Zone RV drops DIY option

Futuristic Queensland caravan builder Zone RV has dropped the flat-pack option that allowed DIY enthusiasts to build a van in their own backyard.

A first for the Australian caravan industry, the Zone RV kits could be ordered online and delivered in either ‘rolling chassis’ or ‘pre-built shell’ form, ready to be completed at home.

However, a preference from buyers for a more convenient and conventional ‘turn key’ product has convinced the innovative composites specialist to concentrate on fully-built production versions of its hi-tech, lightweight caravans. 

“We’ve moved away from the DIY packages. We’ve had enough interest in us just building full vans,” said Zone RV’s sales and marketing manager, Clay Sherrif.

“We sold a few DIY kits but we ended up commissioning a lot of the build after that. There’s so many hours involved in building a caravan. Quite a few struggled to get their head around that; they’d put the shell together and then put it in the garage because it was such a big project, we’d then get it back (to fit them out),” he explained.

“The (flat pack) concept is there, but I just think with the time involved, and what people want at the end of the day is that warranty and knowing that it’s done right. A few wives were getting a bit frustrated!”

Prices now start at $65,000 for the fully built caravan range, with touring and off-road models available in three body sizes: 16ft 6in, 18ft 6in and 20ft 6in.

A new flagship ‘Summit Series’ range has also just been introduced, starting with a 21ft 6in off-road model priced around $150,000 followed by a cheaper, on-road version at a later date.

Not unlike the cutting-edge Z-19 prototype
unveiled at this year’s Queensland Caravan & Camping Supershow, the top-spec Summit features a unique alloy chassis, tandem axle independent suspension with self-levelling airbag springing and hydraulic disc brakes.

It also features Zone RV’s latest timber-free furniture. The aluminium skinned composite panels were 12 months in development and are both strong and light as well as offering superior vibration absorption, according to the manufacturer.

To justify its $150,000 pricetag, the off-road Summit model is loaded with the latest technology including a Revolution Power Australia lithium battery system, 500W slimline solar panels, Finscan and Redarc digital management systems, internal and external TVs with satellite reception, a Fusion entertainment system, as well as 300 litres fresh and 100 litre grey water tanks.

Utilising Zone RV’s unique lightweight composite panel construction, it's expected to have a Tare weight around 2300kg, giving it a class-leading payload up to 1200kg.

Zone RV also plans to do less custom projects like the one-off  toy haulers and commercial food vans it’s built in the past.

“We’ll keep a few custom projects on the go, it’s always good for R & D, but as a whole we’ll be focussing on our standard (fully built) caravan range,” Sherrif said.

Long-term touring couple Sid and Maz Reilly will take delivery of the first Summit Series van later this month and act as Zone RV roving ambassadors, attending various shows around the country including the Melbourne Caravan Supershow in February.

To cope with increased in-house production Zone RV is also planning to move to bigger premises in the same Coolum Beach industrial park where it has its current factory.