Shiver x Expandable 6×6 motorhome will deliver comfortable mobile lodging for a team of six

Posted on 19/12/2025 by Gaurav Sood

We have seen luxurious mobile homes, liveable work pods built on trailers, and compact campers to slide onto the truck beds. But this expandable rig is not going that route; it’s changing the spectrum by presenting itself as a first self-sufficient ‘dorm on wheels.’ Perhaps, Expandable Trailers, the company behind the build, will refrain from calling its dedicated creation something on those lines, but if you’re a team of six, requiring a ‘dependable space to rest, recharge, and regroup’ – before a game in the city or in the middle of a sandstorm – this expandable pod is all that you will want.

Expandable Trailers has custom-built this 30-foot expandable motorhome for Shiver Offroad, a prominent raid team that’s a regular at the Dakar Rally – a challenging desert race. It is based on a MAN 6×6 HD truck chassis for the team that needs a stable and comforting basecamp in the most remote place, without compromising space, facilities, and functionality necessary for all the individual and team needs. The compact Shiver Offroad mansion is designed to expand on location into a spacious living area for six.

Designer: Expandable Trailers

The Shiver x Expandable motorhome is not about pomp and show, even though it’s built on the Expandable Trailers’ signature expanding mechanism, which opens the interior on either side for all the necessary elements Shiver Offroad may need for its team of six. It is for all good reasons, a mobile space that puts functionality and comfort ahead of everything else. “No hassle with temporary tents or booking accommodations. Just pull up, expand, and get to work — or rest,” the company press information notes.

The glass exterior of this mobile rally base is topped with a full-size rooftop terrace. It starts as an open floor plan on the inside. For Shiver Offroad, it has, however, been customized to meet the team’s needs with fixed bunk beds for six members on one side (which presents itself like a shared dorm room). Each bed is provided with its own power outlet, a reading light, and a tiny storage compartment for stowing away personal belongings.

The pod is more than just an off-road capable mobile home. It is designed to be fully self-reliant with its own power supply from a generator and a battery. The expanding rig has a kitchen comprising a cooktop, sink, fridge, and storage cabinets. A dining area is also provided for the team members to have shared meals. Without the bathroom, this would be incomplete. We learn that it also features a separate shower room and a toilet, and a washer-dryer combo to handle the laundry. For when the team wants to wind down after the hustle, a small lounge space, along with a large window, makes it possible. Just outside – in the rear – is the spiral staircase leading to the terrace on the roof.

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Brabus Big Boy 1200 is possibly the most outstanding, feature-packed motorhome out there

Posted on 30/10/2024 by Gaurav Sood

The German high-performance automotive aftermarket tuning company Barbus has many laurels to its name. The marque has been customizing Mercedes and Porsches for the better part of its existence, now it is foraying into the RV market with what’s possibly the most outstanding motorhome on the block. Dubbed Big Boy 1200, the matte-black house on wheels is – as the name suggests – no small machine, it’s a luxe motorhome in the true sense.

Providing residents with 30 square meters (323 square feet) of constant interior space, the Big Boy increases floor space with four slide-outs on either side that expand the area by 15 feet. The interior is nicely laid out with a spacious lounge, a functional kitchen, an interesting bathroom and sleeping space for up to four people.

Designer: Brabus

On the outside, the Brabus Big Boy 1200 motorhome measures 12 meters long, which possibly suggests the numeric behind the name. Stationed on a tri-axle chassis, the 26,000kg mobile home, courtesy of its 12.8-liter six-cylinder turbodiesel engine, can run at a top speed of 90kmph with complete stability handled by its hydraulically extendable support. The entire frame is made from galvanized steel, while the interior has been dotted with evident hints of carbon fiber.

Of course, the Big Boy 1200 is massive and powerful, but these are not its only highlights. The motorhome’s ever-expanding structure, resting on self-adjustable legs, and black interiors are customized choicely for everyday luxury living. Brabus has positioned the motorhome to be low and features steps on the entry that electronically lower from the entry door. The dining table on the entry, behind the driver’s cabin, is where the carbon fiber accents begin to show up, especially in the used black wood for the dining table. The living room is fashioned with customized Brabus leather sofas with branded throw pillows and an entertainment system.

The adjacent kitchen is equipped with a fridge with carbon fiber accents, an induction cooktop, oven, and dishwasher. The bedroom at the rear of the motorhome features a king bed, large closet, wardrobe, expandable work desk with Paola Lenti chair, and a large-screen smart TV. The fascinating second sleeping space is hidden over the driver’s cab. It comprises an electrically lowerable bed cordoned off from the other living quarters by a black-out curtain.

The bathroom of the Big Boy 1200 is located centrally and is a convenient and usable space divided into three sections – open lavatory, rainforest shower floor-to-ceiling natural stone wall, and toilet. Other interesting aspects included are roof-top solar panels, battery, fresh and gray water tanks onboard, Starlink internet, 360-degree camera system, automatic AC, and a host of other smart home features. All this comes in an expensive package: The Big Boy 1200 is priced at $1.5 million by Brabus.

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THOR x Harbinger test world’s first hybrid Class A RV with 500 miles range, fulltimers take note

Posted on 27/09/2024 by Gaurav Sood

THOR Industries – the parent company of Airstream – has been at the forefront of plug-in-hybrid motorhomes, which could soon be on the verge of a new electric journey. In collaboration with electric vehicle company Harbinger, THOR has unveiled what it touts as the world’s first hybrid class A RV electrified for the future of RVing.

Range anxiety and long charging times have been deterrents in the acceptance of electric vehicles and electric RVs as a choice of living and traveling. With the hybrid motorhome chassis, built for THOR by Harbinger, the two are addressing the range requirements that have pestered the EV industry.

Designer: THOR Industries

The THOR test vehicle, built on this special plug-in hybrid electric chassis that mimics a truck or bus chassis, is tailor-made for the unique range requirements of the RV industry. The hybrid option could give RV owners that ultimate freedom each fulltimer desires from his Class A. This platform for RVs manufactured by Harbinger trades the usual gasoline and electric powertrain hybrid option with a low-emissions gas generator and electric option.

This range extender system allows the gas generator to power onboard a 140kWh battery, which means the RV users can get additional range in their trip and camp without the need of an EV charger at the campsite. The battery is also hooked to the rooftop solar panel, which also adds to the electric prowess of the powertrain. In collaboration, the entire unit can deliver up to 500 miles of range.

According to evidence from the test vehicle built on this new chassis, the electric powertrain not only offers unbelievable mileage but also delivers acceleration and torque almost twice that of a diesel engine. This means RVs based on this new system should be able to compete with the best in the market in power and performance, and outsmart them by miles in the range department. In addition to the range extender and solar power, the 800-volt electrical system of the Harbinger platform can be charged via a DC Fast Charger at traditional charging points. This option for quick charge means you will spend less time at the charger and more time on the road and camping in peace off-the-grid.

“Electrification will play a central role in the future of mobility, including RVing,” said THOR Industries President and CEO Bob Martin. Since, THOR Industries wants to be ready for the future well in advance, it is likely to show up RVs with this hybrid platform in 2025.