News

One of the world’s leading leisure vehicle manufacturers, Winnebago Industries, has just completed a more than 1,300-mile road trip in its new e-RV – the first all-electric zero emission motorhome concept from a major RV manufacturer.

First introduced at January’s Florida RV Super Show by Winnebago’s Advanced Technology Group, the e-RV has proved that electric-powered RV journeys are not only feasible but also a genuine alternative to current fuels.

The trip began in Washington D.C. after a successful exhibition at the RV Industry Association’s RVs Move America Week and covered more than 1,300 miles. Highlights of the trip include stops in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Canton, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Indiana Dunes National Park; Chicago, Illinois; and, finally, Eden Prairie, Minnesota—the headquarters of Winnebago Industries. This is the longest continuous road trip conducted with the e-RV, and the first known trip over 1,000 miles by an all-electric RV.

Key stats from the road trip:

• Total miles driven: 1,380
• Total drive time: 26 hours
• Average driving speed: 53 MPH
• Average charge time at DC fast chargers: 1 hour and 2 minutes
• Total charging cost: $275.00
• 60% cost savings over a gas-powered road trip1
• Average miles per kWh: 1.58 mi/kWh

Michael Happe, Winnebago Industries president and chief executive officer, said: “Winnebago Industries has a rich history and tradition of innovation, and we see electrification as a continually evolving chapter of that legacy. We are proud to be a leader in exploring the possibilities of this technology in the outdoor markets we serve.”

As well as being a way of showing what was possible, the road trip also gave Winnebago’s Advanced Technology Group the chance to further test and document real-world performance of the e-RV, which will help drive further refinements and improvements in technology.

Ashis Bhattacharya, Winnebago Industries senior vice president, Business Development, Advanced Technology and Enterprise Marketing, said: “Our Advanced Technology Group was very innovative in our approach to building this first-generation e-RV. We are excited to apply learnings from the road trip as we continue refining, exploring, and innovating future iterations of the vehicle.”