Self-Propelled and Remote-Controlled Luxury Travel Trailer: Meet the 2025 Bowlus Rivet

Luxurious, aerodynamic, lightweight, and with a unique look, the Bowlus is set apart from the sea of camper trailers on the market. For 2024, it is adding a new model to the lineup, one that is slightly smaller, more off-road-capable, and much less expensive. Oh, and it can be optioned with a system that allows you to park it via remote control. Introducing the Bowlus Rivet.

“Bowlus has a long history of building RVs for a lifetime of adventures, and the Rivet certainly delivers on the Bowlus standard of incredible build quality while also offering features for rugged experiences. We don’t spend time with cute concepts as a privately held company. Instead, we do the tough work to make things happen, which means we deliver durable features that speak directly to RV owners.”

— Geneva Long, Bowlus Founder & CEO

2025 Bowlus Rivet Specs

• Length: 25’3″
• Starting price: $165,000 (eligible for $16,500 tax credit)
• Dry base weight: 2,800 lbs.
• GVWR: 3,500 lbs.
• Materials: Aluminum (frame, interior, and exterior)
• Power systems: 8kWh lithium batteries, 400W (up to 660W) of solar
• Amenities: Sleeps 4, hydronic heating, A/C, 3″ lift kit, Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires, shower, toilet, kitchen (sink, induction cooktop, microwave, 12V fridge, stainless steel countertops), 20 gallons fresh water tank, 21-gallon gray water tank, 3,000W inverter
• Options: AeroMove ($10,000), awning ($520), propane tank backup ($750), smart television ($750)

Bowlus Camper Trailers

Bowlus makes some gorgeous super-luxury camper trailers, the Terra Firma and Volterra. The new Rivet is the smallest, most basic, and by far the least expensive (over $100,000 less) of the bunch. The Rivet does not have things like an outside table, charging station, continuous hot water, water filtration, heated floors, tablet mounts, included bedding, or a mobile router — which its stable mates have.

The Bowlus Rivet is, however, more rugged in a number of ways. Instead of wood interior panels, the Rivet uses anodized aluminum to help keep weight down, add durability for bouncing down dirt roads, and reduce costs. The camper trailer also has a 3-inch lift and all-terrain tires. Aluminum is not only for the exterior and interior, but also for the frame — all of which are made in-house at Bowlus.

The Rivet is 25’3″ long, while only weighing in at 2,800 pounds. That means you get a full-featured comfortable travel trailer that can sleep four and be towed by just about any SUV or truck, including EVs.

Inside the Rivet, you get a king-size bed in the trailer’s tail. Moving forward in the trailer, you get a separate toilet room and a separate shower room. Up front, you get a comfortable living room with a dinette and a full kitchen.

All appliances — A/C, heat, fridge, water pump, stove, microwave, etc. — are electric. To power all those systems — some, like the A/C, with big power needs — is an 8kWh lithium battery bank. An up-to-660W solar array on the roof of the trailer helps keep the batteries topped off when traveling off grid.

The 8kWh battery pack in the Rivet camper trailer can also emergency charge an EV. This would be done through an interior outlet, so not all that convenient or efficient, but an option. If the trailer battery is fully charged, it should provide approximately 27 more miles of range to your EV.

Bowlus AeroMove

Bowlus claims that the Rivet “is the first production RV to be self-propelled, self-powered, and remote-controlled.” While there are a number of camper trailer concepts with these features — Pebble Flow, Airstream eStream, Lightship L1 — we haven’t seen any actually come to market just yet.

Bowlus calls its trailer propulsion system “AeroMove.” The system costs an additional $10,000. The AeroMove system is said to be able to propel the trailer up 25% grades and be so maneuverable that it can parallel park.

“AeroMove is something campers have only dreamed about until now. We have been quietly working on this feature for over five years to hone the best functionality for our customers — we are so pleased to feature this game-changing technology”

— Geneva Long, Bowlus Founder & CEO

The AeroMove system is designed for use when the trailer is detached from your vehicle, not for helping propel it down the road (like some competitors are planning to bring to market). Bowlus’s CEO, Geneva Long, says that propulsion of that kind is unnecessary with this lightweight aerodynamic design. She claims that a Tesla Model X will retain up to 73% of its advertised range when towing a Bowlus Rivet.

2025 Bowlus Rivet Pricing & Availability

The Rivet will run you $165,000. Of course, if you want the self-maneuvering AeroMove feature, you’ll have to shell out another $10,000. Beyond the purchase price, you are likely also qualify for a substantial tax credit, up to $16,500 on the Rivet trailer. That drops the starting price to $148,500.

The basics of the tax credit opportunity are this: “The residential clean energy property credit under Section 25D is a 30% credit for certain qualified expenditures made by a taxpayer for residential energy efficiency.” To go more in-depth on whether you and the Bowlus qualify, read this explanation by Bowlus and consult your tax accountant.

Deliveries start in May/June of this year for the 2025 Bowlus Rivet camper trailers. Reserve your Bowlus Rivet now with a $100 refundable deposit.

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