Lightship, said to be America’s first all-electric recreational vehicle (RV) company, announced in early March the launch of the Lightship L1 — an aerodynamic, battery-powered travel trailer and the first purpose-built travel trailer with a self-propulsion system that enables near zero range or mile-per-gallon efficiency loss for the vehicle towing it.

Lightship co-founders Ben Parker and Toby Kraus saw an opportunity in the RV industry that reminded them of the early days they’d seen working at Tesla. Not surprisingly, then, Lightship is taking a clean-sheet approach to building an all-electric recreational vehicle the same way Tesla disrupted the established automakers. The Lightship team, which includes alumni from Rivian, Proterra, Lucid and Zoox in addition to Tesla, is leveraging their expertise in automotive EV development and design to deliver a truly unique experience.

With production expected to begin in late 2024, Lightship is said to feature a hyper-efficient design that is three times more aerodynamic than a traditional travel trailer for longer range and greater efficiency — which means a 300-mile range electric vehicle (EV) used to tow it remains a 300-mile range EV, and a 25-mpg gas truck remains a 25-mpg gas truck. Its electric powertrain offers up to 80 kWh of onboard battery capacity, allowing the trailer to propel itself and achieve near-zero range or efficiency loss for the tow vehicle — and battery system is said to be able to provide a week of off-grid power without charging. Coupled with up to 3 kW of solar power, the RV can power the living needs of its occupants and eliminates the reliance on propane and other fossil fuels.

It’s also surprisingly roomy. The 27 foot travel trailer, which has a 7,500-pound GVWR, presents a 6-foot, 9-inch height in tow mode, but expands to 10 feet in height for camping and provides room for 4 to 6 adults to sleep in comfort (depending upon configuration.

Granted, all this technology doesn’t come cheap — Lightship has a starting price of $125,000, or $118,400 after an available federal tax credit. For more information — or to reserve your own Lightship — visit https://lightshiprv.com.

Perhaps the most recognizable brand in the outdoor hospitality industry, the familiar KOA (Kampgrounds of America) logo represents more than 500 parks — each itself branded further to Journey, Holiday and Resort to let campers know beforehand the level of amenities each offers.

Now, the Billings, Montana-based company has launched an “overhauled” KOA Rewards Loyalty Program to make it easier to earn rewards.

Under the previous program, reward points could only be redeemed in person as a camper checked in for a stay. The new system digitizes the entire process, making it easier for campers to plan their stays, track their earnings and rewards and apply loyalty benefits during the online check-in process.

Based on point accumulation annually, the new program reduces account holder tiers from three to two — Base and VIP. The annual fee will remain at $36 per year.

Base account holders receive:

• 10% off the daily registration rate every night at any of 500+ KOA locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
• Points for dollars off future KOA stays (6,500 points = $10; 15,000 points = $25; 25,000 points = $50).
• A free night of camping at participating KOA Campgrounds during the annual KOA Rewards Weekend (Sep. 8-9, 2023).
• Exclusive offers and discounts from corporate partners

VIP account holders (earning 20,000 points in their account year) receive Base benefits and:

• Earn 25% more points
• Free 1-year enrollment in KOA Rewards
• Bring-a-friend discount
• $10 cancellation fee waived (when following the campground cancellation policy).

To learn more about KOA Rewards and sign up, please visit koa.com/rewards/.

American Coach, a luxury Class A diesel motorhome brand that’s part of REV Recreation Group Inc., announced the continuation of its partnership with internationally renowned IndyCar race car driver Hélio Castroneves.

As he has for the past several years, Castroneves will serve as an American Coach brand ambassador for 2023 and 2024, sharing stories from the road behind the wheel of his American Eagle coach.

Castroneves will use his custom American Eagle coach throughout 2024 to make select appearances for American Coach, engage in social media posts, and share his American Coach experience in brand videos. Castroneves has a long-standing relationship with REV Group that began in 2015.

Castroneves worked closely with the American Coach design team to fully customize the luxury RV to meet his specific needs. On the exterior, Castroneves’ American Eagle features a custom black-and-pink paint finish to match the colors of his racing team. Inside, there’s teak-style cabinetry, special-order quartz countertops, ultra-comfortable custom bunk beds (each with its own TV) and many other upgraded amenities.

A native of Brazil, Castroneves is one of only four drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times and is also a four-time runner up in the IndyCar Series drivers’ championship. He also competes in select IMSA SportsCar championship races and recently won the 24 Hours of Daytona with MeyerShank Racing. His positive personality and fan-favorite victory celebrations have made him one of the most popular drivers on the IndyCar circuit.

By the way: the 2023 American Coach Association National Rally, hosted by the ACA Southeast Chapter, is scheduled for April 24-28 at The Ridge RV Resort in Sevierville, Tennessee. For more information, visit americancoach.com/events/rallyattheridge/.

Looking for a full-featured motorhome with a small footprint but wanting a bit more room than is usually available in a Class B coach? Wingamm, a 45-year-old manufacturer of quality coaches for Europe and Asia, recently introduced North American RVers to its Oasis 540.1 — which, at just 233.39 inches in length, is the first “Micro Class” RV: a vehicle less than 18 feet long that can sleep four with a full indoor bathroom.

The first of seven Wingamm models scheduled for release in the U.S. (most will be slightly larger), standout features of the Wingamm include its custom fiberglass monocoque shell, which not only gives the Oasi 540 its distinct sleek look and compact size, but allows for innovation in the design and functionality, particularly in the bedroom, bathroom, sewage system and climate controls. The micro RV also features a drop-down bed with mattresses built with Memory Foam and rated for 350-pounds capacity and a heated under-floor system. All interior furnishings are designed and produced in-house at Wingamm’s Vienna, Italy facility.

For more information, visit https://www.wingamm.com/us/.

While some of us tend to keep our RVs for years on end — sometimes updating things along the way — most longtime RVers will eventually want to upgrade everything. If you’re thinking about trading up to a new RV, or even deciding if trading in your current RV makes sense, you’ll want to read The Complete RV Trade-In Guide — Part One, provided free by Newmar Corp.

The guide touches on some possible reasons for wanting to upgrade — from more room for a growing family to simply wanting more power, in the case of a motorhome — before getting down to the nitty-gritty. Other parts of the guide review how to evaluate the condition of your RV and how to prepare it for maximum return on your investment.

While much of the information in the guide is (or should be) known to veteran RVers, it’s nice to have a list — complete with check-boxes — to go through when getting your current RV ready for a possible new owner. To get your copy of the online guide, visit newmarcorp.com/free-rv-downloads/rv-trade-guide/.

If you’re a bit long in the tooth — like, for example, the publisher and editor of RV Enthusiast — you can probably remember the pre-Internet days when you’d wait at the mailbox for catalogs filled with the latest toys and products. Today’s era of instant fulfillment isn’t necessarily better, because it removes that excitement and anticipation. Jayco “re-introduced” this feeling of wonderment with its Dream Book 2023 — filled with the latest innovative new products from Jayco along with stories of owners setting out on their own worlds of discovery.

“The Jayco Dream Book was designed as an inspiration to current RV owners and individuals who someday wish to own one,” said Trey Miller, vice president of marketing for the Middlebury, Ind.-based manufacturer. The Dream Book features a wealth of information on a number of Jayco’s travel trailers, fifth wheels and motorhomes. To get your copy of this digital magazine, visit jayco.com/2023-Dream-Book.

It’s always a good sign when a company opts to take a prototype design and commit it to production — and that’s just what’s going on at Lance Camper Mfg. Lance debuted its Enduro Off-Road Trailer prototype as an overland-style concept trailer in November 2021 to popular acclaim, convincing the Lancaster, California-based builder to make this dream a reality. Incorporating design modifications based on feedback from the public and the company’s dealer partners, Lance will begin production of the Enduro in April.

The 2023 Enduro production model is a single-axle trailer with a floorplan which centers around an interior wet bath, U-shaped dinette and an exterior kitchen. It features an all-new exoskeleton frame design and Curt independent suspension system with available state-of-the-art solar/battery technology, onboard fresh water supply and filtration. Other amenities include a full stand-up shower, a larger-than-queen-size bed, u-shaped dinette and forced-air heating and cooling — all in a capable and towable package with a dry weight under 3,300 pounds.

For more information, visit https://www.lancecamper.com.

It’s been 45 years since the last GMC motorhome rolled off an assembly line, but there’s still never been an RV that commands a greater ownership group. It’s estimated that as many as 9,000 of the 12,921 coaches manufactured between 1073 and 1978 are still on the road.

Featuring a front-wheel-drive package from Oldsmobile — which eliminated the need for a driveshaft tunnel and, hence, allowed for a lower center of gravity — a unique tandem rear suspension, fiberglass and aluminum exteriors and a lot of windows (13), these colorful 23- and 26-foot motorhomes remain a fixture on America’s highways.

And, apparently, on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Owned by Britt Palmer, this 1977 GMC Kingsley model may have been ahead of its time, but it still moved like a motorhome. So, Palmer shipped it to custom fabricator Dennis McCarthy’s Special Effects for a bit of “massaging.” The motorhome was gutted of its creature features (much of the interior was then covered in aluminum sheeting), received certain necessary safety items, then became home to a nitrous oxide-injected 502-cubic-inch big block and TH425 automatic transmission. A Ridetech air ride system and a few exterior mods to make it a bit more aerodynamic helped — since the GMC was headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats. There it set the Class A motorhome land speed record at 122mph.

The motorhome is now for sale, by the way, for a cool $95,000, though it may have been picked up by the time you read this.

Recreational vehicles aren’t intended to break down, but manufacturers have no control over the road surfaces owners drive across. When something does go awry, it can be a game-changer — okay, vacation-changer — if you don’t know how to effect repairs on the road. That’s why the Jayco family of companies has teamed up with the National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) to educate customers and users about their products.

As part of the program, the two companies have collaborated to create an exhaustive video training series for owners. The curriculum — which has 74 courses and is free to consumers — includes overviews of RV basics, RV electrical systems, propane systems, getting to know your RV, fifth wheel- and travel trailer-specific systems, air conditioners and vents, holding tanks and more.

The “university” contains more than three hours of critical content. To sign up for Jayco University and access the program, go to jaycofamily.com/JFOC-University-NRVTA/ to get started. At present, the courses cover Jayco-branded products; specific courses geared to Highland RV, Starcraft RV and Entegra Coach products are in the works. There also is a link — rvtechcourse.com — to NRVTA home-study courses for owners who “want to kick it up a notch.”

RVillage, an online community that aided in members connecting while on the road, has announced it will be closing on March 31.

Founded by Curtis Coleman, the community was designed to bring like-minded campers together. “RVers are mobile,” Coleman told the trade magazine RVBusiness in a 2017 interview. “The problem is that it’s difficult to connect with people moving around.”

The RVillage platform solved that problem for its members, Coleman said at the time, by providng the locations of other network members within a certain radius of each other as well as any nearby campgrounds.

In 2020, Coleman sold RVillage to Togo Group, which would later become Roadpass Digital, a suite of apps and websites for RVers and campers that includes Roadtrippers, Togo RV and Campendium.

However, Roadpass Digital released information stating that the community will continue to exist as a Facebook group. Visit here for more information: RVillage Community Facebook Group.