The Coachmen RVEX Electric Camper Van is Dead
General Motors' cancellation of the BrightDrop platform marks the end of the road for this e-RV for now.
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Coachmen
It’s the end of the road for the Coachmen RVEX, at least for now. The promising electric camper van was one of the more exciting new RVs scheduled for 2026, but thanks to circumstances beyond the company’s control, the Class B model is getting put on the shelf. The cancellation comes after General Motors decided to cancel its BrightDrop electric van platform, which was the chassis on which the RVEX was to be built. But not all is lost, as Coachmen says the project could be revived at a later date, should a new e-chassis supplier be found.
RV News broke the story of the RVEX delay last week, but in a nutshell here’s what went down. Back in September of this year, Coachmen took the wraps off the exciting new camper by teasing the rig in a video and sharing a few details. The coach offered a range of about 270 miles and had a price tag of around $150,000. Those were appealing numbers for an e-RV, which was largely made possible due to the affordably priced BrightDrop platform. At the time, it was announced that the van would go on sale sometime in 2026.
Photo Credit: Coachmen RV
But just a month later, GM announced the cancellation of the BrightDrop program, citing poor sales, shifting EV market trends, and rising costs. The move surprised a number of market analysts, although stiff competition from Ford and Rivian made the long-term viability challenging. If reports are to be believed, no one was more surprised than the execs at Coachmen, who weren’t given any forewarning about the imminent cancellation. That news put the RVEX project in jeopardy, although the team behind the rig wasn’t ready to cancel it just yet.
Fast forward to last week, when RV News shared its story regarding the camper van’s fate. As of now, the project is on hold indefinitely as Coachmen reevaluates its options. That could mean the RVEX will be revived down the line, but for now it is on hold. Apparently, Coachmen had already started taking orders for the new rig, which demonstrates that interest in an affordable electric RV exists.
Photo Credit: Coachmen
Still, had GM not cancelled BrightDrop, the RVEX would have arrived at a time of growing uncertainty around the general EV market. Last fall, government tax credits for electric vehicles were cancelled, sparking a surge in purchases, followed by a significant drop in demand. Most market forecasters predict that 2026 will be a tough year for EV sales, which could see their first-ever year-over-year drop in shipments.
All of that said, we’d still love to see a major RV manufacturer—Coachmen’s parent company is Forest River—take a swing at producing an e-RV. Customers looking for a sustainable and energy-efficient option would certainly be interested in something like the Coachmen RVEX, which seemed to offer excellent features and range at an affordable price. For now, though, we’ll just have to wait for a new option to make its way through research and development, and possibly trickle out to the consumer market. Let’s hope it doesn’t take too long.
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.
