Indie Campers expands into the US

Online campervan rental platform Indie Campers is expanding outside of Europe and the UK for the first time since its creation in Portugal in 2013.

With more than one million nights on the road with Indie Campers in the last two years and over 500,000 monthly website visitors, it is now targeting the US West Coast with a newly-opened campervan rental centre in Los Angeles.

It is a timely just days before the United States reopens borders to international travellers on 8 November2021.

After successfully launching in the UK in 2019 and growing at a rate of 150% since, Indie Campers is now ready tap the huge RV leisure market  in the United States.

Beginning with a fleet of 20 Jeep campers, the startup’s US offering is set to expand further adding 300 vehicles including semi-integrated and box van motorhomes in line with the company’s hybrid marketplace model.

This allows privately owned vehicles to be listed for rental on the booking platform alongside its own-fleet vehicles.

Indie Campers CEO Hugo Oliveira says the opening of a depot in Los Angeles is just the beginning for the company, which has more than 1,700 vehicles available in 14 European countries, the UK, and now the US.

The company plans to add more than 1,000 units to its fleet over the next few years.

"Our goal is to have a strong presence across the most relevant states for campervan rental. The priority is to begin with a strong operation in major states where road trips are popular", Oliveira said.

"We expect the US to become our main market by 2023."

The company’s ‘Rocky’ Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport four-wheel drive vehicles make the perfect road trip companion for intrepid explorers.

Built for rugged terrains, and equipped with automatic transmission, cruise control, heating and AC, this particular model features a pop-up rooftop tent and a custom-built trail kitchen.

More compact and environmentally friendly than the huge RVs more commonly associated with a stateside road trip, they are also easier to handle for drivers of all levels – and even first-timers.

From Indie Campers’ depot in Los Angeles, road trippers will be ideally placed to explore popular California road trip destinations such as Joshua Tree, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Napa and Sonoma, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and many more exciting routes.

The company’s first North American outpost is also the first new Indie Campers centre to open since the pandemic.

Oliveira says that they hope to see the same results they have seen with other openings.

"Even though this is a big change for us, we will continue to provide the same great experience in the US that we provide in the UK and Europe. With US borders set to open, the launch comes at a perfect time for adventure-thirsty travellers ready to hit the road again."