There's no harm in a little bit of daydreaming, right? There might be, if you're the one doing it when you should be paying attention to other stuff. But if an established RV manufacturer like Hymer is doing it, it's a way of looking forward to the future of the RV industry.
Whenever companies dream of the future, they do so by means of concepts, whether through CGI studies or fully functional demonstrators. Concepts are a way of trying to predict future trends and to somehow anticipate them; it's getting ahead of the curve under the guise of a hypothetical discussion and a way of pushing the envelope with currently available tech, hypothetically carried into its next development stage.
Most concepts never outlive their initial stages, and that's because they’re not meant to. They are creative exercises that serve a multitude of purposes, including that of offering possible solutions to today's problems.
The Galileo Concept is one such hypothetical solution for the RV market, offering the perfect motorhome for any and all travelers, regardless of their needs, priorities, or destinations. It's modular and fully customizable, it's smart, and it drives itself, allowing travelers to enjoy their vacation from the very first mile. How's that for a unicorn?
Photo: Erwin Hymer Group
The Galileo RV is not real, so yes, it's a unicorn in more ways than one.
It was unveiled right after the premiere of the Camper VisionVenture one-off concept at the 2019 edition of the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, which Hymer developed with chemical company BASF on a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. Galileo never made it beyond render stage, and imagines the future in 2030, when the tech for autonomous and electric vehicles will have matured, allowing us to take full advantage of it.
The biggest "win" in this respect is in terms of the layout. Since the motorhome no longer requires a driver's cabin or a powertrain with a traditional engine, the whole of the cabin becomes a living space. The motorhome becomes a living pod, one of those lounges on wheels that were so popular that year with anyone from established car makers to startups.
Photo: Erwin Hymer Group
A pod would make a lot of sense with an RV, as the structure would open up countless possibilities. The Galileo is a good example in this sense, while also showing how automation would help in designing the "perfect" motorhome.
Since it's all-electric, the Galileo RV sits on a flat skateboard chassis that integrates the batteries and the motors. A configurator would allow customers to choose their dream options, which would then be built into standard shells of the Galileo. These customized bodies would then be plopped onto the skateboards and sent their way to their new owners.
The demo video released by the company (available below) shows the difference in layout between an RV for a couple and a unit for a family with kids. The former features a comfortable lounge with swiveling chairs and an L-shaped kitchen, while the latter comes with a main bedroom, bunks, and a more compact kitchenette.
Photo: Erwin Hymer Group
Differences aside, though, they both benefit from an enhanced footprint compared to today's RVs, and they're both very luxurious.
Hymer imagines the Galileo with smart glass in the windows, displaying essential stats like the destination and ETAs, shopping lists, or tips on making the stay at the destination more enjoyable. Even the mirror in the bathroom is smart, doubling as a health station.
For once, the RV is not just a means to get from A to B and have the vacation start once you reach point B, but part of the vacation experience. Since it's so fancy, it could even double as a glamping unit during the vacation, a sort of rolling luxury condo.
Without the stress of driving, the vacation starts from the first mile, Hymer says. The company obviously imagines battery tech and the charging infrastructure will also have evolved enough by 2030 to allow extended drives without range anxiety or, even better, the need to stop on the way to recharge.
Photo: Erwin Hymer Group
Modularity would allow for different ways of bringing the product to the people, making it a suitable alternative even for those on a budget.
Hymer believes such an RV would work both as a privately owned motorhome and highly personalized rental, in which case it would be customized differently ahead of each trip. The Galileo is a vision of a luxurious and highly personalizable future that goes beyond simple ownership, allowing each guest to choose exactly what they want from it before the trip.
The Galileo Concept imagines the RV of tomorrow not so much as a means of getting to where you want to be but as a complete ecosystem that brings the vacation closer to you and, in so doing, fully transforms it into a different experience. Daydreaming – who said it was a bad thing?!
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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