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A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include , , coaches, caravans (also known as travel trailers and campers), fifth-wheel trailers, , and .
Typical amenities of an RV include a kitchen, a bathroom, and one or more . RVs can range from utilitarian – containing only sleeping quarters and basic cooking facilities – to luxurious, with features like air conditioning (AC), water heaters, televisions and satellite receivers, and quartz countertops.
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The first, currently-known, purpose-built RV was the horse-drawn Wanderer (UK), commissioned from the Bristol Wagon Works Company by Dr. Gordon Stables in 1884. Stables was a pioneer of the UK's Gentlemen Gypsy movement (1885–1914) which promoted the restorative benefits of horse-drawn leisure caravanning and inspired the formation of the world's first RV club, The Caravan Club (UK), in 1907. The Wanderer was closely followed by the McMaster Camping Car (US,1889). Camping-vehicle In the 1890s, US RV pioneers self-built timber 'houses on wheels' for health, leisure and hunting purposes. The most widely reported of these were those of Morgan Lasley and his family. Horse-drawn RV use declined after the First World War as many horses were killed during the war and automobiles became cheaper, more powerful and more widely available.
The first powered RVs were steam-drawn trailers from France including the Grande Diligence of Prince Oldenburg (1896) and the De Dion Bouton trailer of Monsieur Rénodier (1898). The first steam-driven motorhome was the Quo Vadis (France,1900) and the first gasoline-driven motorhome was the Passe Partout (France, 1902). The first recorded powered motorhomes in America were the 'camp cars' of Roy Faye and Freeman Young of 1904–06 (a 1904 Rambler, 1905 Thomas Flyer and 1906 Matheson). Lightweight tent trailers were especially popular in the US from 1911, thanks to improved roads, new national parks and the affordability of tow vehicles such as the Ford Model T. At the other end of the price scale, luxury touring limousines, developed in France by De Dietrich in 1904, were built in small numbers in the US by Welch (1909)Lord Montagu of and G N Beaulieu and Georgano (1976). 9780718113100, Michael Joseph. ISBN 9780718113100 and Pierce Arrow (1910). The first US RV club, the Tin Can Tourists, was formed in 1919. The first known recreational fifth wheeler was the Auto Salon Deluxe built in Belgium for Baron Crawhez by Auto-Mixte in 1913.
The 1920s and 1930s, saw some influential, maverick builders construct innovative RVs in small numbers. These included Bertram Hutchings (UK, 1930–39, streamlined caravans), Charles Louvet (France, 1924–34, aircraft-inspired, coach-built motorhomes and trailers), Noel Pemberton Billing (UK, 1927, Road Yacht motorhome), Glenn Curtiss (US, 1918–30, Adams Motorbungalo, Curtiss Aerocar, Aero Coupler hitch) and Hawley Bowlus (US, 1934, aluminum monocoque trailers). Wally Byam's Airstream (US, 1931 onwards) was a successful trailer builder of the period and is the only survivor of over 400 pre-WW2 US RV manufacturers. These early advancements in RV and trailer design established the foundation for a burgeoning industry that would continue to develop over the subsequent decades.
Prior to WW2 a number of other countries developed their own small-scale RV manufacturing industries including Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Germany had a particular focus on small, lightweight caravans towable by low-cost automobiles whilst Australia developed 'pop-top' caravans with good ventilation, ample water storage and high ground clearance. During WW2 RV production was halted in most countries except when required as accommodation for military personnel or essential workers.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of RVs in the United States have increased, and as of March 2021, 11.3 million households own an RV, which is a 26 percent increase over the past ten years. In October 2021, 58,000 RVs were manufactured in North America, the most ever in a single month. Wholesale recreational vehicle shipments during the first four months of 2021 rose more than 86% over 2020, because consumer demand for RVs has soared since the pandemic's onset. Analysts expect industry revenue to increase 1.1% through 2026 as U.S. residents continue to plan domestic trips because of continued travel restrictions around the globe.
The recreational vehicle industry around Elkhart is part of a large network of related transport equipment companies, including utility trailer makers and specialty bus manufacturers, who source from the same supply chains. The industry has taken hits from US tariffs on steel and aluminum and other duties on RV parts made in China, from plumbing fixtures to electronic components to vinyl seat covers. Tariff-related price hikes forced manufacturers to pass on some of the increased costs through higher RV prices, which in turn has contributed to slower sales. Shipments of RVs to dealers fell 22% percent in the first five months of 2019, compared to the same period a year earlier, after dropping 4% in 2018.
Although the most common usage of an RV is as temporary accommodation when traveling, some people use an RV as their main residence. In fact, one million Americans live in RVs. In Australia, the slang term for a retired person who travels in a recreational vehicle is a "grey nomad".
There are local and national RV rental companies, such as Adventure KT and Outdoorsy that specialize in renting RVs to families for vacationing purposes. People enjoy the road trip and luxuries an RV provides while traveling without having a long-term expense. This is similar to home vacation rentals but is cheaper and also offers the flexibility of itinerary planning.
While it is legal in all of the United States to live in an RV, there are laws regarding where and for how long RVs can be parked.
Some owners fit to the roof of their RV. It is possible for RV users to live off the electrical grid while still having access to internet, making remote working feasible.
Usage of RVs is common at rural festivals such as Burning Man, but most festivals have strict rules about operating an RV during the event. Burning Man is strict about RV water leaks, and generator usage is another of the restrictions that festivals put on the use of RVs.
RVs are a form of housing for homeless people.
The vehicles also have a large environmental impacts outside of fuel consumption both from their manufacture and use.
The RV industry is the biggest consumer of tropical wood in the United States. Demand for lauan plywood for use in recreational vehicles is driving large-scale deforestation in Indonesia Borneo, destroying rainforests, , and wildlife habitats while displacing Indigenous communities.
Although conservation groups have documented the R.V. industry’s reliance on timber from recently cleared forests, major manufacturers deny knowledge of deforested wood in their supply chains.
Ecosystems can be damaged from RV usage through chemical pollution, soil and water degradation wildlife disruption and accelerated erosion. However, most studies have shown a majority of drivers deny their personal impact on the environment.E. G. Tsyplakova, G. I. Sinko, N. M. Purina, Yu. G. Yankevich, and K. A. Yankevich. "Environmental Consequences of Recreational Vehicle Impact." IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
A study from 2021 examined the environmental impacts of recreational camping in Sri Lanka’s dry-zone national parks, focusing on soil, vegetation, woody debris, litter, tree damage and campsite cleanliness. The findings showed significant localized degradation at both high and low-use campsites, with issues such as soil compaction, loss of woody debris, fire scars and litter diminishing natural values and negatively affecting visitor experiences, highlighting the need for stricter visitor management, education and sustainable campsite practices.
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