Motor home: soaring rents in China’s big cities see Shanghai man turn car into money-saving digs
- 30-year-old says he does not want to ‘support family of a landlord’
- Vehicular home has portable power, comfy bed and ventilation system
A Shanghai man has been living in his car for the past three months, highlighting how soaring rents in major Chinese cities have become a burden for the country’s metropolitan workforces.
Wang Hong, who is in his 30s and makes “decent money” said he did not want his salary to support a landlord’s family.
Before moving into his car he was paying 3,000 yuan (US$420) a month for a room.
When Wang’s lease expired in September he did not look for another flat and transformed his small vehicle into his home.
He told the mainland media outlet Shangyou News that the vehicle fills 99 per cent of his daily needs, including keeping warm in winter.
Wang bought a portable battery to power light and heat, insulated foam sheets for a bed and a portable cooking stove. He even purchased a small ventilator to improve the air quality in his makeshift home.