As the first major RV show of the new year, the Florida RV SuperShow doesn’t disappoint in its showcase of new rigs. Last year, Winnebago Industries debuted its eRV concept vehicle at the Tampa event.

This year, the company introduced a fully-operational prototype of its all-electric, zero-emission RV. Known as the eRV2, the prototype emerged from Winnebago’s original eRV concept. The eRV2 is said to be the most advanced all-electric, zero-emission RV, and rigorous field testing with everyday consumers is underway to provide insights that will inform the eRV2’s final design before hitting dealerships in the future.

Among the key features of the eRV2, America’s first all-electric, zero-emission motorhome prototype:

• Both the powertrain and the house systems are powered by electricity, allowing for silent and environmentally responsible travel and up to seven days of boondocking, aided in part by 900-watt solar capacity.
• It’s built on a Ford E-Transit chassis, which promises both a powerful torque and smooth handling. The current generation of this chassis has a published range of 108 miles, well-suited for a pilot program. Winnebago is actively pursuing range extension opportunities to incorporate into a future commercial version.
• Winnebago partnered with Lithionics Battery to create a proprietary IonBlade lithium house battery, said to be the most powerful, compact and safe lithium battery system available today. It features a 48-volt system with more than 15,000 usable watt-hours, and a unique thin lay-flat design stored beneath the floor to maximize interior space.
• The proprietary Winnebago Connect system allows users to easily monitor and control the vehicle’s electrical and energy management systems using a display inside the vehicle or an intuitive app.

Additionally, recycled materials are used extensively through the interior, which is inspired by a fusion of Japanese and Scandinavian design that creates a clean, multifunctional environment. This includes a five-in-one sleep/lounge and two adaptable workspaces with built-in charge points and high-speed Wi-Fi router.

While it’s still unknown when the eRV2 might go into production, Huw Bower, president of the Winnebago brand, said is entering its final stage of field testing.

According to Black Book, which publishes a family of vehicle appraisal guides, wholesale auction prices for both towable and motorized RVs increased in December.

“The average sales prices for motorhomes and towables sold at wholesale auctions both increased last month. This is a little bit surprising, given the time of year,” reported Eric Lawrence, Black Book principal analyst – specialty markets. “Usually prices begin their seasonal uptick a little closer to the start of spring. It’s possible that all the gloomy economic news and talk of a looming recession is causing dealers to shift gears and stock up on older, more affordable vehicles.”

“Taking a closer look at the markets, we see that the average selling price for motorized units was $73,441 which is up $4,876 (7.1%) from the previous month,” Lawrence added. “Towables came in at $19,182, up $653 (3.5%) from last month. One year ago the average motorhome sold for $69,237 and the average towable unit brought $20,520.

The report also notes auction volume was down: motorhomes decreased 14.3% while towables dropped 1.51%; the average age of motorhomes was 12 years (2011) and towables was five (2018).

Looking for an RV — but not enamored with one that, well, kinda looks like everything else out there? In 2013, designer John Long re-launched the Bowlus Road Chief — an American travel trailer said to have “started it all” some 80 years previously. While retaining the retro styling of the sleek aluminum trailer, the Road Chief was fitted with modern conveniences. Needless to say — but we’ll say it anyway — the Bowlus found immediate popularity.

The Road Chief has given way to other models — the Terra Firma and the all-electric Volterra. Now, they are joined by the Heritage Edition.

Called Bowlus’ most accessible offering, the 3,500-pound GVWR Heritage features a unique satin silver “mill” finish exterior, a custom Granite Ridge interior and electric off-grid power. The new model will also be what Bowlus executives say is the world’s lightest full-size travel trailer in production at a base weight of only 2,900 pounds.

The Heritage comes standard with a 2-kWh battery which provides powerful off-grid electricity for clients interested in week-long off-grid getaways. Several unique technology packages will also be available, offering an increasing amount of off-grid power and technology, from additional 2-kWh batteries to Starlink-ready Internet.

Pricing for the 27-foot, 1-inch Heritage Edition will begin at $159,000. For more information about the Bowlus luxury RV, visit Bowlus.com.

RV owners are known — justifiably so — as being warm and welcoming. Stay in just about any campground for more than a few hours and you’re apt to have made new friends.

Want to take that camaraderie up a notch? FMCA, an international organization for RV owners, is preparing for two international conventions scheduled for 2023.

First up will be FMCA’s 106th International Convention & RV Expo, set to take place March 15 through 18 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry. The association also will make a return visit to the Cam-Plex Multi-Event Facilities in Gillette, Wyoming, August 23 through 26, for the 107th convention.

FMCA conventions aren’t just for members. The association invites all RV owners to join the festivities. And those who are considering the RV lifestyle or are just curious have an opportunity to take part as well. One key element of the event is the RV Expo. Major RV manufacturers and dealers bring the latest models and invite convention attendees and members of the public to stop by for a tour. RVs in all shapes and sizes will be open for inspection during show hours. RV-related accessories, components, services, and other products of interest to travelers will be available as well.

When they aren’t shopping, attendees take in seminars, enjoy daytime and evening entertainment, and socialize with others who share their love of the RV lifestyle.

By the way: If you’re planning to be traveling through the southwest in March of next year — or if you just need an excuse to escape from the winter for a few days — consider the beautiful terrain found in and around Tucson, Arizona. And while you’re there, take in the FMCA’s 108th International Convention. The revised new dates for the event are March 20-23, 2024, held at the Pima County Fairgrounds. FMCA previously hosted successful events at the location as recently as 2022.

To learn more about FMCA, including events, visit FMCA.com.

As most anyone who’s tried to book a campsite — especially during a long holiday weekend — has found out, it can be a lesson in futility. While the outdoor hospitality industry has seen a major increase in campground construction, RV parks still haven’t kept pace with RV sales. In fact, according to The Dyrt’s 2023 Camping Report, it was five times more difficult to book an available campsite in 2022 than it was pre-pandemic.

Don’t give up just yet, however.

Now, The Dyrt — an app for camping information and booking — has launched one possible remedy: The Dyrt Alerts, availability scans that send text notifications when a sold-out campground gets a cancellation.

Campers may select up to five campgrounds where they wish to stay, choose the date range, and they will receive a text notification if a campsite becomes available. The Dyrt Alerts are already set up to scan nearly 4,000 public campgrounds throughout the U.S., with many more public and private campgrounds coming soon.

The process is straightforward. Select up to five sold-out campgrounds. Set an arrival date and the number of nights you’ll be camping. Then wait for The Dyrt to let you know when there’s been a cancellation.

Interested? Here’s where to go to set up your own alert: thedyrt.com/alerts.

Some things are simply unsustainable. Whatever lists you might put together, include “record-breaking RV sales.”

According to Statistical Surveys Inc., the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based firm that tracks retail sales and consumer demographics for the RV industry, there were 447,718 retail registrations in 2022. If you’re keeping track, that’s down 21.55% from the 570,771 sales registered in 2021 — which might not be a fair comparison in that 2021 sales were the highest in recorded history. And, while most RV pundits were expecting the drop-off as both sales and wholesale shipments to dealers began trending to a “normalization” of industry performance, those 2022 numbers still reflect the sixth-highest sales total in modern times.

In case you were wondering where your favorite segment finished, here are the 2022 numbers for U.S. sales, courtesy of Statistical Surveys (statisticalsurveys.com) and RVBusiness (rvbusiness.com) magazine:

• Travel Trailers — 275,251 retail registrations (vs. 350,527 in 2021). Market share leaders for the year were: THOR Industries Inc. (41%), Forest River Inc. (33.8%) and Grand Design RV Co. (7.6%).
• Fifth Wheels — 72,849 (vs. 103,300; -29.5%). Market share leaders: THOR (43%), Forest River (29.6%), Grand Design (18.5%).
• Class A Motorhomes — 11,031 (vs. 14,790; -25.4%. Market share leaders: THOR (53.4%, Forest River (16.5%), Newmar (13.1%).
• Class C Motorhomes — 20,028 (25,124; -20.3%). Market share leaders: THOR (52.4%), Forest River (24%), Winnebago Motorized (10.7%).
• Class B Motorhomes — 13,959 (12,180; +14.6%). Market share leaders: THOR (37.8%), Winnebago Motorized (37%), REV Recreation Group (6.3%).

One of the biggest complaints many RVers have is the mattress — and their frustrations when trying to replace it.

Brooklyn Bedding has announced a new, highly-informative addition to RVMattress.com, the Mattress Finder Quiz. Adopting sister brand Helix Sleep’s revolutionary sleep-quiz technology, the brand launched a free, easy-to-use quiz designed to help customers find the right mattress size and fit for their RV.

Composed of three simple questions, the RV Mattress Finder Quiz is designed to uncomplicate the process of finding an RV mattress that fits customer’s unique sizing needs. The quiz takes around 30 seconds to complete and includes questions about the space’s dimensions, height restrictions and whether the space has a standard or stowaway design. Once all questions are answered, the RV Mattress Finder Quiz will match the user with an RVMattress.com model said to perfectly fit their space. If the space can accommodate more than one model, the quiz will link to each suggested option.

Each section of the quiz also features helpful tips and tricks including how to measure the RV sleep space, find the height clearance and determine the foundation design of the space. The RVMattress.com blog also features helpful and more in-depth articles, including an explanation of RV mattress sizing and additional tips and tricks on how to easily measure your sleep space.

For more information, visit rvmattress.com; you can also take the quiz here: Mattress Finder Quiz.

We know that the Internet delivers dozens if not hundreds of sources to your fingertips when searching for an RV product. We also know that some are offered by companies not as, well, “above board” as folks would like them to be.

The strongest supplier in the RV industry is Lippert — and if you needed any further justification for frequenting the company’s online storefront (store.lci1.com) we’re glad to provide it: Lippert has announced the launch of a year-long commitment to donate 1.5% of its consumer e-commerce sales to support Care Camps.

This initiative is nothing new for Lippert, one of the most socially conscious companies on the planet. Lippert has supported a number of local and national charities through the years. The company has supported Care Camps with several donor campaigns, each engaging their employees and community to participate for a greater cause.

Last September, Lippert donated a percentage of sales to Care Camps in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness month. This initiative inspired its leadership team to expand their efforts, increasing the percentage of sales commitment in 2023.

Founded by Kampgrounds of America in 1984, Care Camps funds more than 132 specialized pediatric oncology camps across the United States and Canada. Each facility provides specially trained counselors and on-site services ensured by healthcare professionals so children going through cancer can safely attend camp. These camps create an opportunity for kids to connect with peers and counselors who understand what they are going through. Whenever possible, those connections and the ability to attend camp is extended to the entire family. To learn more about Care Camps, donate, and change the life of a child experiencing cancer, visit carecamps.org.