Bowlus Unveils The Rivet, An Affordable Luxury RV

07.03.2024 - 15:15 / forbes.com / Long

Bowlus, which has established itself as a leader in luxury recreational vehicles in less than a decade, has announced a new model called the Rivet.

Described as Bowlus' most rugged travel trailer, it retains the trade-marked teardrop shape and the shiny aluminum skin of its siblings, but it is aimed at a younger, more adventurous market, says Geneva Long, the company’s Founder and CEO, who was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2020.

“Bowlus has already solidified the super-premium segment,” said Long, referencing the company’s all-electric Bowlus Volterra, which retails for $310,000 and I wrote about in Forbes. With the Rivet, we’re entering a new segment, the sub-$150,000 market, which is really big. We think this is a really sweet spot for luxury RVs, and the Rivet will be competing directly with high-end RVs like the Airstream Globetrotter and Tradewind. “

The Rivet is made with aerospace aluminum and aircraft-grade rivets, a visual marriage of the classic Art Moderne trailers of the 1930s and the technology of the 21st century. The monocoque construction is the same technique used by aircraft manufacturers. The Rivet has a relatively simple and compact floor plan in a 25 3" vehicle. There is a large separate bedroom with a king bed, an ensuite bathroom, and a spacious living room and kitchen area. It can sleep up to four but would be very comfortable for just two travelers. The interior resembles a sleek European hotel suite, not the folksy feel or tech-heavy look of many RV’s.

The eye-catching Rivet is sleek and minimal, both outside and inside. It’s the first production RV to be self-propelled, self-powered, and remote-controlled, enabling access virtually anywhere. The latter is courtesy of a $10,000 add-on that Bowlus calls the AeroMove, which is a remote-control device that allows user to navigate slopes of up to 25% grade and maneuver the Rivet into campsites and driveways, or even parallel park.

On the other hand, you may not need that add-on. Despite the formidable look, the Rivet is surprisingly lightweight, and the petite Long says she has no problem maneuvering it by hand. Its light weight also means you don’t need a monster truck to move it.

“Jeeps, Subarus and Teslas can tow it, thanks to its aerodynamic design and weight,” says Long. “We tested it with a Tesla Model X and it had a 235-mile towing range.”

Long resuscitated the historic Bowlus brand in 2014. Named after Hawley Bowlus, a designer, engineer, and aircraft builder, he was best known for his role as Superintendent of Construction for the aircraft Spirit of St. Louis, which Charles Lindbergh would fly on the first transatlantic flight. Bowlus created his own lightweight travel trailer in 1934, the Bowlus Road Chief and