RollAway Is the Latest in Mobile Luxury Hospitality and GM's In on It: Rent, Sleep, Repeat

RollAway is nothing more than a start-up from good ol' California that's setting out to change how we look at on-road living and even take vacations. Considering the word "disrupt" is popular among the common folk like you and me, I want to take the opportunity to use it because these folks are disrupting the whole glamping and adventure system. Or are they?

The idea behind what you see in the gallery is very simple. I want you to imagine a turnkey, luxury camper van with five-start amenities and living standards. Best of all, the entire premise of RollAway is that you can rent a unit and drive off the lot toward whatever X is on your map. In short, it's a rent-a-camper service and then so much more.

At this stage in the project, RollAway is only in the pre-booking stages, but the goal is to offer three camper variations to interested persons. One unit is dubbed the GlampVan, another the LuxVan, and finally, the QuadVan, each with its unique interior and capabilities.

For example, the GlampVan is the most basic version available and can accommodate two guests while offering the amenities you need to consider yourself on vacation. There's a kitchen with a two-burner top, sink, and plenty of cabinetry, but there's a shower, toilet, living room, and bedroom too.

Up next is the LuxVan. Again, two people are the recommended limit of guests, but this version is for those that want to experience the next level of glamping. Here, a "spa-class" bathroom, a larger living/dining area, and a queen-sized bed fit for royalty give the unit its name.

The final variation we can opt for is the QuadVan. This is where things get a tad interesting. The QuadVan is that green and black machine we see in the gallery, and as its name would suggest, it's suitable for up to four guests and inclusive of amenities like a full-size bathroom and larger living areas, granted by the use of a different base vehicle than the other two units. Different in what sense?

If you happen to check out the RollAway website, the LuxVan and GlampVan are based on your typical cargo van, be it a Ford, Mercedes-Benz, or whatever brand RollAway ends up using, but for the QuadVan, the vehicle supplier has already been chosen, and the result is 100% electric. Guess who is in business with RollAway? None other than GM, or at least one of their subsidiary businesses, BrightDrop.

By the looks of things, it will be the one and only EV in the BrightDrop lineup, the 2024 Zevo 600, giving this bugger a maximum range of up to 250 miles (402 kilometers) per charge. If we also consider that RollAway mentions this brand has always been "envisioned to be a sustainable hospitality brand," I feel it's safe to say that we may end up renting out a Zevo on our next vacation or road trip.

OK, this business is green, and it doesn't require me to own an RV to start enjoying the off-grid living wave that's been happening in recent years. But what about those "five-star" comforts and amenities? Let's consider that you're getting yourself a mobile hotel room. You need to know that you'll have a "virtual concierge" to help you plan your trip with "curated travel itineraries" for a seamless experience. Why? So that you come back next year and the year after. All this, from a tablet and the soon-to-be-available Hospitality On-Demand app from RollAway.

To understand how far this idea has been projected into the future, some of the luxuries include "farm-to-table breakfast." RollAway has partnered up with local and sustainable farms to prepare breakfast packages on to go, and with each new stop, you'll be munching on food made by different hands. The same will be true for the housekeeping routine in your rolling habitat. At some point, anyway. For now, just a "Housekeeping On The Go Kit" is thrown in, so you'll have to change your own sheets.

The rest of your experience will be coupled with features like Starlink for flawless WiFi access anywhere, and even off-grid gear manufacturer YETI is coming to the game with some of their own goods. Final touches include the spa-level toiletries and, well, you, the reader. That's the only thing missing from the RollAway picture.

So, the idea shaping this whole thing sounds pretty neat: hit the road with a tailored experience in an RV that you didn't pay tens of thousands of dollars just to own. But, as you can imagine, some questions remain unanswered.

For instance, what happens to a unit after someone has used it? Can I book a one-way trip? Can I explore outside of San Fran? Is the concierge on-call 24 hours a day in case of emergencies? How do we handle emergencies? Will I need any training to operate all systems in the RV properly? These kinds of questions. Eventually, there will be hubs where RollAway vans are parked and getting their sheets changed, recharged, and you're eating breakfast and enjoying the show. Now I get the whole "Drive-In" bit.