Thursday, December 04, 2008
RV Industry Pins Hopes on Hybrid Motorhomes
GoshenNews.com
Two concept Class A motor homes at the RV industry’s show here have shown that hybrid power systems can be adapted to luxury homes on wheels. The question that remains is: Are consumers interested in paying more for the technology to improve their vehicle’s gas mileage?
Both Fleetwood Enterprises and Winnebago Industries are displaying 36-foot motor homes built on the Freightliner ecoFRED chassis. That chassis includes a front-mounted diesel engine coupled to an electric motor/generator that is tied to lithium-ion batteries.
According to Freightliner information supplied to reporters, the electric motor is used when a control system senses it is most efficient to do so. The lithium-ion batteries capture and store energy when the vehicle is braked. The battery is also charged by the engine.
Fuel-efficiency gains are substantial for the hybrid. Fleetwood has not done any scientific comparisons, but road tests showed there would be up to a 42 percent gain over a gasoline-powered motorhome of the same size. Compared to a diesel-powered motorhome, the gain was 19 percent. Winnebago’s comparisons were also informal and were estimated at a 7 percent gain.
Full Story...
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Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a Year for the Cost of Staying Home Have you always dreamed of taking an extended long trip but didn’t know how to make it happen? Have you thought “if only I knew where to start” the planning process? “Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a year for the cost of staying home” (Second Edition) will take you from “dreaming” to “living" your perfect road trip dream.
Two concept Class A motor homes at the RV industry’s show here have shown that hybrid power systems can be adapted to luxury homes on wheels. The question that remains is: Are consumers interested in paying more for the technology to improve their vehicle’s gas mileage?
Both Fleetwood Enterprises and Winnebago Industries are displaying 36-foot motor homes built on the Freightliner ecoFRED chassis. That chassis includes a front-mounted diesel engine coupled to an electric motor/generator that is tied to lithium-ion batteries.
According to Freightliner information supplied to reporters, the electric motor is used when a control system senses it is most efficient to do so. The lithium-ion batteries capture and store energy when the vehicle is braked. The battery is also charged by the engine.
Fuel-efficiency gains are substantial for the hybrid. Fleetwood has not done any scientific comparisons, but road tests showed there would be up to a 42 percent gain over a gasoline-powered motorhome of the same size. Compared to a diesel-powered motorhome, the gain was 19 percent. Winnebago’s comparisons were also informal and were estimated at a 7 percent gain.
Full Story...
---
Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a Year for the Cost of Staying Home Have you always dreamed of taking an extended long trip but didn’t know how to make it happen? Have you thought “if only I knew where to start” the planning process? “Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a year for the cost of staying home” (Second Edition) will take you from “dreaming” to “living" your perfect road trip dream.
# posted by Steven Fletcher : 1:12 PM 
