It seems that the significant uptick in fuel prices that has hit grey nomads so hard has coincided with a near-avalanche of news about all-electric road trip vehicles … and this could be just the start.
As well as electric vehicles (EVs) deemed capable of towing lightweight caravans, we’re also hearing a lot more about the potential of electric motorhomes.
Over in the US, Winnebago says it has just completed a more than 2,000-kilometre journey through multiple states in its e-RV, the first all-electric zero emission motorhome concept from a major RV manufacturer.
Winnebago says ‘the latest road trip further affirms the growing feasibility of electric powered RV travel’.
Here are a few key stats from the road trip:
Winnebago took its first e-RV for a 2,220 km spin, compiling statistics for a real world road trip. PIC: Winnebago
• Distance driven: 2,220km (1,380 miles)
• Total drive time: 26 hours
• Average driving speed: 85km/h (53 miles per hour)
• Average charge time at DC fast chargers: 1 hour and 2 minutes
• Total charging cost: $398 (US$275)
• 60% cost savings over a gas-powered road trip
• Average distance per kWh: 2.54km/kWH (1.58 miles/ kWh)
Winnebago said the trip enabled its e-RV design team to further test and document real world performance factors and gather additional data that will drive further refinements as the technology is assimilated into future production vehicles.
It says they also learned a lot by interacting with RV and EV owners at charging stations and nightly stops.
The e-RV has an estimated 125-mile (201km) range, so observers estimate the trip would have had to have involved at least 11 charging stops along the way. At an average of just over an hour of charging per stop, that’s more than 11 hours worth of charging time to 26 hours of reported behind-the-wheel driving time.
Winnebago though is upbeat.
“We are excited to apply learnings from the road trip as we continue refining, exploring, and innovating future iterations of the vehicle,” said senior Winnebago executive, Ashis Bhattacharya.
