Ricardo supported Winnebago in development of eRV2 all-electric recreational vehicle prototype
30 August 2023
Ricardo has supported Winnebago to develop and launch North America’s latest all-electric RV prototype, called the Winnebago eRV2, based on the Ford E-Transit. Winnebago in 2022 introduced the eRV concept, with powertrain developed, integrated and installed by lightning eMotors. (Earlier post.)
The eRV2 features a proprietary IonBlade Li-ion 48V house battery, separate from the chassis battery, each with a separate charging cord. (The chassis battery can also feed the house battery.)
Winnebago chose Ricardo due to its proven track record in diverse product development cycles, launch management and expertise in electric vehicle integration. The team had responsibility for managing the program delivery of the project through from clean sheet design to vehicle launch, in a specific one-year timeframe. This included project management support in engineering, manufacturing, quality, procurement and supply chain management.
Additionally, and drawing on the team’s expertise in automotive electrical system development, Ricardo supported Winnebago with the integration of the advanced 48v electrical system, including electrical engineering architecture and wire harness.
US Government Bureau of Economic Analysis statistics measuring the outdoor recreation economy for the nation show that RVing is the second-largest conventional activity for the nation. The outdoor recreation industry in North America has seen significant growth, and this has also been accompanied by greater demand for sustainable products which will enable consumers to enjoy the great outdoors with less environmental impact.
Now this should make people think of how to manage the entire inventory of public/private chargers - a 50% uptake of the RV industry to electric over the next decade? Commuter delays may not longer simply mean slow traffic on the interstate - maybe the line-up for the charger at your local mall. Though, I suppose if any vehicle type would most likely be most convenient by 'overnight charge' it would be this. Motel land owners take Note - EV parking spot at $49 per night - utilities extra.
Which leads me to wonder why there is not an electric charger equivalent of GasBuddy -a gas-price/ location real-time app - not otherwise aligned to one kind of brand.
Posted by: Jer | 30 August 2023 at 04:47 AM
Jer, there are several charger apps. "A Better Route Planner" covers both Europe and North America, and there are competitors in each market. One useful feature is that you can see how busy each charging location is, so you can avoid charging queues.
Posted by: Bernard | 30 August 2023 at 06:36 AM
Virtually all RV parks provide 240v electric circuits to each parking space.
RVers will have the least waiting of all EVs. It’s built into the existing infrastructure.
Bring your own charge cord for the NEMA 14-50 receptacle.
For folks with long dwell times, boondocking with solar will be viable. You’ll leave the remote off-grid campground with a full charge.
Posted by: electric-car-insider.com | 30 August 2023 at 03:21 PM