RV News: New Models Abound at Florida RV SuperShow and Much More
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Kraig Becker
It’s been a busy week for the RV industry, with plenty of news coming out of the Florida RV SuperShow and beyond. Here are the biggest stories that you might want to know about:
Photo Credit: Winnebago
- New RV Models Debut in Tampa: As already noted, the Florida RV SuperShow is taking place in Tampa this week, running through Sunday, January 18. Over the past few days, the biggest players in the RV space have been revealing a dizzying array of new models. In fact, there were so many new rigs on display that we don’t have time to cover them all here. We’ll be back with an article dedicated to our favorite new motorhomes and towables from the show soon, but here are a few of the announcements from this past week. Airstream launched three new models, including the Trade Wind 27FB with a revolutionary new battery (more on that below), the Atlas 25RT coach, and the all-new budget-friendly World Traveler 22RB. Thor was on hand of course, with new Class A, B, and C models. Leisure Travel Vans took the wraps off its new adventure-oriented Unity TBX and TB4X campers, while Renegade unveiled the new Vilagio luxury Class C coach. Winnebago was at the event showing off the newest additions to its Thrive, Access, and Micro-Minnie towable lines, along with its affordable new Sunflyer Class C models. To put things in perspective, Grand Design had a further 71 new products to display—including a debut destination trailer—and Newmar had 31 new coaches to show off, too. In other words, there was a lot to see.
Photo Credit: Forest River
- Forest River Introduces New RV Explorer Web App: Unsurprisingly, Forest River was in Tampa this week with a slew of new RVs on deck. But one of the biggest announcements that brand made at the show was the introduction of its new RV Explorer web app. Designed to help consumers and dealers sort through all of the RVs that Forest River offers, the app allows users to narrow down their options based on individual needs and sort through the catalog based on the type of RV, sleeping capacity, onboard amenities, and other options. Those interactions can also be shared with dealers to pair up buyers with the outlets best able to supply the rig that someone is looking for. Take the RV Explorer for a test run here.
Photo Credit: Harbinger
- Harbinger Brings Battery Tech to New Airstream Model: As mentioned above, one of the new travel trailers to debut at the Florida RV SuperShow was the Airstream Trade Wind 27FB. The standout feature of that model is the battery technology used to power its features. That battery comes from a new spinoff of Harbinger Motors, the company that built the electric chassis that the Entegra Embark rides on. Harbinger Industria is the new arm of that brand that will explore using the battery tech in other products. For the Trade Wind 27FB, that battery tech translates to 18.5kWh of capacity, combined with 600W of rooftop solar and a 5000W inverter, enabling the rig to stay off-grid for days at a time. Read more about it here.
Photo Credit: Honda
- Honda Reveals Base Station RV Prototype: Not all of the RV news was coming out of Tampa this week. One of the more surprising stories came from automaker Honda, which showed off a new prototype camper called the Base Station. The compact and lightweight towable features a single-axle design and is light enough to be towed by a CR-V or Toyota RAV4. It comes with five large side windows that allow in plenty of natural light, but can also be replaced with an array of accessories. A pop-top rooftop tent serves as a sleeping area, and ambient lights can change color and brightness at the touch of a button. Other features include an A/C unit for warm weather camping, an outdoor shower, and an outdoor kitchen complete with running water, all in a form factor designed to fit in a garage. More details are expected in the future, if and when the RV goes into production. Read more here.
Image courtesy of Emily and Mark Fagan
- Quartzsite RV Show Gets Underway Tomorrow: While the Florida RV SuperShow is obviously a big draw, pulling in some 70,000+ visitors annually, it isn’t the only major RV event taking place this weekend. Tomorrow, January 17, the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation, and RV Show gets underway in Quartzsite, AZ. The show, which features seminars, industry exhibitors, a massive swap meet, live music, social events, parties, and so much more, runs through Sunday, January 25, and is a must-do, bucket-list event for any RVer. Find out more here.
That’s all for now. We’ll be back next Friday with another rundown of the latest news from the RV industry. See you then.
Kraig Becker is a writer in the RV, outdoors, and adventure travel space. Over the course of his career he has contributed to such outlets as Popular Mechanics, Outside Online, Business Insider, TripSavvy, Digital Trends, GearJunkie, The Adventure Blog, and countless others. An avid runner and cyclist, he enjoys camping, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and just about any other outdoor activity. His travels have taken him to seven continents and on many amazing adventures.
