Winnebago proved the power of the E-RV electric motorhome concept by taking the vehicle on a 1,400-mile journey from Washington DC to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, where the company is headquartered. Winnebago believes this is the first 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) trip for an electric RV.
The journey took 26 hours and the average speed of the e-RV was 53 miles per hour (85.3 kilometers per hour). Its energy efficiency was 1.58 miles per kilowatt hour. The average time spent at DC fast chargers was 1 hour and 2 minutes.
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The total cost for charging along the way was $275, which is a lot cheaper than an internal combustion engine vehicle. Winnebago estimates that an average trip of 10 miles per gallon at the nationwide average cost of $5.00 per gallon would cost about $690 on that trip.
“We look forward to applying learnings from the road trip as we continue to refine, explore and innovate on future iterations of the vehicle,” said Ashis Bhattacharya, Winnebago senior vice president.
Winnebago debuted the Ford Transit-based e-RV concept at the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa in January. The vehicle features an 86-kilowatt-hour battery that offers an estimated range of 125 miles (201 kilometers).
Inside there are all the amenities you would expect from a motorhome. Features include 350 volt DC water heater, roof mounted air conditioning with heat pump, pull out induction cooktop and marine grade refrigerator. There is a bathroom with toilet and shower.
For the interior, Winnebago selected sustainable materials. For example, there is recycled cork rubber flooring. Wool appliqués cover the walls and help with insulation.
For the time being, the e-mobile home is just a concept. However, Winnebago says it intends to use what it learns from vehicle development in future production vehicles. The company doesn’t say how soon an electric RV could be part of the lineup.
The mobile home segment is currently booming. In April 2022, Winnebago reported that it had a $4.37 billion backlog of accepted dealer orders. Financially, the company reported revenue growth of $1.2 billion, or 29 percent, in the fiscal second quarter.
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