Winnebago proved the capability of the e-RV electric motorhome concept by taking the vehicle on a 1,380-mile (2,221-kilometer) trip from Washington D.C. to Eden Prairie, Minnesota – where the company has its headquarters. Winnebago believes this is the first trip over 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) for an electric RV.
The trip took 26 hours of driving, and e-RV's average speed was 53 miles per hour (85.3 kilometers per hour). Its power efficiency worked out to 1.58 miles per kilowatt-hour. The average time spent at DC fast chargers was 1 hour and 2 minutes.
Gallery: Winnebago e-RV Concept
The total charging cost along the way was $275, which is much cheaper than a combustion-powered vehicle. Winnebago figures that averaging 10 miles per gallon at the national average cost of $5.00 per gallon on this trip would have around $690.
"We are excited to apply learnings from the road trip as we continue refining, exploring, and innovating future iterations of the vehicle," said Ashis Bhattacharya, Winnebago senior vice president.
Winnebago debuted the Ford-Transit-based e-RV concept in January at the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa. The vehicle has an 86-kilowatt-hour battery pack that provides an estimated 125 miles (201 kilometers) of range.
Inside, there are all of the amenities you'd expect from an RV. The features include 350-volt DC power for the water heater, a roof-mounted air conditioner with a heat pump, a slide-out induction cooktop, and a marine-grade refrigerator. There's a bathroom with a toilet and a shower.
Winnebago selected sustainable materials for the interior. For example, there's recycled cork-rubber flooring. Woolen appliqués cover the walls and aid in insulation.
The e-RV is just a concept for now. However, Winnebago says that it intends to use what it learns from the vehicle's development in future production vehicles. The company isn't indicating how soon an electric RV could be part of the lineup.
The RV segment is currently booming. As of April 2022, Winnebago reported it had a $4.37 billion backlog of accepted orders from dealers. Financially, the company reported revenue grew by $1.2 billion, or 29 percent, in the second fiscal quarter.
