The Future of RVing

[livelylittlecam]

I am developing an article and podcast segment about the future of RVing/camping. I wanted some of the expert input from the RV.NET audience. What trends do you see developing in the coming years? For example--I think we will see greater numbers of campgrounds in the Northeast begin to stay open year round. Today's RV's can handle winter camping--so I think campgrounds need to catch up.

Have at it guys and girls--would love to hear your opinions!

Best--Jeremy

[livelylittlecam]

The podcast is up! Definitely integrated some ideas from this thread! Thanks for all the comments! If you see the future of RVing differently then we do let me know here--but be nice:)

http://rvfamilytravelatlas.com/2015/01/rv-family-travel-atlas-episode-16-the-future-of-rving/

Best--Jeremy

[RBabb]

I see the amenities and quality of big coaches being worked into smaller coaches. Likely more innovative slide/ extension design. The doesn't seem the younger generations see all they're missing caged in cities. Think it's going to take more amenities and easier driving to draw them out. Then we will have massive amounts of people who don't know much about camping etiquette

[RobertRyan]

pnichols wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:
I think the Sprinter, Promaster, and up coming Transit will address that even better as regards handling and ride.

Many have had this discussion before, but I still can't wrap my brain around the physics of how any PASSIVE suspension system - except passive full air - is going to make a 10,500 lb. coach on a 14,500 GVWR chassis, both handle nice and ride nice at the same time.

Expensive ACTIVE suspension systems can do this. I know a lot of folks bad-mouth good old leaf springs - but lbs. is lbs. and weight has to be dealt with in accordance with the laws of physics unless computers are used to intervene in real time to tweak things. For me, I'm willing to give up a nice ride for the other advantages you get when carrying a load around full time that is way under the chassis design-maximum.

Pretty well summed it up, Air suspensions are common outside the U.S., maybe become a lot more common in the US. Winnebago has a Class A on the Sprinter, the Ducato stretches out to 28ft and very good handling and ride.Other options that could be used are not available in the US, where you see to have basically variants of the Ford Van

[Wrace]

downtheroad wrote:
If the trend continue....which it has for a couple of decades now, RV's will continue to get bigger, heavier, and have more frill/bells and whistles. This will require the trend for trucks to get bigger and more powerful.

Yes! What a great time to be alive! 😄

[pnichols]

RobertRyan wrote:
I think the Sprinter, Promaster, and up coming Transit will address that even better as regards handling and ride.

Many have had this discussion before, but I still can't wrap my brain around the physics of how any PASSIVE suspension system - except passive full air - is going to make a 10,500 lb. coach on a 14,500 GVWR chassis, both handle nice and ride nice at the same time.

Expensive ACTIVE suspension systems can do this. I know a lot of folks bad-mouth good old leaf springs - but lbs. is lbs. and weight has to be dealt with in accordance with the laws of physics unless computers are used to intervene in real time to tweak things. For me, I'm willing to give up a nice ride for the other advantages you get when carrying a load around full time that is way under the chassis design-maximum.

[toedtoes]

Well, as I am as far away from trendy as anyone can be, here's my prediction of what will not happen:

Small RVs (under 24 ft); simple interiors with a dinette, unpretentious bed (not taking up the bulk of the space, bathroom sink IN the bathroom; no TVs, microwaves, generators; strong battery power; appliances running on dual or propane - not electric only; usb connecting to 12 volt directly; neutral solid upholstery - no more prints.

When asked about camping, no responses about RV Parks, glamping, etc. will be made. Camping will be camping - no hookups, no social activities, no playgrounds, just the outdoors. RV Parks will be referred to as Parking. Glamping will be referred to as "that stupid thing people use to do and try to call camping".

[RobertRyan]

pnichols wrote:

Veebyes wrote:
Except for those fulltiming or longtiming I am guessing that North America will follow the Europeans & discover that smaller is actually better. It took Detroit an awful long tme to build smaller cars, down from the land ships of the 50s-80s, encouraged by higher fuel prices though gas in the US is about the cheapest anywhere.

The Sprinter styled RVs are gaining in popularity now along with lighter towables. There will alaways be a market for the few who simply must bring the whole house plus toys for a 2 night weekend.

X10 .... IMHO that's where I think that U.S. RV'ing is going.

Unfortunately, one niche market doesn't get addressed with this appoach: The folks who want a small motorized RV that is carrying a lot less weight than the chassis under it is designed for. Some of us don't think it's best/wise to year after year be driving an RV vehicle around that's loaded to 90%-plus of it's capacity.

Both the Ford E450 and Chevy 4500 chassis address this Class B+ and small Class C market perfectly.

(It's a whole different discussion as to why some folks are in this niche market segment.)

I think the Sprinter, Promaster, and up coming Transit will address that even better as regards handling and ride.

[pnichols]

Veebyes wrote:
Except for those fulltiming or longtiming I am guessing that North America will follow the Europeans & discover that smaller is actually better. It took Detroit an awful long tme to build smaller cars, down from the land ships of the 50s-80s, encouraged by higher fuel prices though gas in the US is about the cheapest anywhere.

The Sprinter styled RVs are gaining in popularity now along with lighter towables. There will alaways be a market for the few who simply must bring the whole house plus toys for a 2 night weekend.

X10 .... IMHO that's where I think that U.S. RV'ing is going.

Unfortunately, one niche market doesn't get addressed with this appoach: The folks who want a small motorized RV that is carrying a lot less weight than the chassis under it is designed for. Some of us don't think it's best/wise to year after year be driving an RV vehicle around that's loaded to 90%-plus of it's capacity.

Both the Ford E450 and Chevy 4500 chassis address this Class B+ and small Class C market perfectly.

(It's a whole different discussion as to why some folks are in this niche market segment.)

[Veebyes]

Except for those fulltiming or longtiming I am guessing that North America will follow the Europeans & discover that smaller is actually better. It took Detroit an awful long tme to build smaller cars, down from the land ships of the 50s-80s, encouraged by higher fuel prices though gas in the US is about the cheapest anywhere.

The Sprinter styled RVs are gaining in popularity now along with lighter towables. There will alaways be a market for the few who simply must bring the whole house plus toys for a 2 night weekend.

[RobertRyan]

lfcjasp wrote:
Goodness, RobertRyan, are those horns on that rig??? No, I'm sure they serve a real purpose besides distracting other drivers...I hope!

I have no idea what the future holds for RVers. Does seem a trend towards folks renting a space for a whole year or season. More emphasis on luxury and tech toys for us baby boomers...I agree that it would be great if the emphasis was on quality build, but not until WE stop buying what they're offering us already!

Also it won't help the industry/hobby if our children are facing much longer working lives. On the other hand, they are so much more tech-savvy and that's where being able to live anywhere and work wherever they want...it depends too much on the economic health of our world and whether the trend is towards smaller and better or bigger and flashier...

The "Horns" are external rear vision mirrors, see them a lot on European Coaches

[lfcjasp]

Goodness, RobertRyan, are those horns on that rig??? No, I'm sure they serve a real purpose besides distracting other drivers...I hope!

I have no idea what the future holds for RVers. Does seem a trend towards folks renting a space for a whole year or season. More emphasis on luxury and tech toys for us baby boomers...I agree that it would be great if the emphasis was on quality build, but not until WE stop buying what they're offering us already!

Also it won't help the industry/hobby if our children are facing much longer working lives. On the other hand, they are so much more tech-savvy and that's where being able to live anywhere and work wherever they want...it depends too much on the economic health of our world and whether the trend is towards smaller and better or bigger and flashier...

[RobertRyan]

4x4Dodger wrote:
The limits placed on you when you have a 40-45 foot Bus/MH are too great..there are just too many places you cant go and the price of everything is much higher.

Here 45ft Motorhomes are Bus Conversions mainly very few have built specific MH's here in the 40ft range.They cannot be parked in a National Park, so you have to park them in some outback terrain

[pnichols]

There's too much (boring?) talk here about RV fuel usage and prices.

Now, let's get down to the real important changes coming in the RV world ... better batteries, fuel cells, and solar panels. Read the entire article and click on all the pictures to get the whole story:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/23/tech/innovation/tomorrow-transformed-graphene-battery/index.html?iref=...

[BoonHauler]

jplante4 wrote:

Searching_Ut wrote:
Having been an avid camper for 50 or so years, and watching the changes that have taken place over the years I would be really surprised to see much of the population RV'ing 25 years or so from today. Boondockings days are numbered in the west, which will impact many. Environmentalist pressure, along with taxes based on miles driven as well as weight of vehicle, time of day driven etc will also have a very significant impact. I would expect the US to thus become much more like the more densely populated countries in Europe where few members of the population camp in any way shape or form.

This would be a sad day indeed, but I agree. And it goes along with my observation; If RV'ing is perceived as a "one-percenter" activity, then it will be heavily taxed and penalized. Just look at the bad rep general aviation has gotten at the hands of corporate executives and their million dollar jets.

Most of the posts in the later parts of this thread unknowingly have a lot in common but I'm in the camp of energy prices rising, not falling.

For those of you in California or at least buying energy in California you have to take a moment and read this article (and many others) about the coming 'Carbon Tax' on January 1st that will be attached to motor fuels, here's the Link

I also believe we're currently in a economic 'World War' and that's driving down energy prices. Once the war is over the powers to be will drive up energy prices to all time highs.

My money is on energy prices rising in the near and long term future and will effect the market even worse than the $4.00 a gallon prices did.

Just my 2 cents and as always, time will tell.....