RV Innovation AND News : Unbelievable RV spotted on Lake Travis

Date : April 1, 2010

In an unbelievable stroke of timing and luck, Sheri and I were driving near Lake Travis and saw what appeared to be a Class A RV driving out of the water from Lake Travis.

Of course, being the authors of the world famous RV Information and Travel blog called RV52.com we wheeled the car around to take a look.

As we approached the machine we were rapidly approached by several people in business suits and dark glasses who were trying to stop us from getting near the big rig.

We explained to them who we were and after some convincing we were allowed much closer to the Class A big rig and were allowed some questions and answers after agreeing to several very difficult non disclosure provisions.

Here is what we learned. This big rig is truly Class A, but it does not run on a traditional internal combustion engine. It was fitted with a DC motor, a large variable frequency drive all powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. This in and of itself was completely amazing.

When we asked about what we witnessed, the company spokesperson stated that research has shown that water and RV's go together. However, for most, a boat would have to be towed with the RV OR a boat would have to be a cabin cruiser (essentially a RV in the water) but it is difficult to move the boat from water to water. So their approach was to ask the tough question "Why can't an RV be a boat AND a class A big rig?" So what their engineers figured out was that with the unique propulsion system, better sealing and with the addition of a retractable pontoon setup you could have a houseboat or an RV. We were absolutely flabbergasted. The company spokesperson said that this new RV didn't cost more than about $40,000 more than a similar standard RV.

The list of amazing features didn't stop there. It turns out that the plumbing system was split into a potable water system and a 'clean but not potable' system. The advantages to this is that some of the water is routed through the fuel cell for purification and so drinking water can be obtained very efficiently. Also, not having to have purified water of drinking water quality for showers and toilet use saves on the environment as well. Because the unit is fuel cell driven, there is no need for generators and when power is needed there absolutely no noise.

In fact, since the unit is both LARGE and quiet, it was decided that a large speaker system should be installed to simulate the sound of  a diesel engine. But I can ensure you that it is just a speaker system. With just the press of a simple button we also made the big rig sound exactly like a Honda 100cc dirt bike which made everyone break into a chorus of laughter.

There are other amazing features to numerous to list here, like the specialized fabric which can be hoisted above the RV to  break the sunlight and lower the cooling energy requirements by 30% or automatic misting system which is installed with the retractable awnings which can lower the temperature under the mister by over 20 degrees Fahrenheit. But I'll just leave it at this : Sheri and I are on the list for this bad boy.