27North's RexRover is a luxury $350,000 Ford F-250-based camper with all the amenities of a typical home.
27North
RV maker 27North's newest is a pickup truck-based camper called RexRover.
The $350,000 tiny home on wheels has unusually luxurious amenities like a washing machine.
27North's chief market strategist says the company is seeing high sales despite the RV industry "bloodbath."
Amid a recreational vehicle "bloodbath," 27North is remaining resilient with its newest RV: a luxury $350,000 pickup truck-based camper with all the amenities of a typical home.
Sales have been looking grim across the general RV industry. From 2020 up until recently, companies that specialize in these tiny homes on wheels were in their prime. Sales skyrocketed, companies like Winnebago amassed multi-billion-dollar backlogs, and campsites became packed with travelers.
Now, it feels like a fever dream of the past. These once-invincible brands have been seeing a dip in RV sales. And shipments for these vehicles have dropped 47.7% from 2023 compared to the same time in 2022, according to July data from the RV Industry Association.
"There is, and I'm not using this term lightly, a bloodbath within the RV industry," Marc Glasser, the chief market strategist for 27North, told Insider.
27North
"There's a lot of consolidation going on."
Despite the industry trend, apparently, it's not all funerals and eulogies for companies that sell and make RVs.
Amid this, luxury camper van and truck maker 27North says its sales are looking better than ever.
27North
In what feels like a shock in the industry, the company is "continuing to have its best years ever," Glasser said. According to him, its sales are increasing about 50% annually.
27North's newest product, the RexRover, has been available to purchase since March and had its first major public debut in mid-May at the Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona.
27North
Since then, the company and its dealer networks have been seeing "overwhelming" demand for the beefed-up RV.
But its latest offering isn't a typical Class B camper van.
27North
Instead, it's a pickup truck-based camper, a market that Glasser says currently has less competition. While some smaller RV makers build these pickup truck-based homes, not many legacy companies offer them yet.
To do this, 27North used a Ford F-250 SuperCab 4x4.
27North
A carbon fiber home was then set atop the Ford chassis to create a living space with two beds.
At 22 feet long, the truck camper is about the same length as a typical 170-inch wheelbase Mercedes Benz Sprinter camper van.
27North
Despite the nearly comparable length, the RexRover's price certainly surpasses most camper vans.
The RexRover starts at $350,000.
27North
But with the "overland" upgrade — which comes with add-ons like a beefed-up power system and an outdoor kitchen — the cost then jumps to $370,000.
This price is comparable to luxury expedition vehicle maker EarthCruiser's truck camper as well.
Yes, it's a hefty cost compared to most camper vans.
27North
But Glasser says the truck and its price allows for more off-roading capabilities.
"Someone who is solely value-oriented is not our market," he said. For 27North, the priority is quality, not inexpensiveness.
It may seem irrational to sell a camper this expensive when RV shipments have been down.
27North
After all, legacy company Winnebago has been on a streak of unveiling new cheap RVs.
But that doesn't seem to worry 27North: "We don't compete on price," Glasser said.
Inside the carbon fiber shell, the amenities are akin to a typical home.
27North
Sure, the truck doesn't fit the typical boho Instagram-perfect camper van aesthetic. But at least it has everything a traveler could ever need: a kitchen, bathroom, TV, bedrooms, and even a washing machine
To sleep up to five people, there's a king bed over the cab and a rear queen bed that can convert into a dinette.
27North
No need to venture into the woods for a bathroom break — the truck has a bathroom with a shower, cassette toilet, and sink. Clean water is pulled from the truck's 40-gallon fresh water tank and dumped into the gray water tank.
Like most fully built-out RVs, the kitchen has a refrigerator-freezer and a thick countertop with a pull-out extension.
27North
There are also comforts like a microwave and coffee maker. A washing machine is also integrated into the side of the kitchen.
No toy left behind: The truck can tow up to 3,000 pounds.
27North
Storage units and bike racks, among other features, also line the exterior of the truck camper.
To power its amenities, the vehicle has a power system that Glasser says could allow the RV to stay off-grid indefinitely.
27North
This includes 600 watts of solar power, a 3,000-watt inverter, an alternator charging system, and two 300-amp-hour lithium batteries.
It's the little touches that make the RexRover luxurious.
27North
From the blackout blinds to the smart television and weather-proof flooring, the truck is equipped to substitute a typical foundation-based home.
And so far, buyers have been responding to these on-the-road comforts.
27North
It takes about a month for 27North to build one of these campers.
The first unit shipped out a few months ago.
27North
And now, it's selling all of the RexRovers that have been coming off its production line, the company's chief market strategist said.
"We can't make them fast enough," Glasser said.
27North
Glasser said 27North will soon expand its facility to facilitate the growing company and expedition truck market.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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By: [email protected] (Brittany Chang) Title: A luxury RV maker has turned a Ford F-250 into a $350,000 camper with almost all the comforts of home — including laundry Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/ford-f250-turned-into-350000-camper-27north-photos-2023-9 Published Date: Sat, 09 Sep 2023 11:14:00 +0000
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