When it comes to the drive, however, Winnebago does not rely on the e-motor just introduced by Ford for the Transit. The drivetrain comes from Lightning eMotors, the energy source in the form of an 86 kWh lithium battery not only supplies the engine with power, but also all electrical consumers on board. The water heater and the air conditioner are operated with 350 volts direct current, the induction hob and the refrigerator are supplied with the 110 volts alternating current that is standard in America.
The range of the concept camper is severely limited, however, because the motorhome cannot travel much more than 200 kilometres. Then it's off to the nearest charging station, where the battery is fully ready for use again in around 45 minutes, according to factory specifications. The range is reasonable, says a Winnebago spokesperson; according to a customer survey by the manufacturer, 54 percent of those willing to buy would be satisfied with this distance.
The interior is mainly made of sustainable materials such as bamboo and wood. Two longitudinal bench seats behind the driver and passenger seats form a face-to-face seating group. The backrests of the benches are foldable, so that in combination with the table a relatively large reclining area can be prepared. The kitchen and bathroom are located in the rear.
In addition to an electrified Airstream Caravan, whose drive technology originates from a cooperation between Dethleffs and ZF, Thor also showed an electric motorhome, but here it relies on a range extender to extend the range, as was also presented by Knaus-Tabbert at the Caravan Salon 2021. As a chassis, the Thor Vision Vehicle (TVV) uses a platform from the electric specialist Roush Electrical Company, which was specially developed for the e-mobile. Thor is not yet specific about the performance figures, but promises ranges of up to 483 kilometres. In addition, the range extender is said to be a multi-fuel engine that can run on different fuels. A fuel cell for energy generation is also possible.
In the TVV, the bathroom is behind the driver's seat, the galley is on the right side of the vehicle. A promising feature is the darkening system, in which the window glass is made opaque by applying a low voltage. Mercedes had already used this technology for glass roofs in the predecessor of the S-Class. The couch installed lengthwise becomes a bed for two at night. They had already been working on electric mobility for motorhomes for several years, said Bob Martin, CEO of Thor Industries, which, like the Erwin Hymer Group, owns well over a dozen camper brands in the United States.
A market launch of both electric campers could take place in 2023; special electric extensions are already available here. Reimo offers conversion kits for the eVito, while Mercedes has the EQV, the battery-electric counterpart of the V-Class midsize van, converted by the Swiss company Sortimo Walter Rüegg AG. However, the cooperation partners are not jointly liable; in the two-bill deal, Mercedes assumes the guarantee for the vehicle, Sortimo for the conversion consisting of pop-up roof, kitchen module and sleeping area. The EQV costs (without conversion) at least 67,800 euros and is available with two different battery variants (90 kWh and 60 kWh). The EQV 300 has a WLTP range of up to 363 kilometres, the EQV 250 is said to drive 236 kilometres. They can be recharged in about 45 minutes at a fast charging station. Another 25,000 euros or so will be needed for the Swiss extension. (aum/Michael Kirchberger)
