AEONrv Rev2—A better version of a better RV

Today’s RV review is of the updated AEONrv. What in the world is an AEONrv, you ask, and who are they? AEONrv is a Reno-based company that was started after its founder, Jim Ritchie, was renting RVs and wasn’t really pleased with what he was able to find. Being a serial entrepreneur, he decided to build his own RV. 

I have to say, there are plenty of times I have felt the same way but just didn’t have the resources to follow through. In fact, I still harbor dreams of building an RV out of a cargo trailer (here’s an article about that). But, being married, that may never happen. We shall see. 

CEO Jim Ritchie is quoted as saying, “The RVs I looked at purchasing were constructed with low-quality plywoods and plastics using staples and other flimsy fasteners that tend to fall apart over time and the insides rattle, especially when going off-road. I thought, we can build something far more durable and rugged, yet appealingly modern and sophisticated, and we’ll figure out how to do it at a price point that customers appreciate.”

If you haven’t stood up wherever you’re reading this and applauded, you haven’t been in an RV lately.

The model we’re looking at today is actually the AEONrv Rev2, owing to changes made in the features on this rig. 

What’s in a name

The name AEONrv is actually an acronym for All-season, Electric, Off-road New and modern RV. 

The first thing I want to address is the “Electric” portion of this. This is not an EV at all. So, the motivating force comes from a gasoline-fired V6 courtesy of Ford. But the electrical system on this is impressive nonetheless. 

AEONrv Rev2

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How it’s made

Since construction was such a pain point, let’s look at how these are made. The sidewalls on this are two-inch thick insulated laminated panels. The roof, back wall, and floor are the same materials but are 3 1/4” thick. Typically, laminated RVs feature aluminum studs in the wall, but these do not. So there is no heat loss in those studs, since there aren’t any. 

The corners are made of extruded man-made materials and then everything is glued together using industrial adhesives. 

According to Ritchie, these adhesives offer some flexibility but with incredible strength that can stand up to off-roading and rough terrain. The interior cabinets, too, are adhered to the wall with the same adhesive. 

“Nothing will rattle around or come off over time as you go down the road,” said Jim Ritchie, CEO. 

Bathroom in the AEONrv

There is a lot of advanced tech in this rig—but first, let’s take a tour. You may think it odd that the bathroom is right at the entry door, but it is actually brilliant. As you walk in, there’s effectively a mud room. When this space is described as being a great place to let skis or jackets or boots dry off, it really makes sense. 

There’s one of those pull-out clothes lines so you can hang wet things. This threshold is also the shower for the rig and the bathroom here is sort of a wet bath. There’s a curtain that draws around the space when you’re using this as a shower, plus a Nautilus-style shower screen to separate you from the rest of the coach. 

This space also specifically has a duct from the furnace and a high-performance vent fan to facilitate drying your wet things more effectively. 

There’s also a drop-down sink behind the toilet which is a cartridge toilet, but you can also opt-in a composting toilet. 

Main living space in the AEONrv

This RV has no slide rooms and there is a huge pass-through storage under the bed, so this isn’t going to offer diesel pusher space. But it’s still not a bad place to be. 

There’s a dinette on the road side with a large polycarbonate window that incorporates a screen and shade. The dinette seats are 32 inches wide, so whether this is a four-place dinette or two depends on your own hind end, I suppose. 

There’s a Lagun-style table for the dinette. That table has a mount both on the wall, so you can use it as a dinette, and also on one of the benches of the dinette. This facilitates using the table as a standing desk or as prep space for the kitchen. This is good, as prep space is minimal. 

The kitchen features a sink, of course, and the standard issue here is a single-burner induction cooktop like this one. A two-burner model is available as an option, as is a very small microwave that would fit into an overhead cabinet. 

Speaking of cabinets, these are also very well made with overhead cabinets above the kitchen area, the dinette and on either side of the bed in the back. The cabinet doors, too, are a laminate material. 

There are also a lot of drawers under the sink as well as a pull-out pantry. Another very large drawer is under the fridge, along with a shelf for pet bowls. 

While talking Fidos and Fluffies, this thing actually has a mode where you can monitor the temperature remotely and automatically kick on the furnace or air conditioner so the pets stay comfortable. 

Storage and seasons

There are additional drawers at the very back of this rig and, when you pull out the bottom two drawers, they become the steps to get into the queen-sized bed in the back of the rig. The amount of storage inside this RV is impressive. 

But that bed is perched over a very large storage bay accessible from the outside. This bay has a 32-inch height, so eBikes can fit back there. The compartment is also heated and is where the fresh water tanks and water filtration system are so they won’t freeze. 

That water filtration system can remove particles as small as 0.2 microns. 

There are “L” track rails in this compartment as well as on the exterior back of this rig, so you can also hang things there as you need. 

Something I really liked is that the vehicle uses two sources to heat the water. One of those is a 120vac heating system. But the smarter way is to use the engine’s coolant lines to heat the water. According to the company, after about an hour of driving, the water in the tank can reach up to 190°F. Plus, it’s a stainless steel tank. But this is almost free heat. Brilliant.

New and Modern

Part of the name AEONrv is “New and modern”—and this thing truly has an exceptional power and climate control system. 

This newer model comes with 800 watts of solar on the roof feeding 8.2kWh self-heating 24V Battle Born LiFePO4 battery pack, upgradable to 10.9kWh or 13.6kWh. You can also charge this with the alternator on the rig or, of course, shore power, if you want to live in the Stone Age. 

There’s a 3,000-watt inverter and most of the components in this rig are Victron pieces with the exception of a few bits and the Battle Born/Dragonfly batteries. 

Many of the DIYers that I follow have employed what’s called a Mini Split AC and heat system because they are so very quiet and also extremely efficient. This RV is one of the few that also does so. Further, this has a heating system that uses the vehicle’s gasoline if temps get really cold. 

Conclusions

They don’t sell a lot of these but, for those who want an off-road capable, off-grid capable RV, this is an exceptional example. There is so much right with this design. 

But I can also see how the aesthetics won’t appeal to everybody. This is also relatively compact, which is great when you’re going off-road but not so much if your plans mostly include RV resorts. Blech, give me the woods rather than a concrete pad. But that’s why there’s something for everybody. 

If you’re one of those who likes being off the grid and want an RV that can stand up to that, this is one of the best motorized units I’ve seen for that. 

More about these RV reviews

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. They are based on information from a single unit and may not reflect your actual experience. Shop your RV and dealership carefully before making a buying decision. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

Tony comes to RVtravel.com having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. He also works closely with a number of RV manufacturers to get an inside look at how things are done and is a brand ambassador for Rockwood Mini Lite with his wife, Peggy.

You can also check out his RV podcast with his wife, Peggy. 

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