RV Industry Gets a Boost from Lockdown Blues

That this has been a year like no other goes without saying. Much has been written about the the financial hardships generated by the lockdowns and the psychological impacts. The hunkering down that took place in 2020 made me wonder how the RV business went this year. As I checked a few sites I saw that things took a turn for the worse in March, in part because there were so many unknowns regarding the "novel coronavirus" as they were calling it. Sales were down 20% that month according to one story I read and 80% in April.

Then, things shifted. People did not want to be locked down, and saw the RV lifestyle as a means of escape. According to stats from the RV Industry Association, sales of began to take off in June, which had the most RV sales in over two years, and by fall motorhome and RV sales were so robust that by October Barrron's was writing about the best RV stocks to buy during this travel revival.

Recreatiional Vehicles (RVs) come in all shapes and sizes. Those that are motorized are categorized by class -- Class A, B or C, and a Super C that uses the same diesel power plant that you find in 18-wheelers. There are also those that people tow, including pop-up trailers and fifth wheels. My first trip into Mexico was in a pickup fitted with an over-the-cab camper that sat in the pickup bed.

According to the RVIA the RV industry makes a big footprint in our economy. More than 25 million Americans go RVing each year and we spend more than 60 billion dollars on maintenance and services. With sales of RVs and all that is involved in providing campgrounds and accessories, it's a 114 billion dollar industry. And 98% of all RVs are made in the USA. It's nearly a unique industry in that way. 

Here's an excerpt from their October 2020 Market Report:

The RV Industry Association's October 2020 survey of manufacturers found that total RV shipments finished the month with 47,326 units, an increase of 21.4% from the 38,972 units shipped in October 2019. This represents the second highest October on record.

Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, totaled 42,854 units for the month, an increase of 22.9% compared to last October’s total of 34,866 units. Motorhomes finished the month with 4,472 units, up 8.9% compared to the October 2019 total of 4,106 units.

I've always know that diesel engines were a big part of the power in motorhomes and RVs but I was surprised to learn that only 50% of motorhomes are diesel. For sure diesels will give you more power if you're climbing through the Rockies, but there are evidently pros and cons to everything in life. Here is a great debate about Gas vs. Diesel when it comes to RVs.

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Vintage camper trailer. Wanna get away?

If you're tired of being cooped up and feel a need to get away, motorhomes and RVs have given lot of people wings to fly with the breeze when the urge possesses. If this is all new to you, here is a blog post at KOA that serves as a Beginner's Guide to Buying an RV or Motorhomes.

Sources
Travel & Leisure
Barron's
KOA.com
Town & Country