DETROIT – The G1 from Grounded RV Inc. – the world’s “First Fully Customizable Smart Electric RV” – began its journey in the driveway of a home near Atlanta and made a stop at SpaceX in Seattle, before eventually finding its way to an engineering and innovation facility in Detroit for mobility-minded startups.
Grounded officially announced the launch of the G1 today (March 23), calling it a “state-of-the-art Class B motorhome that sets a new standard for sustainable travel with class-leading layout customization, solar power, and zero-emissions.”
Built on the Ford E-Transit platform, Grounded will begin delivering its first G1s via a monthly subscription model, annual lease and direct purchase in April 2023.
“The Grounded G1 gives people the freedom and self-reliance to live, work, and explore anywhere, sustainably integrated with nature,” said Grounded Founder and CEO Sam Shapiro. “I started Grounded to redefine what’s possible in an industry rife with offerings that are both dated and out-of-reach.
Sam Shapiro
“The G1 features innovations inside and out, providing RVers the best possible user experience,” he continued. “We’ve designed a new assembly system that allows us to manufacture customized designs at scale, and our library of components enables a near-infinite amount of layouts. Fully integrated electronics, which can be managed through the Grounded+ app, provide a smart RV experience, giving a detailed view of how much energy each on-board appliance is using and the ability to remotely control all aspects of the vehicle and living space. Built-in solar powers appliances and augments the powertrain charge.
“Our monthly subscription model, priced at less than the median cost of rent across the U.S., brings flexibility to those who aren’t looking to commit to a full vehicle purchase. The advent of the G1 marks an important step in the future of the RV industry,” Shapiro concluded.
From Driveway to Detroit
Shapiro provided RVBusiness with a behind-the-scenes look at the Grounded G1 earlier this week, which is when he mentioned that his business model began a few years ago with the onset of COVID. At the time, he was living in New York City and the close confines of 8.8 million other people prompted him to rethink his situation.
In true #VanLife fashion, Shapiro moved away and converted a van into a Class B motorhome in his parent’s driveway in Atlanta. After that he traveled the country in his B-van, working remotely. He ended up taking a job with SpaceX in Seattle, where he worked as a senior software engineer.
But hours upon hours of being tethered to a desk while writing embedded software code for Starlink hardware soon had him restless.
So in August of last year, and drawing on his technology expertise and his campervan experience, Shapiro started eyeing the RV arena. One connection led to another and he found himself at the Detroit Newlab, a former Detroit Public Schools book warehouse that now offers just about anything a hands-on startup would need to launch a mobility-focused business. Think of it as an engineering and innovation lab on steroids.
“Basically, during my time living in the van, I was just thinking a lot about the space and, obviously, was passionate about the experience,” Shapiro told RVBusiness. “At the same time, there were all these problems – and a lot of them stemmed from the mechanical aspects of the van.
“For example, at one point in the journey, the van broke down in California because of engine issues,” he continued. “Because I was working remotely, it was like, ‘All right. Now I have to sit at a restaurant for 10 hours with my computer while the van is in the shop. And then get a hotel to sleep in.’”
The hassle and inconvenience of the engine breakdown only led Shapiro to consider the other negative effects of his campervan’s combustion engine platform. The cost of gas, depreciation and its harmful environmental effects also steered him toward an all-electric platform.
“Then it’s also the realization that, when you’re building from a completely electrical architecture, it can just be a better product,” he said. “You can get more power out of the system. You can run things when the vehicle’s off. You can better integrate everything, you can communicate with the vehicle over the CAN bus and you can have a level of control that combustion engine vehicles don’t give you.”
So, Shapiro took a leap of faith by leaving SpaceX and founding what would become Ground RV Inc. and the development of the G1.
Key Features of the G1
The G1 is built on Ford’s E-Transit platform, which promises comfortable ride quality and responsive handling. The current generation of this chassis has a published range of 108 miles. Both the powertrain and the living systems of the G1 are fully powered by electricity, and aided in part by 650-watt solar capacity.
Grounded’s proprietary software connects all of the electronics used, allowing RVers to view usage patterns, control surroundings, and diagnose potential issues.
The control system goes beyond simple monitoring the vehicle and the various components. It analyzes the data and makes certain adjustments for optimal efficiencies. Simply speaking, Grounded RV has developed an operating system that makes its B-vans a truly RV.
“Things like seeing your energy usage and electrical usage for each appliance, how much energy you used with each of them over the history of you having the vehicle over the last week. Eventually, the system will become smart,” he said, adding the data will also help Grounded refine its product development going forward.
“We want to bring in automation into this in the future,” he continued, “where the vehicle can predict what your use usage patterns are, so that it can preemptively turn things on or off, and do it in a way that optimizes the vehicle battery to make sure you have enough range to get to the next charging station. Also, it will predict how much solar energy is going to be generated based on the time of day and the weather for the day, and predict what your battery will be in a few hours. It’ll look at what’s currently on, and what it thinks you will have on over the course of the next 12 hours, and determine the best course of action.”
While providing RVBusiness with a test drive around Downtown Detroit, Shapiro explained that design strategy calls for the vehicles to be “platform agnostic.” While the G1 is on the Ford E-Transit, plans call for the G2 model, coming later this summer, to be built on a different vehicle platform with 250 miles of range.
“The furniture system itself is also modular,” he added. “But the idea is that consumers can have some amount of customization. In the future, we’ll have an online design tool where people can select from a library of components; which pieces do they want and where they want them to go.”
The Grounded+ app provides a single source of information and control.
“Imagine finishing up a cold hike and using your Grounded+ app to start your van and heat up the cabin before you get back,” said Shapiro. “The G1 is shaping a new future for connected electric RVs.”
The G1’s modular interior welcomes occupants into a fresh and minimal environment.
Sustainably-sourced Baltic Birch is used throughout. The natural finish on the strong, lightweight wood provides a warm and modern feel.
“We’ve worked to create something new that’s inspired by Scandinavian simplicity and function,” said Shapiro. “Optional components include a queen-sized bed, kitchen with a convection oven, dry-flush toilet, seating for anywhere from two to eight occupants, an outdoor shower, and more.”
Aluminum, known as the green metal for its infinite recyclability, is also used in constructing the modular interior structure.
