When the design greats at Pininfarina worked with California startup AC Future on the eTH expanding electric motorhome for CES 2024, it seemed like just a collection of renderings. But a year later, it became a fully functional prototype with a luxurious sliding floor plan that would tempt show attendees at CES 2025 to hit the open road indefinitely.
Prior to the rush of the 2024 holiday season, we were contemplating showcasing the best expanding motorhomes of the year. The year saw some wild designs, including innovative pop-up roofs on VW camper vans and impressive South African expanders. However, time ran out before we could cover everything.
If we had compiled that list, the AC Future eTH would have been the sole digital representation. As the first of many expanders we reviewed in 2024, the eTH offered a glimpse into the future, designed by the masterful team at Pininfarina.
AC Future
What stood out about the eTH was its modest 20-foot length, slightly longer than a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 144 camper van. It expanded into a luxurious mobile home at camp with slide-out modules on the back and sides, offering a compact ride on the highway and a comfortable living space at the campground.
Since its debut in 2024, AC Future has been refining the eTH prototype with Hydra Design Labs in California. The CES 2025 unveiling of the prototype, now named the AI-THd (AI Transformer Home, Drivable), showcased similar features as the concept but with notable improvements.
AC Future
Instead of a standard slide-out module, AC Future designed a taller rear slide-out with a rooftop superstructure that slides along with the module body. When closed, it forms a uniform roof for driving. The design separates the rear slide-out from the side slide-outs, which retract below the central roof.
The new design creates a shallow roof basin when opened, which could be a potential issue for water collection and leakage. AC Future has not provided detailed dimensions, but the AI-THd offers the same floor area as the original eTH. It features a driver-side expansion module and a passenger-side slide-out, creating a spacious living area with stowable dining furniture.
AC Future
The driver’s cockpit in the AI-THd seamlessly integrates with the living space but lacks swiveling captain’s chairs. The cockpit creates a semi-private lounge area, potentially doubling as an office space. The large windows in the cockpit and throughout the cabin offer a bright, panoramic view.
Although the AI-THd has come a long way, there are still some details to work out before it becomes a production model. AC Future has not disclosed the platform or manufacturing details but plans to offer electric and diesel powertrain options eventually.
AC Future has hinted at several features for the AI-THd, including rooftop solar charging, water generation, internet connectivity, sound system, water recycling, smart home integration, and HVAC options. Launching by the end of 2026, the AI-THd will be preceded by the AI-THu mobile home unit, without the constraints of a base vehicle.
