The late humorist Erma Bombeck once cracked, “My idea of ‘roughing it’ is when you have to have an extension for your electric blanket.”
For those considering a camping vacation but are similarly averse to doing without even basic conveniences, but concerned with the environment, California tech company Evotrex has come up with a solution on wheels.
Unveiled Tuesday at 2026 CES in Las Vegas, it’s called the Evotrex- PG5– what the company is billing as the world’s first power-generating RV.
Indeed, under most circumstances the PG5 never requires an electric hookup at a campsite since the RV is equipped with multiple power sources that energize everything including its lights, kitchen appliances, HVAC and entertainment systems.
It’s also equipped to serve as an EV supercharger and can power a home to avoid peak service charges or provide juice during a blackout when it’s not on a trip.
“The vision is to create a future where humanity thrives in harmony with nature, and the mission is to transform that kind of outdoor experiences through technology and innovations,” explained Ivan Wang, Evotrex chief marketing officer, in an interview. “It’s one thing that we think it is universal, and that’s people all like to have sufficient energy to power appliances and to enjoy comforts while camping outdoors.”
Energy for the PG5 comes from multiple sources that include a 43 kWh LFP battery, 1.5 kW of solar power and its Horizon, a gas-powered onboard generator, essentially a range-extender, according to Wang.
“The beauty of that is, first of all, our trailer is self-propelled, so it’s got an electric motor in the high voltage battery pack,” noted Wang. “So when you are towing it, it provides torque assist. So it doesn’t matter whether you tow it with an EV pickup truck or you tow it with a traditional gas-powered truck, it gives you that extended range or improves your drive efficiency.”
When combined the various sources generate over 270 kWh of total usable power on a single cycle, to deliver continuous, self-replenishing energy for extended off-grid travel. Power is also automatically generated through solar, regenerative charging while towing.
A unique Evotrex feature for monitoring the PG5’s energy levels and needs is what the company calls its Power Calculator available on the its website. It’s basically a tool for figuring out how much power you’ll need for how long based on environmental factors, use and preferences.
Essentially, it’s to determine how long you can stay on the PG-5’s power and off the grid.
“You can still use HVAC like you would at home, but outside for up to three, four days,” explained Wang. “Then you can extend to up to seven days, 14 days, or even more, and as long as you have access to gas and water, then it’s essentially unlimited.”
Aside from its power self-sufficiency, the PG addresses the needs of those who desire comfort and convenience with a residential-size queen bed, a convertible dinette that sleeps two additional adults, high-efficiency appliances, a home-like dry bath that includes a full shower and toilet, a double-burner induction cooktop, convection microwave, range hood and refrigerator and a motorized patio deck.
The Evotrex-PG5 arrives as RV sales that spiked during the Covid pandemic remain fairly strong and are expected to increase in 2026 according to the RV Industry Association.
In its quarterly forecast the industry group forecast 2025 sales between 334,000 and 345,400 units and predicts shipments this year to range between 332,100 to 366,000 units.
One lingering affect from the pandemic RV sales spike, according to Stella Qin, Evotrex co-founder and head of its U.S. operations, is younger buyers showing interest in the RV lifestyle, where traditionally, the average customer ranged from their mid-50’s to retirement age.
It’s a trend Evotrex is hoping the PG-5 will accelerate.
“A lot of younger people, not super young, but millennials and late millennials, when they think of an RV park, the hookups, they’re probably shying away from that experience already,” said Qin. “But what we want to bring into the table is draw their attention back to what could be in line with their perspective, they’re connected. They have the glamping aspect of camping. They can still watch Netflix or even work or play.”
The PG-5 is available in two trim levels. The standard Pioneer model starts at $119,990, and the fully loaded PG5 Atlas is priced at $159,990, available for pre-order on the Evotrex website.
Production isn’t due to begin until late this year, so anyone ordering now can expect about a year’s wait for delivery, according to Wang.
Until then, anyone averse to “roughing it” might want to keep that extension cord for their electric blanket handy.
TTAC Creator Ed Garsten hosts ” Tales from the Beat,” a podcast about the automotive and media worlds. A veteran reporter and public relations operative, Garsten worked for CNN, The Associated Press, The Detroit News, Chrysler’s PR department and Franco Public Relations. He is currently a senior contributor for Forbes.
The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.
Republished with permission.
[Image: Evotrex]
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