Our unending search for hardwearing, zero-wood camping trailers has brought us to American builder LIV, a young company that skips common materials like fiberglass in favor of a welded thermoplastic construction. Its "Lightweight Innovative Vehicles," then, have none of the vulnerabilities associated with wood or hardware-fastened panels, delivering leakproof, rot-free performance. The company announced its latest innovation this month, adding a completely all-electric off-grid travel trailer to its stable.
Founded in Georgia in 2022, LIV is among the younger upstarts looking to disrupt an American RV establishment known to lean too heavily on cheap stick-and-tin constructions. LIV parent company International RV Manufacturing also takes a different tack from brands that specialize in molded fiberglass, instead bending, shaping and fusing multiple sheets of thermoplastic (TP) into a trailer unibody.
"Every LIV trailer is a single thermoplastic shell," LIV explains. "Instead of screwing wood frames together and hoping the caulk holds, we heat-fuse our composite panels — roof, walls, and wheel wells become one continuous skin. Nothing to seam, nothing to seep, nothing to rot."
Beyond fending off common problems, the welded-TP unibody construction results in a rugged, lightweight living module. Multiple 17- and 18-ft series (5.2 and 5.5-m) LIV trailers have dry weights under 2,000 lb (907 kg), and its smallest truck camper slides in a touch under 1,000 lb (454 kg).
As for travel-worthy ruggedness, LIV says: "A welded cage doesn’t have joints to work loose. Push on it and the load distributes across the whole shell instead of finding the weakest fastener. That’s the structure that’s 'strong enough to stand on' — and the same structure the 10-Year limited warranty on the frame covers, with no carve-outs for off-road use."
While reviews on LIV's ultimate robustness and insulation are mixed, the company has forged ahead in its few short years on the market, building out a full lineup with more than a dozen different trailer and pickup camper models with starting prices from under US$20K to the mid $40s. This month, it provided a sneak peek of the newest family member, previewing what it's billing "the most ambitious thing" it's ever rolled out of its factory.
Called the E-Leaf Offroad, the new trailer will premiere as LIV's first all-electric model, and while that's less impressive for a towable trailer than a powered motorhome, it still represents the admirable feat of replacing all the mandatory propane, diesel and/or gasoline use via an all-electric appliance set backed by a robust electrical system.
LIV details the tentative specs of that system, starting with a 300-Ah lithium battery. That's charged via a 400-W rooftop solar setup with Bluetooth monitoring and a 20-A DC-to-DC charger connected to the tow vehicle. A 3,000-W inverter, meanwhile, distributes electricity out to AC appliances.
LIV does intend to cheat a little bit on the all-electric billing, packaging in a 2,550-W inverter-equipped generator as a backup power source. It does not mention what fuel source runs that generator, but the photo shows a fuel generator that's likely either a gasoline or dual-fuel gasoline/propane model ... which ultimately necessitates a bold asterisk after any mention of an "all-electric," "gas-free" or "zero-emissions" equipment package.
Inside, LIV teases a three- to four-person cabin that includes a foldaway double bed and a gaucho sofa that serves as seating and extends slightly into a second bed. The underside of the Murphy bed houses a bar-style dining table that works with a set of folding stools.
Despite the trailer's compact size, LIV is able to carve out a dedicated corner kitchen with L-shaped worktop. The all-electric appliance set includes a single-burner electric cooktop, door fridge/freezer and microwave.
The E-Leaf Offroad also has a bathroom with toilet and shower. The 30-L electric water heater provides warm showering.
Other planned E-Leaf equipment includes a 32-in TV and an air conditioner with heat pump. While the trailer certainly won't be the most rugged in forest wearing an "Offroad" label, it will come equipped with off-road wheels, diamond-plate reinforcements and a full-size spare.
Judging from the photos, LIV's latest launch shares a platform with the 13 Leaf trailer, which measures in at 17.2 feet (5.2 m) in total length, its "13"-series designation referencing a body length just over 13.5 feet (4.1 m). The standard 13 Leaf tares in at 1,890 lb (857 kg) dry, but the E-Leaf Offroad will likely tack on a few hundred extra pounds because of its enhanced electrical spec and off-road build.
LIV will finalize the spec sheet before announcing the complete details ahead of production. It has already noted that the E-Leaf Offroad will start under $25,000.
Source: LIV RV
