An example of a Class C recreational vehicle, recognisable by the extension of the cabin over the cab Motor homeMap symbol used by the US NPS to indicate an RV campground
Typical amenities of an RV include a kitchen, a bathroom, and one or more beds.[2] RVs can range from utilitarian – containing only sleeping quarters and basic cooking facilities – to luxurious, with features like air conditioning (AC), water heaters, televisions and satellite receivers, and quartz countertops, for example.
RVs can either be trailers (which are towed behind motor vehicles) or self-propelled vehicles. Most RVs are single-deck; however, double-deck RVs also exist. To allow a more compact size while in transit, larger RVs often have expandable sides (called slide-outs) or canopies that are deployed when stationary. Self-powered RVs can further be divided into pushers (where the motor is as the back) or pullers (front mount), where the pushers tend to be diesel powered versus gasoline powered.
The first recreational vehicles were horse-drawn. They evolved during the second half of the nineteenth century as adaptations of vehicles used for other purposes, including public transport caravans (UK, also known as stage wagons), gypsy vardos (Europe), living vans (UK), ambulance wagons (US) and sheep herders wagons (US).[5][6][7]
The first, currently-known, purpose-built RV was the horse-drawn Wanderer (UK), commissioned from the Bristol Wagon Works Company by Dr. Gordon Stables in 1884.[8] Stables was a pioneer of the UK's Gentlemen Gypsy movement[5] (1885–1914) which promoted the restorative benefits of horse-drawn leisure caravanning and inspired the formation of the world's first RV club, The Caravan Club (UK), in 1907.[9]The Wanderer was closely followed by the McMaster Camping Car (US,1889).Camping-vehicle In the 1890s, US RV pioneers self-built timber 'houses on wheels' for health, leisure and hunting purposes. The most widely reported of these were those of Morgan Lasley and his family.[10] Horse-drawn RV use declined after the First World War as many horses were killed during the war and automobiles became cheaper, more powerful and more widely available.
The first powered RVs were steam-drawn trailers from France including the Grande Diligence of Prince Oldenburg (1896) and the De Dion Bouton trailer of Monsieur Rénodier (1898).[11] The first steam-driven motorhome was the Quo Vadis (France,1900) and the first gasoline-driven motorhome was the Passe Partout (France, 1902).[11] The first recorded powered motorhomes in America were the 'camp cars' of Roy Faye and Freeman Young of 1904–06 (a 1904 Rambler, 1905 Thomas Flyer and 1906 Matheson).[12][13] Lightweight tent trailers were especially popular in the US from 1911, thanks to improved roads, new national parks and the affordability of tow vehicles such as the Ford Model T. [14] At the other end of the price scale, luxury touring limousines, developed in France by De Dietrich in 1904, were built in small numbers in the US by Welch (1909) [15] and Pierce Arrow (1910). The first US RV club, the Tin Can Tourists, was formed in 1919.[16] The first known, recreational fifth wheeler was the Auto Salon Deluxe built in Belgium for Baron Crawhez by Auto-Mixte Pescatore in 1913.[17]
In the early twentieth century RV builders in the UK (Navarac, Piggott Bros, Eccles, Bertram Hutchings),[18] the US (Detroit Trailer Company, Welch, Graham Brothers, Pierce-Arrow) and France (De Dietrich, Cadel) experimented with a wide range of RV types including caravans and trailers, motorhomes, touring limousines, tent trailers and fifth wheelers. Early motorhomes ('house cars' in the US) were usually converted goods trucks and were heavy, noisy, inflexible and expensive, restricting their use to the wealthy or self-builders.[19] The 'one box' RV was not seen in large numbers until the small, lightweight Volkswagen Kombi of 1950.[20] During the 1920s and 1930s, caravans (travel trailers) became the dominant form of RV in the UK due to their low cost, weather-resistance and flexibility.[20] There was likewise a travel trailer boom in the US in the 1930s as automobile production-line manufacturing techniques were used in travel trailer manufacturing to meet growing demand from recreational users and those seeking low-cost housing during The Great Depression. Self-built trailers were highly popular in the US during the 1930s and travel trailers featured in a number of Hollywood movies including Mickey's Trailer (1938).
The 1920s and 1930s, saw some influential, maverick builders construct innovative RVs in small numbers. These included Bertram Hutchings (UK, 1930–39, streamlined caravans), Charles Louvet (France, 1924–34, aircraft-inspired, coach-built motorhomes and trailers), Noel Pemberton Billing (UK, 1927, Road Yacht motorhome), Glenn Curtiss (US, 1918–30, Adams Motorbungalo, Curtiss Aerocar, Aero Coupler hitch) and William Hawley Bowlus (US, 1934, aluminum monocoque trailers). Wally Byam's Airstream (US, 1931 onwards) was a successful trailer builder of the period and is the only survivor of over 400 pre-WW2 US RV manufacturers.[21]
Prior to WW2 a number of other countries developed their own small-scale RV manufacturing industries including Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Germany had a particular focus on small, lightweight caravans towable by low-cost automobiles [22] whilst Australia developed 'pop-top' caravans with good ventilation, ample water storage and high ground clearance. [23] During WW2 RV production was halted in most countries except when required as accommodation for military personnel or essential workers. [24]
Between 1945 and 1960, RVs flourished in many western countries as disposable income and leisure time grew. Dedicated RV parks were established to cater to the needs of both short and long-term RV users. Improvements in RV technology including batteries, fridges, gas cookers, toilets and lightweight construction techniques dramatically improved RV comfort levels. More powerful gasoline and diesel engines allowed RVs to increase in size, weight and speed. Regulations were introduced in many countries to control how RVs were manufactured and used.
100% fiberglass double hull trailers are lighter, more cost efficient, more durable. Built like boats, the interior can be pressure washed.
Industry
In the United States, about 85 percent of recreational vehicles sold are manufactured in Indiana,[25] and roughly two-thirds of that production in Elkhart County, which calls itself "the RV Capital of the World", population 206,000. The industry has US$32.4 billion annual economic impact in Indiana, pays US$3.1 billion in taxes to the state and supports 126,140 jobs and US$7.8 billion in wages, according to the RV Industry Association.[26]
The recreational vehicle industry around Elkhart is part of a large network of related transport equipment companies, including utility trailer makers and specialty bus manufacturers, who source from the same supply chains.[25] The industry has taken hits from US tariffs on steel and aluminum and other duties on RV parts made in China, from plumbing fixtures to electronic components to vinyl seat covers. Tariff-related price hikes forced manufacturers to pass on some of the increased costs through higher RV prices, which in turn has contributed to slower sales.[25] Shipments of RVs to dealers fell 22% percent in the first five months of 2019, compared to the same period a year earlier, after dropping 4% in 2018.[25]
Some trailer companies are using innovative materials in new ways to make trailers lighter, more durable and more cost efficient. Cortes Campers LLC has filed for multiple new patents and have improved manufacturing techniques to address issues such as frequent repairs, supply chain issues, mold, mildew and catastrophic failures of key components of travel trailers. The new double hulled completely redesigned travel trailer is made of fiberglass and built much in the way airplanes and boats are built [27]
Usage
Class-C motorhomeClass-A motorhomes
RVs are most commonly used for living quarters while traveling. People may choose to take a road trip in their RV and use the RV to sleep in, rather than a hotel room. They may even decide to tow their car from the back of the RV[29] so they can use that to travel around more easily when they reach their destination.
Although the most common usage of an RV is as temporary accommodation when traveling, some people use an RV as their main residence. In fact, one million Americans live in RVs.[30] In the United States and Canada, traveling south each winter to a warmer climate is referred to as snowbirding. In Australia, the slang term for a retired person who travels in a recreational vehicle is a "grey nomad".[31]
There are local and national RV rental companies, such as Adventure KT and Outdoorsy that specialize in renting RVs to families for vacationing purposes.[32] People enjoy the road trip and luxuries an RV provides while traveling without having a long-term expense. This is similar to home vacation rentals but is cheaper and also offers the flexibility of itinerary planning.[33]
While it is legal in all of the United States to live in an RV,[citation needed] there are laws regarding where and for how long RVs can be parked.[34][35]
Some owners fit solar panels to the roof of their RV.[36] It is possible for RV user to live off the electrical grid while still having access to internet, making remote working feasible. [37]
Usage of RVs is common at rural festivals such as Burning Man,[38] but most festivals have strict rules about operating an RV during the event. Burning Man is strict about RV water leaks, and generator usage is another of the restrictions that festivals put on the use of RVs. Bluegrass Festivals regularly host RVs; they become the locations for afterhours jamming by participants.
Recently, RVs have been proposed as a partial solution to the homelessness problems found in cities across the US. RVs for Homeless (https://rvforhomeless.com/) has been formed as a coalition to encourage the donation of older vehicles to alleviate homelessness. This is distinct from the simple use of older vehicles as temporary shelters in homeless encampments.
Demographics
United States
As of 2016, the average age of RV owners in the United States was 45, a three-year decrease since 2015.[39] Per 2020 research reports, more millennials are interested in buying RVs due to their increased demand for camping and outdoor recreational activities, especially in the US.[40]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of RVs in the United States have increased, and as of March 2021, 11.3 million households own an RV, which is a 26 percent increase over the past ten years. In the month of October 2021, 58,000 RVs were manufactured in North America, the most ever in a single month.[41]
Current trends
Wholesale recreational vehicle (RV) shipments during the first four months of 2021 rose more than 86% over 2020, because consumer demand for RVs has soared since the pandemic's onset.
Analysts expect industry revenue to increase 1.1% through 2026 as U.S. residents continue to plan domestic trips because of continued travel restrictions around the globe.[42]
Campsite, campground, and camping pitch are all related terms regarding a place used for camping. The usage differs between British English and American English.
A caravan, travel trailer, camper, tourer or camper trailer is a trailer towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent. It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places where none is available. However, in some countries campers are restricted to designated sites for which fees are payable.
Forest River Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles, cargo trailers, utility trailers, pontoon boats, and buses.
A campervan, also referred to as a camper, caravanette, motorhome or RV in North America, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term describes vans that have been fitted out, whereas a motorhome is one with a coachbuilt body.
A motorhome is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle (RV) which is as the name suggests, like a home on wheels.
A recreational vehicle park or caravan park is a place where people with recreational vehicles can stay overnight, or longer, in allotted spaces known as "sites" or "campsites". They are also referred to as campgrounds, though a true campground also provides facilities for tent camping; many facilities calling themselves "RV parks" also offer tent camping or cabins with limited facilities.
Airstream is an American brand of travel trailer easily recognized by the distinctive shape of its rounded and polished aluminum coachwork. This body shape dates back to the 1930s and is based on the Bowlus Road Chief, an earlier model of the all-aluminum travel trailer.
Thor Industries, Inc. is an American manufacturer of recreational vehicles (RVs). The company sells towable and motorized RVs through its subsidiaries brands including Airstream, Heartland RV, Jayco, Livin Lite RV, and others. The company's headquarters is in Elkhart, Indiana. It has manufacturing facilities in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Idaho and Oregon.
Shasta travel trailers were recreational vehicles originally built between 1941 and 2004. Founded by industry pioneer Robert Gray, the firm was originally situated in a small factory in Los Angeles, California to provide housing for members of the US Armed Forces. With the growth in sales over the following 30 years, the "home" factory in L.A. moved to three steadily larger facilities in Southern California, in addition to six other factories established across the country to better serve the regional markets. At the time of its purchase by the W.R. Grace Company in 1972, Shasta was the largest seller of recreational vehicles in the United States. Coachmen Industries, Inc. bought the firm from Grace in 1976.
In North America, the term truck camper and its abbreviation TC are generally used to refer to any recreational vehicle or RV that may be carried in the bed of a pickup truck. In North America, this RV type is sometimes known as a slide-in or cab-over.
Winnebago Industries, Inc. is an American manufacturer of motorhomes, a type of recreational vehicle (RV), in the United States. In 2018, the company expanded into motorboat manufacturing with the acquisition of Chris-Craft Corporation. Winnebago has also manufactured light-to-medium utility vehicles as well as other products. The company is named after Winnebago County, Iowa, where it used to be headquartered. The county is named after the Native American tribe who have historically lived in the area. During the 1970s and 1980s, Winnebago Industries depended on Native American history and traditions in naming their products, for example "Chieftain" and "Brave." They also used Native American iconography and patterns in their designs and period advertisements.
The Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) is an international organization of families who own and enjoy the use of recreational vehicles. Although the name says "motor coach" FMCA has welcomed all RV types since 2017 and towables are becoming a viable part of the organization. In 2023 the organization added a category of membership called "Pathfinders" for those thinking of joining the RV lifestyle and wanting to learn more about it before they buy. These members get access to all of the benefits including FMCA University where they can explore what it takes to travel in, own and maintain an RV.
Fleetwood RV is a producer of recreational vehicles (RVs). Founded in 1950, Fleetwood RV is part of REV Group. Rev's recreation division includes Fleetwood RV, American Coach, Monaco, Holiday Rambler, Renegade RV, Midwest Automotive Designs, and Lance Campers.
Fulltiming is a term used among motorhome individuals and families who live "full-time" in their motorhome or RV. Such mobile individuals are often called fulltimers. Fulltiming is a worldwide activity, and there are many bloggers who record their day-to-day life on the road. The term has been discussed in publications since around 1993.
Tourism Holdings Limited usually called 'thl' and formerly known as The Helicopter Line is a large New Zealand tourism company that has been listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange since 1986.
Jayco Inc., a subsidiary of Thor Industries, is an American manufacturer of recreation vehicles. The company manufactures fold-down, also called "Pop-up" Camping Trailers, Conventional Travel Trailers, Toy Haulers, Fifth-Wheel Travel Trailers, and Motorhomes. Jayco is based in Middlebury, Indiana, and about three-quarters of its 3,200-person workforce is from the Amish and Mennonite communities of Indiana.
Holiday Rambler Corporation is an American corporation which primarily manufactures recreational vehicles. It was founded in 1953. In 1961, Holiday Rambler’s introduction of aluminum body framing ushered in a new era of lighter, stronger and more durable recreational vehicles (RVs). This aluminum frame (Alumaframe) became the standard for lighter and stronger RVs for 40 years. Holiday Rambler was also responsible for many firsts; built-in refrigerators, holding tanks and aerodynamic radiused corners. As Holiday Rambler moved into motorhomes, they were the first with tag axles and the kitchen slide-out revolutionized "interior engineering" in the field. Holiday Rambler was sold to Harley-Davidson in 1986 and later in 1996 to the Monaco Coach Corporation where its future, then under Navistar International Corp., was difficult in 2010 as it was for most motorhome manufacturers.
A pop-up camper is a type of towed recreational vehicle that can be collapsed for easy storage and transport. When set up, this type of trailer provides a large amount of interior space when compared to its size when collapsed. Its relatively affordable price makes it a popular choice for some RVers and its small size contributes to easier towing than many other types of RVs.
The term recreational vehicle (RV) is often used as a broad category of motor vehicles and trailers which include living quarters for designed temporary accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, caravans, fifth-wheel trailers, popup campers, truck campers and Park Model RVs.
↑ Lasley, M E A (1899). Across America in The Only House on Wheels: Or Lasley's Traveling Palace. New York: House on Wheels Publishing Co. ISBN978-1334168758.
1 2 Woodmansey, Andrew (2022). Recreational Vehicles: A World History 1872–1939. UK: Pen & Sword. pp.72–75. ISBN978-1526792457.
↑ Wittbrodt, Ben; Laureto, John; Tymrak, Brennan; Pearce, Joshua M. (2015), "Distributed manufacturing with 3-D printing: A case study of recreational vehicle solar photovoltaic mounting systems", Journal of Frugal Innovation, 1 (1), doi:10.1186/s40669-014-0001-z
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