The worlds first Electric RV is coming!

[radar]

Originally Posted by move on

Here is a nice graphic to help understand the energy situation.

Interesting graphic. Thanks for posting.

[Coarsegold]

Fine

[journeyman]

Originally Posted by move on

Here is a nice graphic to help understand the energy situation.

Nice graphic.
Interesting to note that alternative energy generation is definitely a good thing, but working on efficiencies to reduce the wasted (rejected due to losses) energy could make a HUGE difference.



I hear a lot of talk about alternative energy generation and sources, but little about improving efficiencies on what we have. Not saying it isn't happening, just that it doesn't seem to be getting the press that other more sexy technologies are getting.

[wanderso]

I think the RV and transportation industry should take things in incremental steps.

1. Get the EV manufacturers to support 4 down flat towing of ALL EVs. Mandate it if we must, just like airbags are required by law. Allow it to act as a dynamic brake / drive mode when both the RV and the EV are descending hills and other braking events. The energy can help towards charging the EV batteries. Reduces the overall fuel purchased by motorhome drivers who also pull a toad and drive the toad around when parked.

2. Start with Hybrid RVs before all electric. There already are Hybrid transit buses in our city. Doesn’t seem like a big leap. This will improve mileage of the motor home as well as in some cases allow for smaller engines.

3. Improve the aerodynamics of RVs. Not just the front, but also the under-carriage. Come on! Most of us are driving bricks down the highway. Class Cs aren’t much better. Same goes for travel trailers and 5th wheels.

4. Further drive down the cost of battery systems and replace the generator compartment with batteries for most users. Boon docking may still require generators for some and that’s fine, but make that the exception and not the standard design. I see some of these generator drop in replacements are available on the interwebs but whoa - expensive!

5. Improve efficiency of air conditioners, other appliances, and weight reduction for use in RVs. Reduces power needs (less battery) and less fuel.

6. Study the actual use of RVs by the public. Apart from full-timers, I suspect the majority of RV use is within <150 miles of home. This changes the game on what is actually required. We may well be getting a lot of “electric” RVs anyway with Chevy and Ford pickups pulling travel trailers to these destinations. The largest percentage of RVs are travel trailers.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by wanderso

6. Study the actual use of RVs by the public. Apart from full-timers, I suspect the majority of RV use is within <150 miles of home.

I doubt that figure on mileage.

It certainly does not fit us, and we are not full-timers and just anecdotally when we look at the RVs we see as we travel they are generally not from where we are located at the time. We go to the Pacific Coast and see RV plates from all over the US, certainly all over the western US. We go to the Texas Gulf Coast and see RV plates again from all over the US, certainly from all over the southern US. And I live in Arizona and in the winter we see RVs from all over the northern part of the US and Canada, although this year the Canadians are mostly not here due to the border restrictions.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by radar

And yet many nations seem to be making steady progress with wind solar and renewables. From what I have read so is the US. Nothing happens overnight.

No argument about things moving to a new norm. Marketing is always such that change is good. How else can you get a detergent with new improved packaging as a sales pitch!!

Arguing that once you try the new improved performance when the question is how much pollution is reduced does not justify the call for pollution accountability.

The question still remains is the new technology that much better when it comes to pollution and cost. If it is the same pollution for more cost is it really that great?

[radar]

Originally Posted by Gordon Dewald

No argument about things moving to a new norm. Marketing is always such that change is good. How else can you get a detergent with new improved packaging as a sales pitch!!

The question still remains is the new technology that much better when it comes to pollution and cost. If it is the same pollution for more cost is it really that great?

Good point. No idea. I know most of the EV drivers we know buy them because of performance, convenience and tech. Those who do long commutes buy them for low operating cost and low maintenance reasons. That's not us but I get it. Its pretty much 25 percent of the operating costs to drive anywhere.

To each his own.

Cheers.

[Rob_M]

In a perfect world there would be no parasitic losses between the power plant to the end user. But there are. To me a hybrid with a clean fuel burning engine makes the most sense. People think if they don’t see or smell pollution pollution out a tailpipe it does not exist but who knows if their electric vehicle causes more pollution due to having to generate it. No one with money invested in the new technology is going to do that math.
Think about it, this is the same people that told us to switch from paper bags to plastic years ago. How did that work out?

[move on]

If the source of the electricity used to charge an EV is a coal burning generating plant then the EV is causing more carbon to be released into the atmosphere than a car with an internal combustion engine that burns gasoline or diesel.

[radar]

Originally Posted by move on

If the source of the electricity used to charge an EV is a coal burning generating plant then the EV is causing more carbon to be released into the atmosphere than a car with an internal combustion engine that burns gasoline or diesel.

I can believe that. But in many countries and certainly in North America coal is a small and ever shrinking part of the power makeup.

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by move on

If the source of the electricity used to charge an EV is a coal burning generating plant then the EV is causing more carbon to be released into the atmosphere than a car with an internal combustion engine that burns gasoline or diesel.

I don’t believe this is true. Large power plants have very sophisticated scrubbers and filters that weigh tons, that can’t be added to your car engine.

Also the process to turn crude oil into gas or diesel takes a lot of energy, and then again more carbon emissions to transport that gas or diesel to your fuel station before you even use it.

Coal is basically dig it from the earth, put it in train cars (most efficient means of transport besides pipelines), and then burn it.

[move on]

Coal is almost all carbon while gas or diesel is a hydrocarbon. This is why.

[wanderso]

Originally Posted by AJMike

I doubt that figure on mileage.



It certainly does not fit us, and we are not full-timers and just anecdotally when we look at the RVs we see as we travel they are generally not from where we are located at the time. We go to the Pacific Coast and see RV plates from all over the US, certainly all over the western US. We go to the Texas Gulf Coast and see RV plates again from all over the US, certainly from all over the southern US. And I live in Arizona and in the winter we see RVs from all over the northern part of the US and Canada, although this year the Canadians are mostly not here due to the border restrictions.

Granted, but hence why I recommend to study it to confirm. Meant 150 each way. Oops. Certainly true that extended summer trips are often further away. I know a lot of people in our area who do 3-4 day weekend activities throughout the year and have a major trip once per year that is much farther. Those who are retired have much greater mobility options.

Personal bias based on our shared experiences (yours, mine, etc. ) may not represent the whole.

[Rob_M]

Originally Posted by wanderso

Granted, but hence why I recommend to study it to confirm. Meant 150 each way. Oops. Certainly true that extended summer trips are often further away. I know a lot of people in our area who do 3-4 day weekend activities throughout the year and have a major trip once per year that is much farther. Those who are retired have much greater mobility options.

Personal bias based on our shared experiences (yours, mine, etc. ) may not represent the whole.

We fit squarely in with folks you reference. Still working full time. We try to do one weekend a month and 1 or 2 long trips per year. Maybe 50% overnights without hookups.