If they wanted to keep with the times with towables, they would be using European caravans (trailers) as an example. Across the pond, they use fiberglass roofs, adhesive bonding for virtually everything (no screws, nails, or staples), dual pane windows, closed cell foam insulation (no shredded fiberglass that becomes a home to rodents, mold and water), and aluminum framing. For appliances, they use a unit like Truma's Combi water heater and furnace, and stoves which have two propane burners and one electric. Boondocking is handled by not just the solar array, but a built in fuel cell so even in inclement weather, the batteries stay topped off.
You make a good point and maybe the folks that travel and camp in B camper vans or the more rugged 4x4 Sportsmobile vans can identify. Maybe even those that do extensive RVing in truck cabover campers. But, for most Americans it is all about more, bigger, floor plans, two AC units on the roof, 8 foot refrigerators, multiple slides, etc. Some towable units even need to have more motive power than most one ton trucks can produce, hence the MDT and Kenworth and Volvo tow vehicles. Most roads in Europe would be overly stressful to drive a 40 foot fifth behind a Kenworth. Most roads in America are perfectly acceptable for that combination. Our diesel is $3.50 or so a gallon; double that for Eurpoe. We are not set up well for smaller is better; only have what you need and no more, and floor plans are almost irrevelant as the floor space is so minimal anyway that two cannot pass, and where compromise is everything. An eight foot cubic fridge is not a two cubic foot ice box, three or four slideouts become no slideouts, two flat screen TV's becomes a small portable TV, etc. We are just now looking seriously at solar, prior we wanted generators. We are just now looking at Lithium batteries and their advantages. Eurpoe is ahead of us in many ways as it relates to boondocking off the cord technologies.
We had a manufacturer (Bigfoot) that made towables that had fiberglass roof and sides and was a well made product. Maybe somebody should bring those trailers back for the European flair that Americans might get interested in someday. It is harder to have a slideout on a totally composite fiberglass unit. Airstream makes a European model of their trailers, it is six inches narrower than the same model sold in America. Until Americans change the RV culture, bigger is often better. There are exceptions and that keeps the B vans, Sportsmobile type vehicles and truck campers in the RV mix; but they are the minority considering the total RVs sold in any year.
I don't see America changing soon. We have watched fuel costs go up and most just buy bigger RV's. We have watched one of the largest Fortune 500 companies, Fleetwood, not make it through the recession without going the bankruptcy route. Prior they made truck cabover campers, travel trailers, fifth wheels, and motor homes. Today, the new Fleetwood only makes big motorhomes. I guess that it where the RV world is going in America. Bigger is better!
