Photo via Outdoorsy
Photo via Outdoorsy

One of the sharing economy’s newest startups lets you rent out an RV, much like you would a car on Relay Rides or a space on Airbnb.

Colorado-based Outdoorsy lets you hit the open road RV style, while the vehicle’s owners get to make some extra cash while they’re not using them.

As RVs are dang expensive, this seems like a fabulous idea for everyone.

According to TechCrunch, what makes Outdoorsy different from other RV rental sites, like Cruise America, is that it’s tapping the startup-sharing mindset of popular sites, like Airbnb, and applying it to the RV crowd.

Photo via Outdoorsy
Photo via Outdoorsy

And if you think the typical RV crowd is silver-haired retirees tooling around the country, that impression is about to change. Outdoorsy’s founders are betting on the appeal of RV travel for millennials.

“Millennials, recession-battered and reluctant to own anything that seems too permanent, seek experiences over material possessions,” stated TechCrunch. “Outdoorsy offers unique cross-country vehicles just waiting for experiences to be had in them for a short amount of time.”

How does it work? Outdoorsy charges a 10 percent fee from the owner, and a 15 percent fee from the renter. The company also insures your RV for up to $1 million against damages, like Airbnb.

A quick search of GeekWire’s zip code in Seattle revealed the closest RV to be in Everett at $189 per day. There are not a lot of offerings on the site so far.

Outdoorsy told TechCrunch that “RV owners also stand to make up to $86,000 a year on each vehicle.” They also add that the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association is reporting a healthy uptick in RV popularity, especially with younger folks.

“A leading force behind RV ownership’s upswing is the enormous baby boomer generation, supported by strong ownership gains among both younger and older buyers,” the RVIA reports. “In fact, high RV ownership rates now extend across a 40-year span from age 35-to-75.”

Watch Outdoorsy’s video below:

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