As a very big fan of indoor plumbing and high-speed internet, I must admit I’m almost uniquely unqualified to speak in detail about RV’s and the many adventures you can have with them. That’s not to say that I’m the least qualified person to do so, but I can’t be that far away from the bottom.
I find the RV’s themselves interesting. From the early experiments and the streamlined bullets on wheels to when Winnebago made an insulated aluminum shed on a box truck frame and they became something the average American could aspire to. Nowadays the idea of spending a week on a box with your family traveling from coast to coast is rather less prevalent, but that doesn’t keep RV manufacturers from working and innovating. Especially since things like overlanding have made becoming one with the outdoors cool again. #vanlife to the nearest natural landmark and spend a couple of days just soaking it in.
And Winnebago is at it again, they have just released their latest innovation to as a concept, the Winnebago eRV2. A fully electric RV which they claim is going to be fully sustainable. Based on the E-Transit, you have a battery pack to power the RV and another one for the ancillaries. And in case you distrust the ability of either, the roof has about 900W worth of solar panels. Biodegradable and recycled materials make up the interior for a result that is…
undeniably an RV, but without the stereotypical tackiness that the common person expects when hearing about the segment.
However, whatever conversation we may have about the furnishings and the concept and anything involving it has become completely replaced by the one small number that everyone hyperfocused on. Range. Winnebago is claiming 108 miles as the range of the eRV2. Between that and the fact that it would take over 90 hours to charge them both using the solar panels (under ideal conditions that don’t actually exist), there has been no space for any other conversation about the van.
It makes sense I guess. Ford does make a Transit with a Plug-in Hybrid drivetrain overseas. That would be the better option while we figure out just how are we supposed to power all of those vehicles where throwing batteries at the problem is not a viable solution.
But let’s consider this for a second: RV’s have never had a tremendously long range. Especially not the larger Winnebagos of yore. A 440 big-block Chrysler with a 3-speed automatic transmission (without overdrive), and the aerodynamics of a McMansion means mileage firmly in the single digits. And if you cheapened out and didn’t specify that long-range fuel tank, your 22 gallons or so would only take you 150–200 miles. As ever, the issue is the time that it takes to fuel up after using your pitiful range. 15 minutes is okay, any more than that and you realize you and your family are “Enjoying the scenery” of other people sitting around watching electricity happen instead of the one wherever it is you’re going.
Winnebago claims that they are “[…]actively pursuing range extension opportunities.” in case the eRV2 comes to production. I don’t envy their job. At least, not the part that doesn’t involve crisscrossing the country to “assess the vehicle’s performance.”
