Super Cool Eco-Friendly RVs

For decades, Recreational Vehicle goers have had to accept the sad fact that, no matter how much they loved nature and being a part of the great outdoors, their motor homes were environmental disasters on wheels. From the shameful 8 to 10 miles per gallon on average to the high energy use to the heavy emissions and messy waste disposal, RVs have always been gas-guzzling pollution factories. Now, with some of the latest innovations in mobile green technology, RV lovers have some real alternatives beyond just the random solar panel or wind turbine. These RVs really straddle the cutting edge in utilizing every known eco-advancement. Here some of the best that fit the bill.

EcoRoamer

This bad boy is a motor home on steroids, but with an amazingly green heart. It's a modified Ford F-650 made into a 4X4 but with a biodiesel burning Caterpiller engine. The idea is that bulldozers, excavators and tractors can pretty much be found anywhere, so breaking down in some remote country won't be such a problem (worse comes to worse-you can snag a part from some old tractor).

The EcoRoamer isn't cheap ($275,000) but it is sophisticated enough to be a full time home-which it is for the RVs designer, who, along with his wife, his two cats and his two kids, are taking the beefed-up camper on a trek across the globe. To assist them, the EcoRoamer is equipped with a NASA-designed water-purifying system and broadcasts Wi-Fi a mile away. With a living space built nearly completely from recycled matter, it also has a spiffy loft, complete with wireless computing, a shower and kitchen. The RV uses solar for most of its auxiliary power and a compositing toilet.

Verdier Westfalia

Verdier, a Canadian firm, has created and produced a version of the popular Volkswagon Westfalia that has a 200 hp fuel-electric hybrid engine and employs technology that uses the sun to charge its electric motor. A 170 W solar system mounted on the roof is GPS guided, so the panels automatically find the best angle for optimum solar exposure no matter where you go. Among the arsenal of electronics powered by the solar panels is a multi-media computer station with an energy consumption dashboard and an optional child-friendly interface with educational tools for wise energy consumption.

Monaco Covina

More of a traditional motorcoach than the previous examples, the Monaco Covina Sprinter has all the normal features that you would expect from a class C RV. It has the driving ease, towing capacity, and premium quality. It has a comfy sofa and booth dinette, fully equipped kitchen, private bath, and sleeping room for four. But it also has a Mercedes-Benz turbo diesel engine that burns so efficiently that it allows the RV to achieve an amazing 18 to 22 miles per gallon.

It's only a matter of time before other large manufacturers take notice of the growing demand for environmentally responsible RV plus the added financial plusses that go with producing these vehicles. Until then, you can enjoy these RVs, knowing you're doing your part to help reduce your impact on the environment and become more a part of nature.

sources: msnbc.msn.com, greenupgrader.com, campingroadtrip.com, gogreenmotorhomes.com photos: msnbc.msn.com, campingroadtrip.com, roamingtimes.com

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