Winnebago Unveils Near-Production, All-Electric RV Concept
Electrification goes beyond cars and we at The Car Guide have covered a bunch of different electric vehicles in the recent past.
Earlier this week at the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa, Florida, Winnebago Industries unveiled what it called the first all-electric zero-emission motorhome concept from a major RV manufacturer.
The Winnebago e-RV is much more advanced and sophisticated than the company’s first attempt at developing an electric RV four years ago. It’s fully functional and looks pretty close to a production model, too.
The vehicle shares its chassis, suspension and body with the Ford Transit. However, instead of building on the electric variant of the latter (E-Transit), Winnebago turned to an advanced electrical power system from Lightning e Motors that powers the drivetrain, vehicle controls and living quarters.
The system includes an 86kWh battery that reportedly delivers a range of 200 kilometres. That’s not very much for an RV, of course, but data from the RV Industry Association shows that a majority (54 percent) of new RV buyers prefer to make trips under 320 kilometres. Incidentally, charging time is around 45 minutes at DC charging stations, Winnebago says.
An integrated control system enables operation of subsystems, optimizes load and efficiency, and displays system information and controls on a digital display. The control systems can be monitored through a tablet or smartphone app.
Interior features and amenities include a modern, marine-grade refrigerator, slide-out induction cooktop (safer than a gas stove), full bathroom with toilet and shower, plus a dual-modem Wi-Fi network. Naturally, the concept also boasts eco-friendly and sustainable materials. This includes sustainable, recycled cork-rubber flooring and woolen wall appliques to enhance thermal and wall insulation.
Winnebago is not yet saying when and how it plans to launch electric RVs in the future. More details will come later in 2022.