AEONrv’s High-Tech RVs for Adventure Seekers

A unique blend of advanced technology and modern manufacturing processes is driving the growth of AEONrv, a relatively new participant in the growing off-road RV segment. Jim Ritchie, CEO and co-founder of the Reno, Nevada-based company, has forged a forward-thinking, green approach to off-grid RVing.

“We are not a traditional RV company in the sense of people who like taking RVs to RV parks,” Ritchie says. “For the most part, these are designed for adventurers and outdoor people. We are working very hard to bring a high-tech, modern approach to our process. Eventually, we hope to have robotics.”

AEONrv’s features include an “electric cabin” that has advanced lithium ion battery technology and doesn’t use propane. Its green technology features 800 watts of rooftop solar power. This allows the vehicle to run its systems for days without hookups.

The demographics of AEONrv buyers are intriguing. Ritchie describes them as middle- to upper-middle-class adventure-oriented people. Some are skiers. Some are bikers. All of them want to go off-road, and you probably won’t find them at a campground. A few are downsizers, choosing to live in the vehicle full time. Some younger buyers are also choosing it as a place to live, rather than spending money on an apartment or condo.

RVs Focused on the User Experience

AEONrv is one of a small number of niche RV builders opting not to create a dealer network. The company plans to continue its practice of selling direct. The reasoning is that this gives the manufacturer more control. Many customers travel to Reno to tour the factory and get an up-close look at the vehicle.

“We have a vision to open our own sales and service centers, but for right now, we are enjoying controlling the user experience,” Ritchie says. “We are building a lot of information infrastructure to do that. We have mobile support, with a mobile support engineer who drives around and provides support on the road. We will probably be expanding that feature.”

During late summer and early fall, AEONrv conducted a road tour with its new model. Stops included Overland Expo Mountain West in Colorado, Salt Lake City and Overland Expo East in Virginia. These shows provide a way to interact with customers and are well attended. At Overland Expo, AEONrv had its first organized company camping meetup. A dozen customers brought their vehicles. The event offers an opportunity for adjustments to their vehicles and a chance to upgrade to new solar panels.

The road trip is one example of how the company is customer focused. Customers drive updates, as do industry trends. During the past year, 25 improvements were made. Some are larger, such as the new solar panel system, while others are smaller refinements.

Scaling Up Production in Reno

Ritchie reports robust business in 2025, economic uncertainty notwithstanding. Sales have increased threefold over 2024. AEONrv is on target to deliver 100 vehicles this year.

Ritchie considers AEONrv, founded in October 2021, to still be in the scaling-up phase. The company has ramped up its manufacturing over the past four years, progressing from building one or two units per month to the current 10 per month. He describes it as a process.

“There are lots of documentations, process instructions, training, developing production lines — everything that goes into building a manufacturing facility, while maintaining and even increasing quality. That has been the focus of the last two years, and I feel like we have made very good progress. We are at the point where we will be capable of building 12 a month, then we will be able to double that without having to invent anything new.”

With manufacturing on a successful trajectory, Ritchie is addressing other aspects of the business. He hired a full-time marketing person in May, with the goal of building up public awareness. AEONrv is also expanding its sales and support functions.

AEONrv’s 70,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Reno has capacity for expansion. By boosting efficiency and adding more production lines, Ritchie hopes to grow production to 20 to 24 units per month. Growth beyond that will require acquiring more production space in the Reno area. That could happen as early as next year. To date, the company has produced just one model, with one floorplan, with incremental improvements each year. Product expansion is on the table for 2026. That will come in the form of a towable that will be off-road capable.

Ritchie and co-founder Lars Severin are both former tech executives from the San Francisco Bay area. They decided to locate their new company in Reno because Severin had semiretired to the area. Ritchie touts Reno’s advantages for manufacturing, with Nevada having initiatives to support industry growth. The region also has an outdoor-oriented environment.

Ritchie opted for the Ford Transit chassis due to its “intelligent” all-wheel drive system. Service is more readily available than for other chassis, he says, noting that nearly every small town in America has a Ford dealership that will work on a Transit. One of the things AEONrv does differently is base its model year on the chassis year, so models come out a little later in the year. The company does not preannounce specific new features until it releases the vehicle to customers.

New floorplans are under consideration. This includes a north-south facing bed rather than an east-west facing bed.

The company is also considering the use of more high-tech materials in its quest to reduce weight, while also adding cargo capacity. AEONrv vehicles are light compared to traditional RVs, but with the same capability.

Noise reduction is another goal.

“We are huge believers in anti-rattle,” Ritchie says. “One of the things that most annoys me about traditional RVs is how they can sometimes sound like they are going to fall apart. Because [our RVs] are all glued together, we don’t use mechanical fasteners, for the most part, to install anything. We use modern polyurethane industrial high-tech adhesives, which last longer than fasteners. They are flexible, yet incredibly strong, and make a nice build, in terms of no rattle.”

A Strong Foundation for Quality & Growth

Although looking for a suitable RV led to founding the company, Ritchie doesn’t have time to enjoy RVing now, devoting all of his time to developing a fast-growing startup. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest, spending a lot of time backpacking, hiking and camping.

“We started as tent campers, but sometimes my family rented RVs, back in the ’70s,” he recalls. “I never owned an RV, but eventually I had a van that I used for camping, and I always thought that when I retired, I would build an adventure van. That is how I designed this originally, back in 2000. My original idea was to build just one, for my own use. My friend Lars started helping me, and he is very handy and knew a lot about fiberglass. That is how the whole thing started.”

Ritchie says three factors drive AEONrv’s sound construction. One is the use of high-quality, yacht-grade components that won’t be found in most RVs. This includes stainless-steel fasteners and top quality copper wiring in the electrical systems. Another factor is a simple design approach. Gravity flow is used in drains instead of pumps. Water is on just one side of the vehicle, reducing the chance of leaks.

Thirdly, the manufacturing process stresses accountability, with each step documented. Workers have all the data on a handheld computer, including what steps are needed, what tools are needed and the time it should take for each task. Employment is growing, with 67 people working for the company as of early September. That’s up from 25 a year ago, and up from seven in 2023. Ritchie says he pays a fair wage, with good benefits. He offers a 401(k) and company stock.

“We keep them engaged by everyone owning a piece of the company,” he says. “That creates a culture of appreciation. We like to hire mountain bikers and skiers and hikers and hunters, [anyone who] is in the outdoors. Not everyone does all those things, but we like them to understand the culture and what we are trying to deliver with this product. It has been fun to hire smart people who can help us do that and see the company grow.

The company’s success is drawing accolades. Earlier this year, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology named AEONrv as its Manufacturing Company of the Year.

“We are really trying to raise the bar for quality in the RV world and build something that lasts for people, does the things they want it to do and takes them the places they want to go,” Ritchie says. “We want to make sure they have a great product.”