Electric Winnebago? RV fans will soon be able to 'plug and go' — just not very far
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Sales of recreational vehicles have exploded since the start of the Covid crisis, with many Americans seeing them as a way to safely get out and go exploring. Now, Winnebago is just one of the brand names hoping to capitalize on the industry's new popularity while also following the trend for electrification, offering the first all-electric, zero-emission motor home.
While not as bad as 1970s-era muscle cars, today's recreational vehicles still suck down plenty of fuel. The Winnebago e-RV, revealed last week at the Florida RV SuperShow, is one of a small but growing number of battery-powered models that could change the face of the outdoor travel business over the coming decade.
Winnebago isn't alone. Thor Industries revealed a battery-powered, "self-propelled" Airstream camper at the event, and Mercedes-Benz showed off a prototype camper version of its all-electric EQV van in Europe.
"The future is electric in the motor home industry," said Klaus Rehkugler, the head of sales and marketing at Mercedes‑Benz Vans.
For now, those who want an environmentally friendly recreational vehicle will have to accept some sacrifices, starting with marginal range. And, as with passenger vehicles, RV buyers are likely to pay a premium for battery-powered models. The variety of choices and the features they offer are expected to grow rapidly.
The transportation industry as a whole is under pressure to clean up. At both the federal and state levels, manufacturers are being pressured to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. President Joe Biden wants half of all passenger vehicles to be emission free by 2030. California regulators want all motor vehicles to go zero-emission by 2035.
Some RV industry leaders want to get out in front of the trend. "This is an exciting time for Winnebago Industries and the outdoor lifestyle industry as a whole," Michael Happe, Winnebago Industries' president and CEO, said as the company unveiled the e-RV.
Officially billed as a concept vehicle, Winnebago's e-RV starts out as a Class B Ford Transit van. Rather than wait for the all-electric version Ford is working up, the RV maker swaps out the existing Transit's gas drivetrain for an all-electric package developed by Lightning eMotors.
Specific powertrain details have yet to be released, although Winnebago did confirm that the e-RV is powered by an 86.0-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that it expects would yield about 125 miles per charge.
Considering the RV mythos, that might not seem like very much for those looking to work their way across country. And indeed, a buyer would have to plan long trips carefully. But the company's internal research reveals that only about one-third of its owners ever pilot their RVs more than 300 miles and that 54 percent normally travel less than 200 miles. A sizable share, it seems, simply use their motor homes as "base camps" when they head off to the beach or some other nearby destination.
A sizable share of RV owners simply use their motor homes as 'base camps' when they head off to the beach or some other nearby destination.
For those who would need to recharge along the way, Winnebago says the e-RV's pack could be plugged in at home, at a campsite or at a high-speed public charger, where it could be ready to roll again in as little as 45 minutes.
While range may be limited, the e-RV won't require other sacrifices. It retains classic RV features, such as a bed, a kitchenette and a shower, as well as the now-essential onboard WiFi network. The environmentally friendly theme carries over to the cabin, which uses sustainable materials like rubberized cork and wool for flooring and insulation. And it's fitted with high-efficiency appliances that minimize energy demands that would further reduce range.
While Winnebago isn't ready to talk production plans, Happe, the CEO, did nothing to downplay expectations, with a retail version of the e-RV likely to come in at or above $100,000.
Elsewhere, the latest concept version of the high-line Airstream brand starts out as one of the brand's retro-futuristic camper trailers but adds twin electric motors drawing power from either one or two lithium-ion packs. The concept is described as "self-propelled," but you can't drive it independently, as you would with Winnebago's e-RV. Instead, the eStream provides additional traction when it is being trailered. The approach, Thor claimed, would reduce the fuel consumption of the tow vehicle.
A smartphone remote control app, meanwhile, would let eStream owners unhitch the campers and maneuver them independently once they reached their camping sites — much like the remote self-parking apps offered on some new passenger vehicles.
Again, no production plans were announced, but Thor Industries said it plans to electrify its products going forward.
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My neighbor paid $80k for a 2021 model built in a Dodge Promaster that gets 28 mpg on the highway.
So far he's only cleaned it incessently and gone for groceries once or twice,
but he has the bug to travel come spring time.
He needs to find a nice state park or federal park and do some fishing
Too funny. His house is on a city park with uninterrupted view of the lake and he
and his granddaughter do their fair share of fishing.
The town does stock the lake with some fish every spring, not sure what kind.
A few years back, I drove one of those 40-footers around the country for a couple of weeks. It was a rental. I can’t imagine buying one unless I just lived that life all the time.
Electric power would be an absolute game-changer for RVs. The torque an electric motor can generate would be invaluable, and the quiet noise level compared to a gas or diesel engine would be marvelous.
But yeah 125 miles sucks.
That sounds like spin. First of all, 200 - never mind 300 - is nowhere near 125. And plenty of people will have days where they want to be able to drive 500 miles or more. Telling someone driving cross country that they can only go 200 miles is pretty absurd. Fix the range, though, and it’s a winning idea.
These things have lots of room. If Tesla can fit two motors in a Model S, I would think you could get a full six-pack into a big RV.
I wouldn't pay a premium price for a less capable vehicle. I don't think they'll sell many even to people who camp close to home. First forget what people do and understand that when they buy, they're buying a dream of travel even if they rarely travel far. Another problem is longevity of the battery since most RV's even the ones that go on long trips actually don't accumulate that many miles, you take it on a few trips a year. RV's tend to be like boats their owners use them a lot the first year or two and take longer trips and then use them less and for shorter trips as the years pass. Who wants to replace the battery on a ten year old RV that only has 25,000 miles or less but that's exactly what will happen to most of these RV's and a new battery will cost as much as a new motor and trans on a gas RV. Then there's the resale value which will be much lower because you'll have less potential buyers with the RV limitations and there'll always be a question of how much life is left in that battery and when there's a question people tend to er on the side of caution.
About 16 years ago I was splitting up with my first wife who had a government job, our kids were on their own and independent, and I had the dream of getting a compact RV similar to the one pictured for this article and driving all around Canada and the US by myself, but then my nephew who was teaching English in China told me: "Uncle Buzz (yes that actually IS my nickname), come to China. I can get you a job teaching English here." Well, like Bilbo Baggins, I said to myself "It's never too late for another adventure", and with two large suitcases with whatever I could carry I came, and ever since I've been having the adventure of my life, a whole new life, full of experiences I had never in my wildest dreams thought I would ever have.
Interesting concept the very limited range currently will not be encouraging to those that really want to ''roam'' the US like all things as its range increases so will the number of buyers.
I owned 3 5th wheels over the years the last one was a 35' we took on extended trips both in time and miles. The grand finale was a 5-month trip that started in Henderson NV up through Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, BC, Oregon, California, Arizona and back to Nevada.
Nah...too short a range. Our favorite fishing hole is more than 125 miles away. For now I will stick with our tow trailer
I wouldn't even be able to drive it to our state capitol.
For the size of a van, hell just get a pop up trailer. Would probably have more room.
I like popups my parents had one when I was a kid and I owned one in my 20's. What I like best is the ventilation when you open all the windows it's like sleeping in a screen house and even a slight breeze keeps you cool, plus the camper doesn't retain heat from the day. I like the simplicity too, not a lot of bells and whistles and crap to break and replace but I would recommend a furnace because on rainy days it can be damp even if it's not cold and you need heat to make it comfortable. Plus you can tow a popup with almost anything so you don't need a V8.
My Aunt had one for a while. They added an air unit on top, had a kitchen. The only real bummer was no bathroom.
It still made me want one. I was in a tent at the time. A major step up. Haha