2023 Living Vehicle travel trailers just add water
Living Vehicle makes travel trailers that are practically self-supporting, overlanding tiny homes with a focus on sustainable living. They aren’t cheap, starting at $339,995 for the entry-level 2023 Core model, but they are beautiful, sturdy, and primarily solar powered; the Core comes with 1,400 kW of solar capacity and 14.4 kWh of storage capacity standard. The newest features for the Living Vehicle range could enable living off-grid for much longer than before, and make working vacations that much more productive.
The marquee feature is an atmospheric water generator by Watergen. Powered by the solar array, the Watergen turns humidity into a potable water supply. The first catch is that the air-to-water system needs at least 20% ambient humidity to work, but that’s not the high bar it might appear to be. The average annual humidity in Los Angeles is north of 60%, the average low for a Southern California desert city like Bakersfield is 38%. Phoenix, Arizona, in June gets down to 11% humidity on average in the afternoon, otherwise, there’s plenty of water vapor even in that blistering metropolis. Under ideal conditions, the Watergen can filter up to five gallons of water per day, enough to keep a couple of occupants hydrated, fed, and clean.
Floor-standing air-to-water generators start at around $1,000 and can cost much more. Watergen’s been developing its portable system for at least three years, and it isn’t the only such company trying to get a mobile unit to market. A comfy home that can draw its own electricity and water could turn an overlanding trip into a semi-permanent move, but here’s the other catch: The Watergen option costs $25,995 to add to a Living Vehicle. Part of that money is doubtless paying for in-house integration and massive convenience, but that’s a breathtaking premium.
The other new feature for 2023 is the Creative Studio, a complete Mac-based computer setup for anyone who needs big power and visuals. The basic configuration bundles an Apple MacBook Pro M1 16-inch laptop with a trackpad and secondary keyboard, two mounted Apple XDR displays, two Genelec Studio speakers, Apogee USB audio interface, a Logitech 4K webcam, and a wired headset. It starts at $5,995 for the kit, but can be upgraded with a more powerful laptop chip, different monitors, better microphones, and more. The office is set up on an 80-inch walnut desk laid out for one or two people, mounted to the base of a retractable bed. Lowering the queen-sized Memory Foam bed automatically flips the desktop into the space beneath the bed.
The 2023 Living Vehicle range is available now, but an order placed today takes 10 to 12 months to complete. Those who prefer a digital and much less expensive getaway can play with an imaginary build on the full-featured configurator.
