Dillon Hollingsworth, Lead Industrial Designer
GXV HILT Wins 2025 Red Dot Award
Off-Road Vehicle Category
July 15th 2025
When we first set out to design the GXV HILT at Storyteller Overland, we weren’t trying to make just another overland vehicle, we were trying to build something that didn’t exist yet.
Most expedition style RVs are custom one offs: expensive, hard to service, and built outside the RVIA standards that protect customers. We wanted to flip that. The HILT is the first production-scale, RVIA certified, Class C expedition truck. That matters because it opens the door to traditional RV financing, insurance, and nationwide service while still performing in a completely different league.
We designed everything in house: the monocoque composite capsule, the 3-point articulating frame system, and a fully insulated, reinforced structure built for all season, off-grid adventure. We learned how to balance strength, thermal performance, and long-term durability down to the Kevlar reinforced stress points and thermal layering that prevents condensation and mold. The HILT isn’t just designed to last it’s built to be passed down.
This was a defining project for our company. It marked an evolution of Storyteller. In addition to Class B adventure van pro builders, the HILT elevated our team's expedition truck mastery. It pushed us into new territory both in product category and organizational maturity. It diversified our product portfolio and signaled we were ready to scale up our GXV line.
When we started the HILT, the dev team consisted of two designers and the head of Storyteller R&D. Once the project got the green light, we formed our first engineering department and brought on operational support to see it through. 18 months later, our first production unit rolled off the line.
This was also my first time leading a design from concept through production. My role focused on the interior. I started with the galley because in the South, the kitchen is the heart of any home and used it as an anchor to build everything else around.
Most RV interiors, especially in the overland space, feel like stripped-down contractor grade remodels. They’re safe. Generic. Forgettable. I found that off-putting. Where’s the soul? The personality?
To counter that, I developed a design language we call Terra Firma: a grounded, warm, tactile interior that feels like a durable sanctuary. Think spa-meets-expedition. Clean lines. Large radius curves. Honest materials. Thoughtful lighting. A space that reflects the adventure outside, while giving users a place to reset inside.
We introduced LED mood-lighting, mixed matte and gloss finishes, and used natural maple laminate to ground the contrast between white and black surfaces. The galley’s versatile features, smooth surface appearance, and wide corner radii became a design signature—achieved through close collaboration with our suppliers to ensure its materials could be produced at scale. The design feels modern without being cold. Warm, without being rustic. The result was an influential interior that I can only hope influences the market to push away from sea of grays and beiges and into more inspirational choices.
Once the HILT was in production, I discovered I qualified for Red Dot’s Young Professional program offered to recent graduates with a product already released to market. Thanks to our incredible marketing team, I had the assets I needed to tell the story clearly. I applied, not expecting anything. So yeah, it was a surprise when we won.
Red Dot Design Award has been around since 1955
For those unfamiliar, the Red Dot Design Award has been around since 1955 and is one of the most respected international design competitions. Thousands of products are submitted each year across dozens of countries. A small percentage are awarded based not on flash, but on functionality, innovation, and real-world impact.
This recognition means a lot but it wasn’t a solo effort. I may have submitted the application, but it took an entire team of engineers, designers, suppliers, builders, and storytellers to bring the HILT to life.
For Storyteller, this award sets a new standard. It raises the bar for what comes next. We’re not here to chase trophies, we’re here to keep pushing, to design with purpose, and to build vehicles that reflect the people who use them.
We want users to go further. To feel confident. To feel like their rig reflects who they are and how they want to live. Not the stereotype, but the exception.
The Adventure Truck of Wild-at-Heart Trailblazers Everywhere
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