RV News: Tiffin Reveals Limited Edition Phaeton, Ford has a One-Off Expedition Overland Vehicle, and More

It was a fairly quiet week for RV industry news, but we still managed to dig up a few stories worth sharing. Here are a few things you might want to know about:

• Tiffin Launches Limited Edition Phaeton to Honor Founder: When Bob Tiffin founded Tiffin Motorhomes way back in 1972, he probably had no idea that the company would still be going strong more than five decades later. Still, his vision has made the brand one of the most respected and well-known in the industry. To celebrate Bob’s 84th birthday, the company has announced that it is launching a very exclusive version of its Phaeton Class A coach. The Bob Tiffin Limited Edition Phaeton comes with a special paint scheme inspired by the Rocky Mountains and includes special details that recognize the founder’s appreciation of classic cars. Available in two floor plans—the 40 RTH and 44 RTH—will be available for the 2027 and 2028 model years, with just 42 individual units made each year. Yep, that’s 84 total rigs to celebrate the occasion. Find out more here. 

• Ford Shows Off One-of-a-Kind Expedition-Based Overland Vehicle: Ever wonder what a Ford Expedition would look like as an overlanding vehicle? If so, you’re in luck, because this week the Blue Oval revealed a one-off prototype dubbed the Ford Expedition Tremor: Project Overland. Built in conjunction with Fox Factory Vehicles, this rig features a 2″ lift kit, F-150 Raptor R wheels on BFGoodrich KO2 all-terrain tires, an F-150 Tremor bumper, and a Warn winch. It also features a Fox suspension, a set of Tred Pro recovery boards, and a Yakima Skyrise HD rooftop tent with an OverNOut awning. The “test build” was meant to see what an overlanding Expedition would look like, with the possibility of an official version coming in the future. Car and Driver has all the details here. 

• Harbinger Motors Raises $240 Million for Continued Development: This week, Harbinger Motors, a company that builds electric chassis for medium-duty vehicles, raised $240 million in a Series D funding round. That investment comes in part from Thor Industries, the parent company of Airstream, Keystone, and Tiffin, amongst others. The two brands have partnered with one another to work on an all-electric RV, based on the Harbinger platform. Other investors include Fidelity Management & Research Company; Squarepoint Capital; and Xantium. These funds will help continue research and development on the EV chassis, as well as energy storage, autonomy software, power generation, and other applications. Read more here. 

• Ember RV Takes Home First RVDA Quality Circle Award: We’ve been big fans of Ember RV for a while now, and it is nice to see the company getting recognized for its outstanding towables. This week, Ember received its first-ever Quality Circle Award from the RV Dealers Association. These prizes are handed out to manufacturers who achieve the highest standards from the Association’s Dealer Satisfaction Index, which comes from a survey of RV dealers across the country each year. Congratulations to our friends at Ember for this impressive honor. 

• Trump Administration Reveals Plans to Sell Public Lands: On Tuesday of this week, the US Department of the Interior revealed its strategic plan for the next four years of operation, which includes plans to sell public lands. This isn’t a new idea, as the White House has made suggestions that it might do this very thing in the past, but now, it looks increasingly like it could happen. The strategic plan indicates the lands would be sold off to “states, localities, and Tribes” in an effort to reduce the size of the “federal estate.” As you can imagine, the very idea of selling off public lands has raised concerns with conservation groups and other watchdog organizations, which fear those lands could fall into the hands of public entities instead. Our friends at GearJunkie have more details here. 

• Starlink Mini 2 Adds Swappable Battery to the Mix: Starlink satellite internet service has been a revelation for many RVers, allowing them to stay connected wherever they travel. And when the SpaceX-owned company debuted its portable Mini receiver a while back, it provided users with even more freedom to roam. Now, the all-new Mini 2 brings some intriguing features, including a swappable battery that can help extend usage while wandering off-grid. The receiver can operate for up to 4.5 hours on a single battery, but a second battery (sold for $50 each) will double that time. The Starlink Mini 2 sells for $999 and includes one year of Starlink Roam service, making it an all-around great deal. Learn more here. 

• 11 Million People Will Travel By RV This Holiday Season: With Thanksgiving now less than two weeks away, we’re rapidly approaching the 2026 Holiday Season. That means plenty of people will be traveling over the next six weeks, including the days leading up to, and just after, the new year. According to a new study by the RV Industry Association (RVIA), 63% of respondents say traveling by RV is more affordable than other means of transportation, while 49% say they plan to attend family gatherings in their RV over the next 12 months. Read RVIA’s 2026 Winter Travel Intentions survey for further insights.

That’s all for this week. See you next Friday for another edition of our weekly RV news roundup.