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RobertRyan
Explorer
Dec 09, 2021

Australian all Electric Family Off Road Caravan

No expense spared on full off-grid, family composite caravan loaded with creature comforts
Melbourne luxury caravan specialist Royal Flair has built the most off-grid capable, technology-packed and priciest off-road caravan in its 46 year history.

Completed this week for a Queensland buyer after an extended 12 month build, the new 22ft 6in Royal Flair Eco Mate off-road family van is purpose-built for off-the-grid living, fitted with an OzXCorp-developed NCE DCX Power Platform that sees 1600 watts of domestic-grade glass solar panels on the roof feeding into a 14.3kWh chassis-mounted lithium battery pack with a 5000watt smart inverter.


Royal Flair Eco Mate was custom built for Queensland family
As well as providing enough power to run all the appliances including the roof-top air-conditioner, microwave and 175 litre compressor fridge (sunshine permitting!), the Eco Mate caravan is fitted with four fresh water tanks, for 314 litres in total.

The gas-free Eco Mate also boasts a lightweight AL-KO aluminium chassis and adjustable airbag suspension, along with a fully insulated, timber-free composite body including 28mm thick fibreglass sandwich panels for the walls and roof and an 18mm honeycomb floor.


Lithium battery bank mounted in the chassis
Charcoal checker plate side protection and a matching full vinyl wrap with unique graphics hides the glossy white exterior panels, while a 12V Carafan rooftop pressuriser unit helps keeps the dust out when cruising on dirt roads.

The very stylish and comfortable family layout includes a big club lounge/dinette with drop-down electric queen bed at the rear, while up front are three spacious pentagon-shaped bunk beds, each with a 12V fan, light and storage cupboard, alongside the ensuite with separate shower and toilet.


Stylish interior includes drop down queen bed
There are bespoke luxury interior finishes throughout, including a Caesarstone kitchen benchtop, copper tapware and suede-look seat upholstery. The custom fit-out also includes a composting toilet and -- oddly for an Australian-built caravan -- no TV is fitted to encourage the kids to make the most of the great outdoors.

The kitchen also gets an induction cooktop, while other whizzbang technology includes a CZone smart management touchscreen, Cel-Fi mobile phone booster and Wi-Ti security system.


Eco Mate is gas free, right down to electric BBQ-1. Mate also gets 17in alloy wheels with mud terrain tyres, adjustable airbag suspension, disc brakes, stability control and a Cruisemaster DO-45 coupling.

Externally, there's also a locker for the Rockgate sound system and airbag switches, with another hatch with a slide-out for the electric Weber BBQ

27 Replies

  • Skibane wrote:
    (sunshine permitting!)


    And, as usual, the PR photo shows the RV parked in a location where all those solar panels will produce absolutely no power.

    My idea of a "luxury RV" doesn't need to be parked in full sunlight all day in order to be able to use most of its features.

    Yes it is in the factory. Like an extreme 4x4 Pickup is usually on the showroom rather than the outdoors
  • Skibane wrote:
    goducks10 wrote:
    Doubt you have 14.3Kwh of lithium batteries and a 5000W inverter.


    And yet for all I lack, I still manage to camp comfortably without having to PARK IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT ALL DAY...

    And it probably doesn't need a power pole either.


    Unless it also comes with its own magic portable sunlight emitter, it needs a power pole anywhere I camp.

    This does not have to park in the Sunshine all day. Wastr of time doing that
  • goducks10 wrote:
    Doubt you have 14.3Kwh of lithium batteries and a 5000W inverter.


    And yet for all I lack, I still manage to camp comfortably without having to PARK IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT ALL DAY...

    And it probably doesn't need a power pole either.


    Unless it also comes with its own magic portable sunlight emitter, it needs a power pole anywhere I camp.
  • Skibane wrote:
    (sunshine permitting!)


    And, as usual, the PR photo shows the RV parked in a location where all those solar panels will produce absolutely no power.

    My idea of a "luxury RV" doesn't need to be parked in full sunlight all day in order to be able to use most of its features.


    Doubt you have 14.3Kwh of lithium batteries and a 5000W inverter. And it probably doesn't need a power pole either.
  • (sunshine permitting!)


    And, as usual, the PR photo shows the RV parked in a location where all those solar panels will produce absolutely no power.

    My idea of a "luxury RV" doesn't need to be parked in full sunlight all day in order to be able to use most of its features.
  • CavemanCharlie wrote:
    Wow, looks great !...Except for the "priciest" part. How many people "down under" will be able to afford to buy it, I wonder ????

    Quite a few there are 150 Caravan manufacturers
  • Wow, looks great !...Except for the "priciest" part. How many people "down under" will be able to afford to buy it, I wonder ????