The worlds first Electric RV is coming!

[wanderso]

Originally Posted by Rob_M

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.

Yep. Just like us and many who I know in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Getting into state parks can be especially challenging on weekends west of the Cascade mountains and Central Oregon. Quite clear that there are many weekenders. The shift since I started in the early 90s away from primally tent camping to primarily RVs and camper vans has also been dramatic.

[Unplanned Tourist]

I can se it now.

Big signs saying "Absolutly No ERV Charging on Weekends"

[radar]

Originally Posted by Unplanned Tourist

I can se it now.

Big signs saying "Absolutly No ERV Charging on Weekends"

As an EVer I would have no problem with that. It sends the message loud and clear and allows social media to spread the word fast that that particular campground doesn’t want EVers pulling trailers in their park. Much easier to plan that way.

I think they’ll be an app out soon enough indicating EV friendly campgrounds. There is already one in Winfield that has an L2 charger for clients. They are on the plugshare app.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by radar

As an EVer I would have no problem with that. It sends the message loud and clear and allows social media to spread the word fast that that particular campground doesn’t want EVers pulling trailers in their park. Much easier to plan that way.

I think they’ll be an app out soon enough indicating EV friendly campgrounds. There is already one in Winfield that has an L2 charger for clients. They are on the plugshare app.

Going to be interesting to see how this works out.

The RV park we winter in has recently solar paneled the clubhouse, library/pool hall, office building and the remote washrooms. They are also talking about covering the storage area with panels.

Due to old wiring issues they are going to replace the wiring in the entire park. Plans are to do this in the coming summer.

It will be interesting to see how many L2 or better chargers they install during the upgrade.

[Johnynorthla]

A test drive in the first all electric RV!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=B7As3818lTg&feature=share

[journeyman]

VERY impressive!
I loved how quiet it is. The rattles and road noise would normally be masked by the drivetrain noise.


I still think the most practical "next step" in all this
is a diesel powered hybrid with 100 kWh. of lithium battery.


* normal diesel operation
* extra HP in addition to the diesel power when you need it
* 'stealthy' entrance into campgrounds after dark or early morning departures
* regen braking
* Dry camping with 100 kWh. batteries? YES!!

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by journeyman

VERY impressive!

Maybe by comparison with earlier versions, but still not ready for prime time, at least here in the US. At least IMHO.

400 Km on a charge sounds great, but since you don't want to run out of charge you will stop to recharge at about 3/4. That is 300 Km or about 190 miles. That is not too bad, but then 2 hours for a fast recharge? 2 hours? And that will only get you to 70% so your next leg will only about about 130 miles. Combined they get about what we usually do in a day, but require a 2 hour wait for the "fast" recharge.

Oh, and then at the RV park it will take several days to recharge? Days?

No thank you. It is getting better, and will get there eventually, but it is not there yet for use in the US, especially in the western part of the US,

[radar]

Originally Posted by AJMike

Maybe by comparison with earlier versions, but still not ready for prime time, at least here in the US. At least IMHO.

400 Km on a charge sounds great, but since you don't want to run out of charge you will stop to recharge at about 3/4. That is 300 Km or about 190 miles. That is not too bad, but then 2 hours for a fast recharge? 2 hours? And that will only get you to 70% so your next leg will only about about 130 miles. Combined they get about what we usually do in a day, but require a 2 hour wait for the "fast" recharge.

Oh, and then at the RV park it will take several days to recharge? Days?

No thank you. It is getting better, and will get there eventually, but it is not there yet for use in the US, especially in the western part of the US,

I disagree...sort of. It depends on the type of RVing. It takes us a month to travel a thousand kilometers. Travelling 300 km in one day means you just passed a half dozen pretty interesting areas to camp, hike, fish etc etc. When we are tour camping we are usually on the road by 10, off the road by 1 and setup for a few days.

Doesn’t work for everybody but would work for us.

Jmho.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by radar

I disagree...sort of. It depends on the type of RVing. It takes us a month to travel a thousand kilometers. Travelling 300 km in one day means you just passed a half dozen pretty interesting areas to camp, hike, fish etc etc. When we are tour camping we are usually on the road by 10, off the road by 1 and setup for a few days.

Doesn’t work for everybody but would work for us.

Jmho.

When we are traveling we generally are going someplace specific for some specific reason. If you are just free-wheeling out on the road, then I might agree that the distance is not really an issue, but the recharge time of 2 hours for a "fast recharge" and "several days" for recharge at a campground is just far too long for us and, I think, for most people who travel in RVs.

There are certainly times when we have those "I wonder what is down that road" moments, and there are times when we don't know where we are going to go next, but whatever location we choose is likely to be too far for the distances available in this electric RV.

One added complication - if you run out of your charge because you can't find a recharge station then no one is going to be able to bring you a 1 gallon can of recharge like they would with gas or diesel. Yes, t hey can bring a truck with electric recharge capability but I wonder how long that will take.

I think the idea of an electric RV is great, and am sure we will eventually get there, but I don't think we are there now, nor will be in the next 5 years. I think the best bet in the short term would be a hybrid vehicle, but then that is just me. I do wonder what will happen in California if, when 2035 arrives, there is no viable electric RV. Will they ban RV sales? Will they delay the deadline for RVs? Will they allow hybrid vehicles?

ADDED:

One other question. What will this do to boondocking? How is an RV ever to get recharged off of roof top solar? If an electric connection at an RV park will take several days to recharge how long will solar take? Or will they carry gas/diesel generators specifically for recharging the drive batteries? And what would that do to the whole concept of "zero emissions"?

Yes. They will solve these problems, but the solution may well be something we are not even thinking about now.

[mr.tommy]

With what just happened to 1000's of RVer's in Texas this winter with no power, water and all that, that just re-enforces to me that I would never have an all electric anything.

[radar]

Originally Posted by AJMike

When we are traveling we generally are going someplace specific for some specific reason. If you are just free-wheeling out on the road, then I might agree that the distance is not really an issue, but the recharge time of 2 hours for a "fast recharge" and "several days" for recharge at a campground is just far too long for us and, I think, for most people who travel in RVs.

There are certainly times when we have those "I wonder what is down that road" moments, and there are times when we don't know where we are going to go next, but whatever location we choose is likely to be too far for the distances available in this electric RV.

One added complication - if you run out of your charge because you can't find a recharge station then no one is going to be able to bring you a 1 gallon can of recharge like they would with gas or diesel. Yes, t hey can bring a truck with electric recharge capability but I wonder how long that will take.

I think the idea of an electric RV is great, and am sure we will eventually get there, but I don't think we are there now, nor will be in the next 5 years. I think the best bet in the short term would be a hybrid vehicle, but then that is just me. I do wonder what will happen in California if, when 2035 arrives, there is no viable electric RV. Will they ban RV sales? Will they delay the deadline for RVs? Will they allow hybrid vehicles?

ADDED:

One other question. What will this do to boondocking? How is an RV ever to get recharged off of roof top solar? If an electric connection at an RV park will take several days to recharge how long will solar take? Or will they carry gas/diesel generators specifically for recharging the drive batteries? And what would that do to the whole concept of "zero emissions"?

Yes. They will solve these problems, but the solution may well be something we are not even thinking about now.

Hard to say. But for the smaller motorhomes it would not take days on a standard 14-50 campground connection. Maybe one full day. But even an overnight charge on a standard 50 amp service would probably get you around a half a charge. Mind you one would probably have to rent a second site for access to the 50 amp service, or possibly use a J1772 L2 EVSE if the campground has one installed. There is a campground up the road from us that installed one. I suspect that will get more common.

[dbircky]

Nobody talks about the very significant gain in weight and cost going from ice to battery. A Tesla 3 is 20% heavier than the larger Honda Accord. Both have about the same range, the Honda is also 42% less costly. Scale that all up to a MH?
Over tire capacity before you put a box of tissues inside. I’m not sure anyone is excited to pay 42% more for a MH.
We have two trips planned this summer. One is 1,900 miles one way, the other is 1,500 miles one way. I’d have to take two more weeks of vacation to just cover the charging times. Yes, we do drive 10 hours plus at a stretch. Time off is limited. Work and a farm only allow so much time away.

[radar]

Originally Posted by dbircky

Nobody talks about the very significant gain in weight and cost going from ice to battery. A Tesla 3 is 20% heavier than the larger Honda Accord. Both have about the same range, the Honda is also 42% less costly. Scale that all up to a MH?
Over tire capacity before you put a box of tissues inside. I’m not sure anyone is excited to pay 42% more for a MH.
We have two trips planned this summer. One is 1,900 miles one way, the other is 1,500 miles one way. I’d have to take two more weeks of vacation to just cover the charging times. Yes, we do drive 10 hours plus at a stretch. Time off is limited. Work and a farm only allow so much time away.

All valid points...except the part about comparing a Tesla model 3 to a Honda Accord. Probably best to compare the Tesla to another premium high performance sport sedan like a BMW. The only way a Tesla model 3 could be as slow and clunky as a Honda Accord is if it was towing one behind it. LOL . One of the reasons Tesla model 3 sells so well is they are already at price parity with comparable gas premium high performance sports sedans.

But yah I get your point. Not everyone tours when they are travelling. There was a time in our lives when we had that kind of schedule as well.

Cheers.

[Johnynorthla]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=B7As3818lTg&feature=share