Wheely? A tiny loft-style Japanese-inspired home on wheels that can sleep 8 people – for under US$70,000

Downsizing? America’s Escape Homes has created a US$69,800 tiny home on wheels that can sleep up to eight people. The Escape One XL – one of the company's most popular designs – is the second and larger sibling of the Escape One and includes the same fixings as a normal home: bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living room.

The home, which sits on a steel trailer, is technically considered an RV. Because of this, the tiny home needs to be connected to water, power and utility points to use certain amenities, although there is the option to include off-grid components, such as a solar panel.

The 388-square-foot (36-square-metre) One XL is capable of sleeping up to eight people with the help of two lofts and an 3.4-metre (11.3-foot) high ceiling. The lofts, which can be accessed with the built-in staircase or ladder depending on the loft, both have almost 1.5-metre high ceilings.

In total, the home is 9 metres long, 2.6 metres wide, and 4.1 metres high, weighing a total of about 5 tonnes. But if this space is too small, there's also the option for the Escape XL Wide, which starts at a higher price of US$74,500 for a 30cm wider and 1.8-metre taller build with a similar layout.

The tiny home has Japanese-inspired elements, such as burnt wood siding, which are known as shou sugi ban. This wood theme also extends to the pine wood-lined interior. There are large windows – including the glass-panelled entry door – throughout the home, brightening the interior during the day.

But at night or during cloudy afternoons, LED lights can brighten up the interior of the tiny home. The living room comes with storage units and windows that can open. The space can also be converted into a dining room, office, or a separate un-lofted bedroom. There's also the option to include a door between the living room and the rest of the home to create a private space.