Off-The-Grid 40ft Shipping Container Home Even Charges Electric Car

Building an Off-The-Grid Shipping Container Home

If you've ever dreamed of building a completely off-the-grid tiny house out of shipping containers you'll want to take a look at this video of a couple in Northland, New Zealand who did just that. The shipping container home has a large enough solar system to even charge an electric car. The shipping container home was constructed in Northland, New Zealand, this amazing 40-foot shipping container home has it all, including an amazing solar array large enough to not only power the home, but also an electric vehicle.

Inspiration for Self-Sufficiency

Annina and Pascal were inspired to build their shipping container home after traveling to New Zealand and working on organic farms. The couple then decided to purchase a block of land and put all they had learned into action, building a small, simple, off-the-grid home that would allow them to be self-sufficient, and then planting stunning edible gardens around the home. When it came to going off the grid, they wanted to ensure they had an abundance of power and so installed a huge 3.5kw array of solar panels which turned out to be enough to even charge an electric vehicle.

Harvesting Rainwater for Sustainability

The couple are harvesting rainwater, which has provided them with an abundance of water, even throughout the recent summer drought in New Zealand, and are moving towards being as self-reliant as possible on their idyllic property. This shipping container home is a dream for those who are wanting to go off the grid. Whether it's for personal self-reliance, or a desire to be more eco-friendly, there are lots of ideas in this home's design to draw from. You'll want to be sure to check out the full video tour of this incredible shipping container home.

The Rise of Shipping Container Homes

Shipping containers have become abundantly available during the last several years due to a deficit in manufactured goods being transported overseas from North America. Goods are shipped to North America from Asia and Europe but with nothing to send back, shipping companies face considerable expenses hauling the empty units. It is often cheaper to buy new shipping containers in Asia than to ship old ones back. As a result, the shipping containers get left in North America, seeking new uses such as artist's studios, garages, and cargo homes. The following are some of the benefits of using shipping containers for building.

Benefits of Shipping Container Homes

Affordability. Shipping container homes are much more affordable than your standard house, making homeownership a possibility for more people.

Durability. Shipping containers have been built to withstand the elements of sea travel, such as strong winds, harsh rain, and more. This means that shipping container homes are not going to leak, they'll stand up to extreme weather conditions and, some even claim, are earthquake proof and hurricane proof.

Sustainability. You won't be using up new resources when you purchase a container home, you'll be purchasing a home made from recycled building materials.

Quick. Container homes can be put together very quickly, making them a great shelter solution in emergencies, especially for towns that have been wiped out by floods, hurricanes, fires, or earthquakes.