AS ROAD TRIPS SOAR IN POPULARITY, A NEW BREED OF HIGH-END RECREATIONAL VEHICLES EMERGES TO HELP LUXURY TRAVELERS HIT THE HIGHWAY IN STYLE.
Living Vehicle’s power system enables it to go off-grid for weeks at a time. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
FOR SOME, the idea of air travel is still nerve-wracking. That means this summer, it’s boom time for the great American road trip—and for RVs, which have been selling out as cooped-up U.S. residents take to the highways for adventure. But these aren’t your retired uncle’s RVs: More and more companies are reinventing the concept with streamlined and stylish vehicles, off-grid capabilities, and ultraluxe amenities that make it easy to indulge your wanderlust without sacrificing the finer things in life.
sOne of the most exciting such vehicles? The Bowlus Road Chief Endless Highways Edition (from $190,000, bowlusroadchief.com), a sleek, Space Age-y aluminum travel trailer that boasts seriously top-of-the-line amenities (think luxe chrome and teak finishes, bespoke details and expansive storage), not to mention a powerful lithium battery that enables you to spend up to one week—or, in the Endless Highways Performance Edition ($225,000), creating a Bowlus is closer to a yacht than an RV in terms of craftsmanship and quality of materials,” says Geneva Long, founder and CEO of the California-based company, established to bring back to life the beloved ’30s brand Bowlus. “We’ve created a premium lifestyle product for outdoor adventurers by providing clients with technology that enhances their experience, while keeping the classic 1930s styling that makes a Bowlus so distinct.”
The Bowlus Road Chief has a Space Age aesthetic. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDS
Doubling down even more on off-the-grid capabilities is Living Vehicle (from $229,995, livingvehicle.com), which boasts its own long-term sustainable power source by Volta Power Systems (including the ability to export high-voltage power to charge an EV tow vehicle) and thus the ability to go off-grid for days or weeks on end. “Our customers value the flexibility to avoid RV parks and stay anywhere with all the luxury comforts of shore power,” notes Joanna Hofmann, CMO and co-founder of Living Vehicle. And with amenities like spa-style bathrooms, poshly appointed bedrooms with skylights and even an optional chef ’s kitchen, it’s obvious why this 2021 launch is raising serious interest among eco-conscious road warriors. No matter which of this new breed of RVs you select, one thing is clear: Road tripping will never be the same again.
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