Joe and Kait Russo, who have shared RV travel and gear reviews as We're the Russos since 2015, spent several days with the AEONrv EXT this fall. They toured it end to end, then took it out around Reno, Nevada to camp in it. They published two videos, a full walkthrough and an off-grid test. This post sums up what they found.
Disclosure: both videos are sponsored by AEONrv, and YouTube labels them as paid promotion. The opinions and test results are theirs.
Video one: the full walkthrough
The first video is a 12 minute walk through the cabin and then the exterior. Joe starts with the chassis: the extended Ford Transit AWD platform with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine and a 2 inch lift with custom suspension. The EXT is 23 feet 6 inches long and just over 7 feet wide.
Inside, he points to the details that matter on a long trip:
- A hybrid bathroom. Curtains keep the toilet area dry while you shower, and a drop-down sink lifts away when it is not in use.
- Insulation. The walls are fiberglass reinforced panels with a thick foam core, which Joe says is one of the best insulated RVs they have been in.
- Power. A 10.24 kWh battery, upgradeable to 15.36 kWh, with a 3,000 W inverter, 1,200 W of rooftop solar, and charging from the Transit alternator while you drive.
- Water. A 70 gallon fresh tank and a 35 gallon gray tank, with the tanks in a heated garage.
- Sleeping and seating. Two rear twin beds, 80 inch interior height, and a dinette bench with two shoulder belts and child seat latches that converts to a second bed.
- The garage. A heated gear garage with outlets, lights and a water filtration system. They fit all of their luggage with room to spare.
- Towing. A hitch rated for 5,000 lb.
The EXT they filmed was a prototype, and Joe notes that some details will change in production.
Video two: what it's like living and driving in the EXT
The second video follows Joe and Kait from AEONrv's Reno facility, where they met founder and CEO Jim Ritchie, to dispersed camping spots and into the mountains. They set out to test the claim that the EXT works as a four-season camper.
It fits a parking space
At 23 feet 6 inches, they tested whether it fits a standard space on a grocery run. Backing in with the rear overhanging the curb, it fit with room on either side.
Air conditioning and battery
Joe expected the residential mini-split to be loud and found it quiet enough that wind noise covered it. They ran it for about 12 hours overnight, with everything else in the camper running, and the battery went from 98 percent to 76 percent. With the AC drawing about 520 W, the roof was bringing in about 900 W of solar. The induction cooktop was the biggest power draw they saw.
Insulation in cold nights
Overnight temperatures dropped to the 40s. The next morning the living area was still about 72 degrees, while the cab, which is separated from the cabin by an insulated door, was cold. In the mountains, with lows in the high 30s and low 40s, the heater worked so well they opened windows and ran the exhaust fan to cool the cabin. It was 72 degrees again in the morning.
Ride and off-road
Driving on and off road, Joe describes the EXT as smooth and well planted, with nothing rattling in the cabin. He credits the lift and the custom suspension, and says the all-wheel-drive Transit stayed steady in strong wind.
Water
With a 70 gallon fresh tank, they planned to shower every night. Joe says the water pressure is good and the water heater, which runs off engine coolant with an electric element for camp, kept water hot for a long time.
See the EXT yourself
The AEONrv EXT is on the road this fall, with meet-ups across the northern United States and a stop at Overland Expo East in Virginia. See the dates in our Fall Road Tour post or on the events page, and read more owner and creator reviews on the reviews page.
Explore with freedom.