 trailer designed and manufactured in Tulle by C2 Xplore.
Behind this company which will take off at the end of January at the Initio business hotel, two former general mechanical engineers from the automotive supplier BorgWarner, Christian Flandrinck and Christine Kaltenbrunner.
The idea. The closure of the Eyrein factory led this couple to embark on entrepreneurship. Create yes, but in what area? The question was quickly answered. « We are fans of nature sports and we were looking for a camp for our getaways. This type of bivouac trailer only existed in Australia, the United States or South Africa. Between importation and new approvals for braking or signaling, the price was doubled « , explains Christian Flandrinck. The couple then put into practice the adage » you are never better served than by yourself « . and decides to design his own camp and to trade in it.
AntiDrop: a new way to detect internet scams designed in Corrèze
A prototype created. Using their professional skills, they began to draw the first plans in July 2020. A year later, a prototype was on the wheel. With its small size (4.30 m long by 2 m wide and high), the PonGo, scientifically named the orangutan, in homage to the first two monkeys sent into space, wink from Christian Flandrinck to his former activity in aeronautics, parked with a car in a classic garage.
“We played Tetris® on the plans to make the most of the space. It is designed for two adults, a child and a pet, ”emphasizes Christian Flandrinck.
Receive our eco newsletter by email and find the latest news from economic players in your region.
NL {« path »: « mini-inscription / MT_Decideur », « accessCode »: « 14070649 », « allowGCS »: « true », « bodyClass »: « ripo_generic », « contextLevel »: « KEEP_ALL », « filterMotsCles »: « 1 | 13 | 82 | 1951 | 3219 », « template »: « generic », « idArticle »: « 4070649 », « idArticlesList »: « 4070649 », « idDepartement »: « 237 », « idZone »: « 11622 « , » keywords « : » 1 | 13 | 82 | 1951 | 3219 « , » premium « : » true « , » pubs « : » banner_haute | article « , » site « : » MT « , » subDomain « : » www « , » urlTitle « : » at-the-discovery-of-pongo-a-bivouac-trailer-created-by-a-couple-of-engineers-from-tulle-correze « }
A retractable kitchen area made up of a storage box and a fridge.
His characteristics. Weighing 800 kg (approved up to 1.5 tonnes), this easily towable bivouac trailer consists of a riveted aluminum structure. « We wanted to favor local and French companies. The aluminum comes from Donzenac, the canvas for the awning at Puy-de-Dôme, the furniture from Tours ». Without forgetting a touch of ecology for these two nature lovers with insulation made with a foam made from recycled plastic bottles.
The prototype will be visible from January 17 in the C2 Xplore workshop at the Initio de Tulle business hotel.
The European market in the sights
Manufacturing of the first models will begin in February. « It will take two and a half weeks to assemble a model, or a production of 24 per year », specifies Christian Flandrinck.
The future. If the bivouac trailer remains a niche vehicle, « there is a demand for this type of vehicle ». The couple are targeting the European market. « There is nothing like it. We are the only ones to offer this kind of trailer. There is the teardrop, a rounded retro-type trailer, but it is not possible to cook inside, nor to eat in a sheltered place when it rains « , emphasizes Christian Flandrinck.
The couple are betting on the practicability and maneuverability of their PonGo. « It sets up in less than 10 minutes. You can even remove the furniture and use it as a standard trailer and reassemble it in 2 minutes. It also has an all-road axle. »
The PonGo is designed for two adults, a child and a pet.
Adaptations will be possible according to the wishes of the customers. « For example, we were asked to remove the furniture part so that we could install motorcycles and quads instead. »
The couple is also considering the design of new models « which we will call the scientific name of apes endangered because of man », specifies Christian Flandrinck.
BorgWarner: will the Montane site in Eyrein, in Corrèze, have a future?
It is now up to C2 Xplore to promote its product. « We are going to participate in several exhibitions in France. The first in April in Bordeaux. »
While the company’s goal remains to sell its models, it is also considering leasing six PonGo’s. History to make discover a new concept which still has a high cost to the purchase: 24,600 €.
Frédéric Rabiller
Photos Agnès Gaudin
