Camping is all about sustainability, but oversized motorhomes often leave more than just footprints – or tyre tracks, in this case. KZ Recreational Vehicles wants to change that tune with its new self-sustainable, lightweight Sonic X RV. The hand-built caravan debuted recently at the RVX expo in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it looks ready to take on anything.

KZ RV built the 8-metre Sonic X with firsts in mind. It's the first "self-sustainable" caravan, the company notes. Nine lithium-ion batteries store up to 1,000 kilowatts absorbed by the roof-mounted solar panels. Even with solar panels on the roof, though, there’s still room for a specially designed kayak rack.

KZ RV Sonic X

The Sonic X utilises a first-of-its-kind Secondary Infinite Water System (SIWS). Place the attached 7.5-metre hose in a river, lake, or stream, and let the heavy-duty pump and advanced water filtration system do the work of storing up to 380 litres of clean water in the Sonic X. In an effort to keep the ultra-posh cabin warm, the caravan also has deep-tinted frameless windows that prevent ultraviolet light from penetrating the cabin, and a set of coated Chroma roller shades.

KZ RV Sonic X

But arguably the Sonic X's most forward-thinking feature is its carbon fibre body panels. As the company notes, the panels use the same material present in some of the “world's fastest and most luxurious supercars.” The carbon fibre construction keeps the trailer light, and thus easier to tow. Meanwhile, 30-inch off-road tyres and a Rock Buster skid plate ensure it can handle rougher terrain, too.

"We are committed to protecting the environment, so we set out to develop a concept that reflected one of our core brand missions,” said Aram Koltookian, President of KZ RV. “When developing the Sonic X, we wanted to build the ultimate, self-sustainable RV that is both durable on the outside and features a modern interior for today's lifestyle.”

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KZ Recreational Vehicles (KZ RV), a subsidiary of Thor Industries, and a manufacturer of recreational vehicles including travel trailers, fifth wheels and toy haulers, today announced the debut of the award-winning Sonic X RV, recognized for its forward-thinking design, eco-friendly features and unparalleled quality. The Sonic X concept ushers in a new era of innovation for the RV industry. With its many industry-firsts, the prototype sets a refreshing precedent that showcases how new designs and technologies are influencing modern RV development.

Developed with every kind of traveler in mind, the Sonic X RV is the industry’s first self-sustainable lightweight RV and was built by expert craftsmen using the most advanced materials and cutting-edge technologies. The Sonic X will be on display in the KZ RV booth (#2700L) at The RV Experience (RVX), March 12-14 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Sonic X RV has been chosen to be part of an exclusive Judges Choice showcase, highlighting the best of the best RV’s that have been carefully selected by a panel of industry leaders.

“We are committed to protecting the environment so we set out to develop a concept that reflected one of our core brand missions,” said Aram Koltookian, President of KZ RV. “When developing the Sonic X, we wanted to build the ultimate, self-sustainable RV that is both durable on the outside and features a modern interior for today’s lifestyle. The design is made to be mindful of the environment by using lightweight materials and clean, renewable energy sources to operate the RV. I am pleased that five of the seven units KZ is bringing won Judges Choice in 4 different categories”

“We are thrilled with how this prototype turned out and are incredibly excited to see how Sonic X will be received by our dealers and retail customers” said Bob Martin, CEO of THOR Industries. “As the global RV leader, THOR has a responsibility to push the industry forward and this concept from KZ is a perfect example of the value we put on inventive projects to fulfill that duty.”

Clean Energy & Sustainability

The Sonic X RV employs innovative technologies to create an environmentally conscious trailer. Powered by clean energy, the RV is the first 26-foot trailer in the industry to have endless solar power. The trailer’s roof-mounted solar panels produce 1,000 watts of power, which can be stored on the unit’s nine Lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, the Sonic X utilizes a Secondary Infinite Water System (S.I.W.S) with a heavy-duty water pump, 25-foot hose and water filtration, which can be connected to fresh water sources such as a stream, river or lake and can store up to 100 gallons of water.

The trailer is also equipped with deep-tinted frameless windows to provide an ultraviolet (UV) barrier from the exterior to the interior, Chroma coated roller shades to reduce heat penetration through the windows, interior and exterior LED lighting, 2- 900 CFMS power fans and 2-20# LP tanks with auto-changeover.

Exterior Features

The Sonic X RV has a carbon fiber body, which gives the unit the same durability and lighter weight of some of the world’s fastest and most luxurious supercars. The lightness of the carbon fiber allows for greater versatility, as it can more easily navigate the confinements of a city as well as the great outdoors. To build the frame of the trailer. KZ used a process called HUCK bolting, which is five times stronger than welding, further reinforcing the trailer’s durability.

Details of the Sonic X exterior include:

  • Torsion axles with 30-inch off-road tires
  • Rock Buster Skid Plate
  • Exclusive LevelMate Pro leveling system with four high speed power stabilizer jacks
  • Aluminum Step Above System
  • Lighted power tongue jack
  • Triple tube bumper and 360 degree nerf bars adds protection from damage on or off-road
  • Kayak rack (Designed for the Sonic X RV)
  • Integrated bike rack can carry up to 4 bikes
  • 30-amp detachable marine-grade power cord with light
  • Exterior entertainment center with HDTV, Bluetooth sound bar and PlayStation 4 gaming system
  • Back-up camera
  • Four roof-mounted high definition LED light bars
  • Large pass-thru storage with slam latch door and magnetic catches and full LED light strip

Interior Design

The interior features of the Sonic X show the potential for new RV platforms:

  • Euro-designed ultra-soft furniture package with midnight accents
  • Custom butcher block dining table
  • Ten-second Murphy bed system (sofa by day and bed by night) allowing for 22% more living room area
  • Gas/electric seven cubic-foot refrigerator
  • Dual power fan with built-in rain sensor
  • Safe “T”ek hidden USB and 110 charging station
  • STOR-MOR night stands with USB and 110 outlets
  • Large hidden storage area
  • HDTV with Bluetooth DVD player
  • Concealed Wall safe