Couple's stunning home-on-wheels produces water, has solar awnings
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- Опубликовано: 6 май 2023
- After renovating over 400 Airstreams and living in boats and vehicles for a decade, Matthew and Joanna Hofmann created their Living Vehicle: a modern mobile home meant for year-round living in extreme weather (-4°F to 120°F) and equipped to go off-grid for long periods. [Our 1st video with Matthew's Airstream renovation work: • Studies architecture, ... ]
They started with a well-insulated aluminum shell with everything tucked inside (to prevent pipes from freezing in the winter). It’s designed to be self-sufficient with a large bank of rooftop solar, a heat pump/mini-split AC, and still-evolving water capture tech that extracts humidity from the air.
"When we came up with the name Living Vehicle it was two-fold," explains Joanna, "one, it's designed for full-time living compared to an RV which is recreational, but also, it's something that was able to sustain life, so being able to create water, for instance, creating your own energy."
Living Vehicle: www.livingvehicle.com/
On *faircompanies: faircompanies.com/videos/rest... 
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I work repairing Airstreams and other trailers, and I am astounded at the level of thought and ingenuity that you've put into this build. My hat is off to you, sir!
It's relatively easy when you have lots of money to dump into a project like this. It's easy for a $100k net zero luxury camper to seem economical, when you're living in a $600k home.
Lots of the tech in this camper aren't novel. They're common features of other DIY campers, and are even in many retail RVs and trailers. The water condenser is the only real part of this that I haven't seen before, but it's also not new technology. There are other companies that have developed tech to pull water from the air and store it.
If they really want to challenge themselves, they should be trying to reduce costs. Make plans or barebones trailers available to people at a low cost, so that more people can achieve this sort of sustainable freedom and comfort.
Ha ha, you don't have to work on them to see how poorly they're built. It astounds me that to this day they're so flimsy, poorly made, with cheaped out fixtures and components.
@@badsamaritan8223 Thanks for your feedback. Our goal is to change the world for the better. As our company continues to grow, we hope to offer more accessible living solutions. It is a personal goal of mine to help as many people as possible, and I do so in my own way. I hope to one day have the platform to make a positive difference in people's lives on a global scale. Cheers!
I’m getting ready to restore a 31’ airstream and I am gonna go with a more modern look, sorta take a 1974 and bring it into the future, this has given me some great ideas
You mean RICH people..
I LOVE how well built this is. So many builders claim luxury because of high quality finishes but none of it is built to last. This is clearly built to last. Also love the thick walls for insulation because they probably also make it quieter in addition to helping with temperature control. Sound is a big part of a space so it's great that a mobile space is quiet.
Thank you for taking us on a trip down memory lane! So fun to look back on all of the adventures we've had over the years :)
Great video .. lots of wonderful ideas incorporated into one unit! Thanks for showing it off! 🙂
@@MerwinARTist 🙏
@@joannahofmann2784 By far the best trailer build of them all! If you could giga press smaller 2 person trailers people would by millions of these.
@@chrisredwoods We have a 24' option!
Ive been following these people and their Living Vehicles for years, now. So glad you could tell their story. They've really hit the nail on the head for full time living off grid and also mobile living.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
As long as you can afford a million dollars on a mobile solar panel
@@canyonero2050 Solar panels are relatively cheap anymore. A decent solar power system will run you ~$2,000-$5,000. (includes cost of batteries, controllers, converters, etc.)
The design discipline and attention to detail: mind-boggling!
Thank you for the feedback! Living in small spaces for 10+ years helps you perfect every single inch :)
*Yes.* And, so is the price.
Living Vehicle is the ultimate goal. Quality build - I want need one.
Hi Junior. Thank you for taking the time to watch our story. Cheers!
Just don’t give the living vehicle control of the door locks and climate control, we all know how that ends
“Can you let me out, car, it’s getting pretty hot in here”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that Junior…”
Really nice high end build. Extracting water from the air using solar power is so dang cool!
Back in the day we used to call that a dehumidifier.
@@Chris-bg8mk 😂😂
@@Chris-bg8mk Yeah, exactly. It is not really an inovation anymore. 🙂
@@Chris-bg8mkyup a dehumidifier hooked up to a reverse osmosis filter 😂
@@Chris-bg8mk Yah that’s what I was thinking. It’s a dehumidifier with a water filtration setup… or am I missing something?
As an architect, I have been wondering when a truly self-sustained living unit would be available - I guess we have it now. Until now, boats, with a water making system have been the only viable option for indefinite off the grid living, only limited by food, and required repairs. This really combines all of the latest technologies, most intriguing of which is the atmospheric water generator. Water generation is the key to living off the grid. I will be looking at options to adapt this structure/vehicle into the new California state ADU laws. This structure should open the door to new site location options. The cost of providing utilities to a new living unit is typically a large part of the budget. this vehicle could be a game changer.
Thanks for the feedback, Tom!
I think of it more as a tiny home on wheels than just a trailer, especially with the fold out deck. It's well thought out, that's for sure and he's still improving on it with water recycling in the works. He probably does alright for himself and has a high-end clientele. It's good to see the latest living innovations and the latest technology with fully off grid capabilities. Thanks again for another interesting video.
Engineering masterpiece. Every component in this build is really not that much money except for the solar panels and numerous marine batteries. You would be paying for this guys skill and prowess.
Well done Sir.
I'm humbled by your comment. Thank you for your support.
LV is truly a culmination of many years of education, first-hand experience, and feedback from our hundreds of customers, from Airstream renovations to the many iterations of Living Vehicle models. It has been an ever-evolving concept, and we are passionate about reaching our ultimate goal of creating a fully self-sufficient, net-zero vehicle that generates its own resources.
Solar isn't particularly expensive actually. Figure a dollar per watt for solar panels and a dollar per 3 watt-hour for LFP batteries. Plus the spring converters, inverter, etc.
Blown away. Nicest mobile living I have ever seen! This could be the future.
Thank you so much!
One of my mentor's stayings - "Predict the future by inventing it"
that air to water creation machine is some next level stuff. Holy cow.
Thanks for the feedback. Let us know what else you'd like to see!
It's also BS voodoo. If you want to do the same thing go buy any dehumidifier.
WHY IS THIS THING NOT SO MUCH MORE POPULAR WITH MORE INVESTING BEHIND IT
@gigahertz_1911 because it only works in very humid climates and is super inefficient. Plenty of other companies have tried to sell these and failed.
@@LivingVehicle Make sure it's patented!!
Super cool! Price is a lot but understandable for the amount of tech, build quality, craftsmanship etc. if I was a multimillionaire I’d buy one. That’d be sweet to be able to live that comfortably off grid
It's the ultimate off-grid home on wheels!
Oh hell ya! A real kitchen, a real bedroom, a real bathroom, real power, a terrace, easy to haul, season resistant, water collecting, AND a dishwasher…OMG!!!
Works for me.
Honestly the ONLY thing I’d add (as with every dwelling) is the ability to control the shower head so I could get fully wet & turn the head off, soap up & then turn the head on to rinse off. I had one of those at one place I lived. It was really low flow to begin with and adding this really put it over the top. It just had was a button right at the head that turned the flow off and on. Easy peasy. Saves lots of water. That plus the full water reclamation/recycling and the air/water grabber (to balance evaporation) and this would run as long as there’s power to run it.
Great design and build. It’s wonder-full.
Thanks for the feedback!
They have addressed many issues that concern full-time RVers. Thank you!
Appreciate the feedback!
Beauty, clean lines , functionality , what else more do we need ... I want one !!
Thank you for the kind words!
Well to say the leas,t this video and the 2 owners of this business are beyond amazing and this tech needs to be everywhere.....his vision is way above anything I have ever seen before.....
Thank you so much for your comment support!
Thank you for seeing us
BEST BUILD I've seen
Thanks!
First to say that I love these tiny living videos! Thanks K.D.!❤️❤️
Innovative thought and science, a mandatory video for new architect/designers
Thank you, Joan! LV is a culmination of many years of our first-hand experience and education!
Lovely comment, thank you. Matthew is a licensed architect passionate about combining innovation and functional design.
Wow! Oh, to have the funds for such a beautiful tiny home on wheels! This is stellar. 🌟💥✅
Amazing build, can’t help but wonder what it cost to build one of those. Looks like it has every creature comfort you can put in a trailer.
Yep, rich people things.
If someone said, here's a brand new off grid house how much would you expect to pay? And then if they said, I'll put wheels on it and it won't cost you any more ... course I'm in Canada, and 4 seasons isn't -4 :)
Definitely a case of: if you have to ask . . .
On their website I see the options: $460K - $640K
Rich people's toy
@@briankuhl9314 -4 Fahrenheit so -20 Celsius but point taken
Wow, amazing thought process in creating this unit. Very impressive design and implementation
Money is a Wonderful Thing...If you have it...
That's an excellent overview review of the Living Vehicle!
Thanks, Steve! I agree. Kristen did a fantastic job on this 2024 Living Vehicle HD review. So honored to work with her on this video.
Better built than any house I have ever owned & it seems a seriously viable (albeit high end) option.
Thanks for the feedback!
THIS IS THE FUTURE OMG! IVE BEEN WAITING MY WHOLE LIFE FOR SOMETHING LIKE IT!
That designer/builder is amazing! Outstanding product!
just incredible goal and idea
my dream trailer with my cybertruck. love that its built to last
What a wonderful idea and design!!! Wish I could afford one.
Fascinating to see what they’ve been able to design! Truly an engineering masterpiece. I love their little dog too!
Luca is my spirit animal. :)
Thanks, Lauren. Luca grew up on the road with us spending her first two years traveling in an LV. She influenced a lot of the pet-friendly design features :)
Great story and way to turn your passion into a business!
Thanks!
Amazing innovation and attention to details!!!
Thank you, Angie. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback :)
This trailer is just perfect. Anything better would be to make it float in the air 😄😍
Hedva, thank you for taking the time to learn about our story and the evolution of our designs. Challenge Accepted! :)
@@LivingVehicle 😁👍
Go watch UP for reference suggestions
Amazing design and what a lovely couple, so in sync... wishing them well!
Thank you for the good vibes!
Thank you for the kind words! We appreciate you taking the time to watch our story.
These are so amazing! You can really tell there is so much thought and engineering put into every inch of the designs. It looks absolutely luxury with the perfect mix of outdoors
That water generator is a game changer.
Absolutely love it! Have thought about building something somewhat like it for years - after over 20 years of RVing, but you took it 10 steps further! WOW super impressed!
I would swap the actuators for hand cranks
We have purpose-designed hand cranks as a backup for automated moving parts. Solar Awning, auto-Leveling, Hitch Jack, deck lowering... Redundancy is a core concept at Living Vehicle.
Just incredible: both this channel and these designers in this video. Sublime.
They're right that most RV's are way behind. Good to see some innovation finally happening.
Most RV's are not way behind. That's like saying a toyota corrolla is behind a porche 911. Different goals, different prices. If you can sell this for half a million I'm sure RV's can up their design just a little too. I'd like to see what this guy can come up with when you constrain him to $30,000. He's still incredibly skilled/talented, but lets keep that price tag in mind eh?
Really nice work and quite a video. Congratulations!!! I really liked the hot water heater recirculating setup. Safe travels!!
I really liked this one!!! This couple has done a great job!!!
Something that I've considered since my parents are getting older is living in a small house on wheels to be near them, and then later in life after they have moved on, moving this "small house on wheels" to a different state where I want to retire. My problem is that the "small house on wheels" is too small for me, I need two of them to have the space I need to be happy.
So, my thought is instead of "one" small house on wheels, have "two". One for the bedroom/shower/bathroom space, and then a separate one for the kitchen/pantry/office/living room space. Since my mom lives in Michigan, I was thinking of putting this pair inside a greenhouse/barn so moving from bedroom to kitchen space doesn't involve putting on a full coat and boots during the winter.
When I'm ready to move, all I need is an external structure optimized for the climate I'm moving to, but the two "house on wheel" structures can move with me.
there's a conoany/manufacturer, wheelpad, taht makes units for use-cases similar yo whatvyiu stated, living with famiaging family members, having enough space, and other considerations. I yhink they do delivery around the us too, amd havee a buyback program for when they're not needed anymore. I'm not sure if they have wheels as default, but could ask them, and they have a range of units, modular ones that can fit several rooms together too. They have quite conparatively affordable prices I seem tk remember too. and narrow margina, and some good reviews. .
Anyway, might be one to look into. Wheelpad, I believe the company is called. I think they havee some RUclips videos up too, with maybe some tours and things.
@@wiresa.reintresting7051 I'll look into that.
Really though the reason for the "small house on wheels" is I want to customize my own design, with features you could not get in a typical American-style house. So when I'm ready to move, I don't need to build again from scratch.
It's amazing and if I could afford to purchase this living vehicle, I would have bought it.
Thank you for the feedback!
The solar system is what got my attention. I love it.
Up to 6,000 watts of solar available!
Better for most is starting with a standard RV, and adding a few thousand to make it better for cold weather and/or no electric, water and sewer hookups. His designs are great for people wanting to spend $300 thousand plus for all new.
This is precisely the approach I took myself for the first 15 years of my RV-focused career with the specialty up-fitting business "Hofmann Architecture". After renovating over 400 RVs for all sorts of use cases, we found the inherent glass ceilings with renovating existing vessels. We had customers wanting to put in crazy amounts of tech and push the limits of what was possible in a traditional RV. After all that work, there were limitations. Ultimately, the ground-up foundation was the most crucial part, and that's where LV was born.
Ultimate RV !
Cost is the question. I guess if you have to ask - you can’t really afford it. Seems like a luxury for sure. Good for those that can actually afford it!
I could live in that! I don't have the right rig to pull it, but I could live in it.
Really fancy, and ton of solar.
Gorgeous RV, really innovative. I can't help but notice the size of the pickup truck, however, that is pulling it; it's enormous!
Thanks, Elizabeth. We also have a 24' model. Some of our customers choose to put their LV on land for a semi-permanent living solution and don't have a need to own a truck at all.
My brother and his partner sailed from Louisville, Ky to Guatemala. They have been there for yrs. They love it
Super impressive.
At the moment improving our caravan, taken out gas going for induction, battery & solar. Must take ages doing all of this with that finish & ideas are brilliant.
Nice one ✊
The water reclamation unit alone could be life-changing for so many communities, especially in the southwest. I'm very excited to see how that progresses! Overall a truly beautiful build.
That tech already exists, he didn't invent it, and he didn't make it any more affordable or accessible. He's helping make luxury RVs more high tech and net zero. He's not making them any more affordable or accessible to people who actually need them.
@@badsamaritan8223 Its literally an air conditioner with cold side air ran back into the hot side. For $100 you can convert cheap window AC unit to do the same. Takes a lot of electricity to produce water this way expecially in low humidity dry climates. Much cheaper to store rainwater.
Brilliant, simply brilliant
Thank you!
Genius, thanks for sharing 👍🏽
Great Show ! To get off the grid will be a must sooon..
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing.
Appreciate your feedback!
That's not an RV, that's a spaceship
Absolutely the nicest setup I have seen, much thought in these builds. Would be nice to integrate that know how into a basic mass market design to meet the housing needs that cannot be fulfilled at this time!
What a team that couple is. So impressive. They hit the lottery when they first met.
So exciting to see this one!! Amazing 🤩
Thank you for taking the time to watch our story!
Love this project. Im so excited for the net zero that theyre working on. This is really the home of the future. And i agree, small homes are so much better for bonding as a family. Weve downsized and i love it.
Thank you for supporting the vision.
This thing is amazing! So much thought and consideration. I’d love to see smaller versions, with less, of course.
Thank you, we do have smaller models available. Learn more here: livingvehicle.com
This is one of your great videos.
I love watching these kinda of videos. I live in a 12‘ x 50‘ mobile home on a piece of property. These videos give me ideas on how to maximize the small space I live in. Thank you!!
Amazing glimpse into the future.
Thank you, Mary! Our focus has always been on designing solutions for the problems of tomorrow.
Mary, thank you for the kind words :)
Former LV owner, our family of four lived and worked full time in ours for two years while doing a wildfire rebuild. Living Vehicle is a top notch company. Brilliant design, high-quality product, and customer service is exceptional.They worked with us every step of the way. We looked at dozens of other designs before settling on this company, they are definitely a step above- rock solid and built to last. Only the highest praise for these guys, wishing them continued success as their product just keeps getting better.
The next thing to add is one of those shower water recycling systems -- the kind that reuses the water for the same shower you are taking. That would save both water and energy. I think you covered something like that in a Tiny House in Berlin a long time ago.
It's part of the holistic water and waste management system we're designing!
That floor idea is definitely going in my design. I’m super OCD and putting together a design for my own trailer I’m building soon. Having the floor like that literally solves many of my design issues. Back too the drawing board. Thank you very much 🙏
🚛🇨🇦 edit ✍️ yall are super laid back and legit genius’s. Would love too work on something so high class. Mine will be a lot more wood, let’s just say 😂 but still be a work of art like this masterpiece you made.
This is hands down one of the most amazing mobile home I've seen so far! All the details are amazing, from the double-stacked solar panels, the exterior deck, the water system and... the storage drawers.
Let me explain: one thing they did not mention but I feel is worth mentioning is the drawer/shelving handles. They're inset, flush to the cabinets. This is a pet peeve of mine when I see protruding handles in other builds. Space is usually limited in such setups (even more so in smaller builds) and having protruding handles just makes no sense and you *will* bump into them at some point!
Very impressed.
Looking at other comments, yeah top quality costs money but this is no toy. This is a livable home that can be towed.
How much does the trailer weigh? The towing vehicle looks pretty heavy duty.
Absolutely awesome, lm considering building one on a smaller scale
500k to 700k for a camper is insane, the value will decrease, the value on campers always decreases - nice, but overkill.
the materials used are top class, they can survive more than hundrad years if taken care off, no concrete building now a days can survive even for half life. and i dont remmember it mentioned its price in the video, but 5 or 700k is over kill. shouldnt be more than 100 to 150
It is a nice unit, but I’d have to win the lotto
You could show this to any of dozens of custom van builders, and get something nearly identical for less than $200k, if not below $100k
Outstanding!
Efficiently living life!
Comfy, & secure!
That’s what we’re aiming for!
It may be pricey, but folks will buy them.
It will evolve, version after version.
Costs will drop, & rise, cause that’s what costs do!
It will be copied, & sold for cheaper, probably without the quality!
I like it!
Play carefully, smile often!
Great analysis! Appreciate your feedback Mike.
Fantastic video, and I just gotta say after reading some of the comments....Haters gonna hate, but these LVs are really raising the bar as far as technology and sustainability. Will they always be this expensive? Probably not. But for now, I'm sure they're going to be busy making them and selling them to that specific clientele, and hopefully in the meantime, inspiring other builders (RV companies or DIY-ers) to what is possible. I'm grateful for the tour, and I learned a lot! Thank you!
Appreciate the feedback, Heather!
@@joannahofmann2784 You got it! And the drawers underneath the foot of the bed were a great idea! It makes so much sense to have easy access to the stuff you use on the day to day, instead of needing to crawl into the hatch every time. Loved it!
It didn't take me more than 6 months living in an RV full time, to realize that I needed a side porch desperately, its unfortunate that the RV industry only sees fit to only provide side porches in Trailers over 40 feet.
After decades of Living in small spaces, Joanna and I realized the same exact thing!
Love what you have integrated into your home!
I’m at the point where I’m ready to sell my stick home
And if possible, buy some thing like yours❤
The great part about it is that I can live anywhere, even in cold weather. And still be comfortable with my service, dog and I. Keep doing what you’re doing. Hopefully the more will catch on.
Thanks for your feedback!
Would love to see them make a trailer like this that is accessible for people in wheelchairs. Amazing craftsmanship! Very well built!
I have no words!!
What amazing tech in this trailer!
When I win the lotto!
I know what I’m buying!
Thanks for the feedback!
Love that this shows many of the people who doubt the technology that it is ready currently. Of course this is an expensive project, but it's also luxurious.
I'd love to see if commercial-sized bifacial panels would fit on the roof! There was recently a self-propelled electric trailer shown off, that would be a complication, but would really help with towing electric.
Vacuum insulation also could be a future level up for this beast!
Super tangent: as a little boy, I spent Summers traveling Alaska and Canada with my grandparents in a couple of RVs. We got stopped and into a little trouble at the border, because you're not allowed to bring certain life necessities, and guns lol, across borders willy nilly. A mega mega bonus would be a top secret smugglers stash, hermetically sealed and hidden from potential x-ray checks.
Besides the water concentrator, there's tons of custom campers cruising around the world, with all the same tech, and a heck of a lot more personality, for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than this.
Very cool designs ! Love that there are no leaky slide outs, but a versatile flip down deck. The expanding solar array is beautiful, but will not handle big snowfalls I bet; how to clean all the sliding mechanisms effectively. Great show ! 👏🤙
Joanna and I had so many problems with slide-outs while living in traditional travel-trailers. One time we were stranded for 6 weeks while waiting for a single motor to get the thing road-worthy again! Experience is the best teacher!
WoW. Fascinating!
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback :)
Looks amazing, love the quality and ingenuity put into it. Now to talk the wife into one and hit the road.
LV is designed with all the comforts of home! Have her take a look at the spa-style shower and king bedroom suite with star view skylight :)
This gets a big WOW!!!
This is awwsome
Thanks for the support!
After watching this it's going to be boring watching regular motorhomes. Awesome job from you guys
This is the Future of off Friday travel living. By far vest trailer build !
We’ll done, we love you’re channel, it’s inspiring!👍
I lived in Montecito all during my college years. Now just a hop, skip and a jump in Ojai. Just bought an Airstream Pottery Barn Edition but have not picked it up, YET! I’m reconsidering looking into getting one of these instead!
I’ve imagined creating a deck similar to this on my future skoolie (bus conversion) and I am blown away to see someone has already pulled it off!! Wow!
water from the air? You guys have the best ideas of what our planet could be like.
Protect him. He knows more than hes supposed to guys.
Haha, Matthew does have a very powerful mind :)
Amazing but dang that is one PRICY unit...literally for the HDPro is like 3/4 million AMERICAN...i would be on board but you can buy and build a proper off grid home with all these luxuries for far less...daaaaam $659000 STARTING?? INSANE
I think they have a base model for just under 4…have no idea what the stats are as that’s when I clicked off. Lol.
I read your comment first. Now im not going to watch the video. Thanks 👍
Now price the insurance... $$$
There's a market out there for extravagance.. That's the reason ultra luxuries are available...the super luxury lifestyle is all about this - exactly what crazy expensive, be it yachts- homes- accessories. Sad but true🎈
WOW! 😅 … but really high-end RVs aren’t cheap. This seems nicer, in many ways, so … they can charge as-much or more?
And the cost is only $400k (plus the $100k tow vehicle). Nice! 🙂
Great video Kirsten ❤
Keep innovating your miles ahead with your designs and you won't find these in the masses in the junkyard. Like all the motor homes 🎉
Thanks for the support!
The cost and eventual maintenance of all the gadgetry would have me a little worried, otherwise nice builds.
very nice, exactly what I would like to do in the near future, keep the posts coming
Imagine if everyone (who wants one) had one of these?
What a treat! ❤