ELKHART, Ind. – It became clear on Monday, opening day of Furrion’s new product showcase, that the RV and marine manufacturer is living up to its mission “to reinvent luxury living for a new generation.”
The lobby of Furrion’s 35,000-square-foot Innovation Center and Institute of Technology (ICIT) in Elkhart is featuring a host of new products, from its flagship ranges and refrigerators to rooftop air conditioners, security cameras and antennas. The products are designed primarily for OEMs, but many also will be available for aftermarket purchases.
Scroll down for photos.
“This event showcases numerous aspects of RV travel with a range of new products engineered for superior performance and designed with Furrion’s exclusive aesthetic,” Matt Fidler, co-founder and CMO for Furrion, stated in a press release. “We want to make mobile lifestyles high-tech, sophisticated, sustainable and comfortable for consumers. We are very excited to have this new showroom highlighting these products at the ICIT.”
Most of the products will be available starting in July for 2019 models. Many of the products underwent R&D that occurred in the ICIT. Many of the new products also have marine applications.
Chase Healey, director of specialty vehicle sales for Furrion, led RV PROon an hour-long preview of new products on the opening day of the event. Here are highlights on some of the new products, some that are firsts for the supplier:
- Furrion Chill, a lineup of standard height rooftop air conditioning units with “ultraquiet” technology designed primarily for towables.These AC units are rated at 13,500 BTU, 14,500 BTU and 15,500 BTU and will be available in satin white and black, and either ducted or ductless. They utilize a dual fan technology: one for pulling in the air and the other for pushing it out, which is somewhat new to the industry, said Healy. It is more energy-efficient and provides higher output at about a third less sound than its competition. “The goal is to achieve 30 degrees below outside temperature, which would be a third more or twice as much as our current competition,” said Healy. Many OEMs currently build RVs offering two rooftop AC units.
- A water heater, a 9-liter, on-demand tankless model. “A lot of our competition today uses either a 6-liter or a 10-liter tank water heater that once you use up that water, you’re out of hot water and have to wait for it to regenerate, whereas ours is on demand – it’s hot water throughout the day,” said Healey. “The great thing about it is it fits a standard 6-gallon space, so someone in the aftermarket could take out their standard 6-gallon, which is very, very popular in the industry, and replace it with an on-demand water heater.”
- Furrion Access, an omni-directional rooftop antenna with 4G LTE data and GPS tracking designed for aftermarket purchase. The antenna picks up AM/FM and TV signals from all directions. “It is prepped for a Wi-Fi boosting and 4G LTE system that can snap into the antenna,” said Healey. “This has been in development for the last three years. This is something we constantly hear in the RV industry that people are having a hard time getting good Internet. We think this really fixes that issue.”
- WirelessVision S vehicle observation and security systems, which feature one to four cameras. The system features a new snap-in capability that can allow the cameras to be snapped into the clearance lights. The rear camera also offers sound. Monitors are either 4.3-inch, 5-inch or 7-inch. The entire system can be purchased as an aftermarket product.
- Other new products include a portable air compressor, a lithium ion battery, 60-amp and 80-amp converters and a 1,000-watt pure sine wave inverter designed to work with residential refrigerators. Furrion’s new rooftop solar power charging system is in the final design stage but a prototype for OEM and aftermarket installation is being shown at the event.
Furrion also is offering several new products inside the kitchen:
- Chef Collection ovens, which will now be offered in three varieties: gas, electric, or gas and electric.
- A 20-cubic-foot French door refrigerator that’s not as deep as most other fridges its size, which Healey said is good for the industry. “It gives you a great countertop depth feel, flush up against the countertop, not sticking out,” he said.
- A new 14-cubic-foot 110-volt refrigerator intended to be built into the coach. A venting system in the bottom of the unit is designed for efficiency and longevity of the lifespan of the compressor.
- A 19-cubic-foot, Furrion Professional residential-style refrigerator. Still in the development stage, this model won’t be available until December, but is currently selling in Furrion’s European market.
- Its own line of Furrion pots and pans, as well as dishware, starting in July.
