Thor Class B RV, Powered Airstream Travel Trailer Showcase Appeal of Electrification
By Edward A. Sanchez – Jan. 20, 2022
The recreational vehicle market has traditionally focused on improving the comfort and convenience of its products, with this typically manifesting itself as gradual, iterative improvements over the years. In this author’s humble opinion, this is also the reason why the industry has been slow to jump on the electrification bandwagon, as the marginal improvement in functionality and convenience that would be gained from electrification was not significant enough to justify the expenditure of resources on electrified recreational vehicles.
That was the old paradigm and approach – one that simply looked at the added cost, weight, and complexity (from the standpoint of disruption of the traditional RV manufacturing paradigm) of battery packs, power management, and software that would require a pretty comprehensive rethink of production processes, supplier relationships, and engineering priorities.
That all changed when the Erwin Hymer Group of Germany, and its RV brand Dethleffs showed the E.Home Coco concept, which added electric motors to the trailer, tackling what was heretofore a major issue of range degradation while towing with an EV.
In an engineering validation test, the tow vehicle, an Audi e-tron, maintained nearly its full range while towing, proving the value and validity of the concept of powered trailers. This success did not go unnoticed, with recreational vehicle giant Thor Industries purchasing EHG and Dethleffs in 2019, specifically for the company’s expertise in advanced technologies in the recreational vehicle market.
Following the E.Home Coco validation test, and discovery of Thor’s acquisition of EHG, I armchair-quarterbacked that Thor would take the technology showcased on the E.Home Coco and apply it to an Airstream-branded product for the North American market.
Earlier this week, my hypothesis was validated with the unveiling of the eStream travel trailer concept, which features twin powered wheels, dual battery packs, and the ability to be utilized by both EV and ICE tow vehicles, with a self-contained powertrain.
The Thor Industries eStream is an electrified Airstream travel trailer offering two electric motors and two battery packs. (Image courtesy Thor Industries)
In addition, during the presentation video, Thor said it was planning to implement an 800v charging system for fast DC charging, the provision for two-way charging, and possibly using the trailer as a home backup power source.
The second concept shown was its Thor Vision Vehicle (TVV) that appeared to be based on a Ford Transit, with a specialized chassis developed with Roush. Among the unique features of the TVV is a fuel cell range-extender system enabling a total range of up to 300 miles.
Thor’s TVV electric Class B RV concept also utilizes a fuel cell to achieve a targeted range of 300 miles. (Image courtesy Thor Industries)
Although still a concept, Thor stole the thunder somewhat of its longtime rival Winnebago, which also unveiled a Transit-based motorhome concept with its e-RV concept, with a claimed range of only 125 miles from an 86 kWh battery pack. Like the TVV, a firm production and on-sale date for the e-RV was not announced.
Inside, Thor’s TVV concept EV motorhome has a touch of the modern. (Image courtesy Thor Industries)
Getting back to the original premise of this post about improving functionality and convenience, the eStream, TVV, and e-RV all feature inductive stovetop cooking surfaces, and (propane) gas-free platforms. Although the marketing arm of natural gas interests for decades touted the desirability of gas ovens and stovetops, many consumers, as well as professional chefs, are discovering the hyper-accurate adjustability and control of inductive cooktops, making them increasingly the technology of choice in high-end homes.
The Winnebago e-RV concept rides atop an 86 kWh battery and offers a claimed range of 125 miles. (Image courtesy Winnebago)
In the case of the eStream, the electric motors also allow for trailer movement and positioning independent of the tow vehicle, removing the bane and headache of many newcomers to RV camping: reversing a travel trailer.
Some other blogs and outlets have already referred to the unveiling of these electrified concepts as the RV industry’s “iPhone moment.” Until it is tires-on-the-tarmac and actual customer deliveries, that promise remains to be seen. But much as it has become in the mainstream light vehicle industry, electrification in RVs has now gone from “kludgy science experiment” to “quantum leap forward” in the minds of many.
(Main image courtesy Thor Industries)
- Store - Podcast - Facebook - Google News - Twitter -
