https://gfycat.com/disgustingediblegiraffe-vanlife
What if the RV of tomorrow was no RV at all? What if the basic amenities and a certain degree of comfort could be somehow packed inside a teardrop trailer, arguably the smallest and easily manageable towable out there? And what if it could be self-sufficient and sustainable? Then, we’d have something like the RV2035, according to a report at AutoNation.com.
RV2035 doesn’t exist in physical form yet, and as far as creator, industrial designer Jason Carley, is concerned, it might not be for another 14 years. It is a concept, created out of a desire to explore the possibility of a towable that would offer the same comfort as a large trailer or RV, yet still allow users to immerse in nature and not disrupt the environment, like more basic alternatives, such as a tent or a teardrop trailer.
RV2035 is a dream for now, but it’s a beautiful one, so we might as well take part in Carley’s fantasy for a brighter, more sustainable and still awesome future.
The RV2035 or the “Nomad” is a teardrop trailer in form, but a full-size RV in function. When traveling, it is compact and lightweight, which makes it easy to handle even by newcomers to the whole vanlife concept or newly-minted digital nomads. Being made of carbon fiber, it is also lightweight, which means it can be towed with almost any vehicle, and with reduced impact on the range of an electric one.
The carbon fiber frame also makes it durable and sustainable. In fact, the whole thing about the RV2035 is that it’s heavily focused on sustainability: each component can be recycled when it breaks down, and the rig is designed in such a way as to have minimal impact on the environment. This means it collects and uses rainwater (filtered to feed the freshwater tank, and unfiltered for the graywater one), and solar energy to run appliances off on. It also uses only sustainable materials, like plastic resin, recycled denim tent fabric, wool, and sustainable pine.
Once at the campsite, the RV2035 explodes into proper living quarters. The wings open up and cantilever off the ground, so as to not damage the environment, and tent fabric stretches on expandable support rods. In total, the interior offers 120 square feet (11.2 square meters) of living space, and a headroom of 7 feet (2.1 meters).
The interior can be adapted to each customer’s needs: Carley imagines these trailers as part of a fleet for rent, with the owner of the fleet handling all customizations, maintenance and repairs. On one wing is a foldable sofa that becomes a queen-size bed at night, while the other could be turned into an office for the digital nomad. Families could opt for kids’ cots instead of the office, or a proper dining room. The bathroom sits right in the middle and includes a steam shower and toilet.
The kitchen, meanwhile, is at the back. It would include a hand-pump faucet and sizable sink, an insulated cooler drawer with integrated ice maker, and an induction cooktop. The display on the cooktop also shows stats like battery status, weather reports and time estimates until the next solar charge.
The trailer is heavily insulated but also has active heating, via a radiant tube that could be fed from the shower or the graywater tank. There’s no AC, but cooling is done with natural airflow, with help from two large vent fans in the roof.
“This project proposes a design for a near-future towable trailer that loves nature back,” Carley explains. “It targets a younger, more urban customer than the traditional RV industry, providing an accessible outdoor retreat and escape from high-consumption behaviors. It has been designed for rapid setup / takedown, resource stewardship, and low environmental impact.”
The RV2035 is, in short, the trailer that tries to offer it all in one product: space but without the constraints of a large-size towable, comfort with minimal environmental impact, and the possibility to be as connected to nature as you may desire – or not. And it would do so at a presumably unbeatable price. It’s a beautiful dream, alright.
