RV News: Ember at SEMA, Patriot Campers’ Aussie-Inspired Off-Road Trailer, and Much More

rv.com, RvLyfe

Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly RV industry news round up. As usual, there is plenty to cover so lets dive in. Here are a few interesting stories from the past week:

Ember Shows Off Overland Series Trailer at SEMA: Ember RV is in Las Vegas this week to take part in the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. The event brings together hundreds of different brands in the aftermarket car, truck, and RV industry, with thousands of interesting new products on display. This year, Ember has joined forces with Lippert, Curt, and RV Country to show off its excellent Overland Series 221MSL model, a travel trailer with a long list of outstanding features. Highlights include custom blacked-out aluminum wheels, a power package with 1,445W of solar and a 3,000W Victron inverter, and a Curt suspension with heavy-duty coil springs and dual shock absorbers.

Photo Credit: Patriot Campers

Aussie-Inspired Off-Road Travel Trailer Makes SEMA Debut: Ember wasn’t the only one showing off an impressive travel trailer at SEMA. Patriot Campers was also on hand and had a cool-looking towable to show off to the crowd. The Supertourer ST5 Finke Edition takes inspiration from Australia’s famous Finke Desert Race, with unique styling designed to evoke the country’s rugged desert terrain. The trailer is built to handle off-road travel and includes a durable steel chassis, a custom-built suspension, all-terrain tires, and more. Inside, the camper is surprisingly plush, too, with a large, comfy bed, well-equipped kitchen, and a unique bathroom configuration. Pricing starts at $120,200. Find out more here.
The Curt Helux Series Coil Spring Wins SEMA Award: Staying on the subject of the SEMA Show, Lippert was on hand showing off a wide variety of new products, including one that has garnered some hardware. The Curt Helux Series Coil Spring Fifth-Wheel Pin Box took home an award as one of the best new products of the year. The spring pairs with Lippert’s Touring Coil Suspension to reduce vibrations and stress on coupling points, dramatically reducing wear and tear on the trailer. Congrats to the entire Lippert team for that honor.

Aliner Adds Videos of 2025 Lineup to YouTube Channel: Video is one of the best ways to show off an RV, giving viewers a great look at all of the onboard amenities and a sense of the space the vehicle offers. Aliner—which makes a popular line of pop-up A-frame models— knows this as well as anyone, which is why the company recently added several new clips to its YouTube channel. Those videos take us on a walkthrough of the 2025 lineup. If you’re in the market for one of these smart and fun campers, give them a look.
Potential California RV Ban Explained: If you pay attention to the RV industry, you may have heard about a potential ban on the sale of some motorized RVs in California and six other states that follow the same guidelines. Thanks to the state’s Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) bill, RV manufacturers may not be able to sell diesel motorhomes there starting in 2025. This is all part of California’s attempt to advance the use of zero-emissions vehicles, which is putting the crunch on companies that make truck and RV chassis. There have been attempts to carve out exceptions for RV brands, but so far those efforts have fallen on deaf ears. As you can imagine, this is a highly complex and challenging issue, but fortunately, the RV Industry Association has written a detailed—and helpful—blog post to explain the situation. You can read it here.

Photo Credit: Kia

Kia Unveils Cute Concept Camper Van: The news out of SEMA just keeps coming. Kia—yes, that Kia—showed off a couple of new concept vehicles at the show, including a funky little camper van called the WKNDR (as in “weekender”) that has a number of interesting ideas. The futuristic looking Class B has a built-in rooftop tent for sleeping, a modular and customizable interior, and a large solar panel. The van is all-electric and built for traveling off-road, but sadly isn’t likely to go into production. Gear Patrol has more here.
Minnesota and North Dakota Join Outdoor Industry’s Confluence of States: The Confluence of States—a bipartisan organization that works to develop the outdoor industry across the US—welcomed its newest members in a special signing ceremony on October 16. Minnesota and North Dakota became the latest members to join the group, which now includes 18 states working together to promote and protect outdoor recreation. Find out more here.
RV Technician Association Training Scheduled for December in Texas: Heads up RV techs; the RV Technician Association has announced upcoming training sessions in Athens, TX, for early December. The event will offer continuing education and certification—along with the opportunity to network with others in the RV industry—on December 6-8. A variety of sessions and seminars will be available, allowing attendees to further hone their craft. Find out more here.