The RV industry seems to have recognized the wind-change in vehicles. Like it or not, electric vehicles will become a reality somewhere in the future. Some RV manufacturers have made a move toward adapting to that reality, but one thing stands in the way. EV charging stations for RVs will be a necessity. A key principle of RVing is freedom: freedom to go where you want. If there aren’t charge stations along the way, plenty of them, electric RVs (eRVs) won’t sell. RV giant Thor is pushing for them.
“Chargers in destinations popular with RV owners”
Today Thor rushed out with new “state-of-the-art 3-D renderings of an EV charging station concept” it says will serve eRVers. Their dream stations are fit to serve big Class A motorhomes and small EV-towed trailers—along with their tow vehicles. “The concept,” says a Thor press release, “illustrates THOR’s efforts to support the development of pull-through eRV-compatible chargers in destinations popular with RV owners.”
Features of EV charging stations for RVs
In Thor’s dream, there are a number of principal needs to meet in EV charging stations for RVs. Plenty of maneuvering room. Compare it to the fuel pump arrangements at your typical 7-11 versus the fuel islands at a truck stop. Carrying the truck stop analogy a bit further, Thor’s view of eRV stations also includes, “restrooms, a playground and fitness equipment, [that] help eRV owners relax and recharge alongside their vehicles. These facilities, like the entire concept charging station, are designed to blend into their natural surroundings.”
Thinking in practical terms, Thor’s vision also includes wide, pull-through charge station aisles. No unhitching here. And not just a single charge cord in each bay. EV charging stations for RVs would be equipped with two charging cables. If your e-motorhome’s toad is an EV, then charge them both at the same time.
And who will build them, so they will come?
Of course, Thor is an RV builder—not an EV charging station contractor. We can’t quite envision Thor doing a Tesla-like task of building Thor-branded EV charging stations for RVs across the country. Thor is working with the RV Industry Association’s lobbying efforts to kick-start states and Uncle Sam into building eRV charge stations. In their press release, Thor reminds readers, “We designed this concept to provide states and rural communities a better understanding of the infrastructure needed near parks, destination towns and other popular destinations to retain the tremendous economic benefits future RV travelers will offer.”
Will Congress think this is such a good idea that it will rush to fund the concept? THOR and the RV Industry Association have already pitched their idea to government. They made a point of detailing the economic case for states to use some of the $7.5 billion federal EV funding currently available. That funding is already in place, and industry thinks state and tribal governments should use it to build EV charging stations for RVs.
Not “concrete soaked in diesel”
Finally, lest the vision of “concrete soaked in diesel with reefer trucks roaring in the ear” ala truck stops leave a bad taste, consider this. Thor doesn’t want folks put off the eRV idea with such visions of a fueling stop. Rather, “every aspect of the eRV experience should be enjoyable, including charging.” Since it takes a while to “refuel” an EV, Thor sees travelers taking advantage of the charging downtime outside their rigs enjoying “beautiful natural landscaping, berms, trees and green spaces since EV charging stations don’t store or handle fuel.”
##RVT1132b
Thor must be planning on doing things differently if every aspect of the eRV experience is to be enjoyable, like warranty service in the shop and on the road.
Thors only concern is selling their POS. Based on Thors record of the last several years I’d be afraid it would turn into a rolling fireball under my feet.
Good luck with anything Thor.
Thank you, Russ and Tina! Hmm, … well, … umm, … I wonder if Thor contemplates installing these stations at its dealers? Could be a selling point — “Buy from us and we’ll give you a year (two? more?) of free charges for you eRV.” Alternately, they have publicly raised the point in the hope that a groundswell of public opinion will motivate politicians to mandate and fund charging stations in their particular state or nationally.
RV dealers are not like car dealers, they are not franchised. Someone who sells Thor may also sell Winnebago or Coachman, so Thor is not going to invest in ERV charging at dealers.
With vehicle manufacturers cutting back on the production of EV’s and those in the business that are starting to face the reality that the materials and infrastructure required to manufacture the batteries and other materials as well as support the nationwide charging coverage will never catch up to the mainstream market. Ford, Toyota and even Tesla are seeing their customers switching back to gasoline. Excellent article from Canada’s financial post and I assume the US markets are similar. Net-zero policies colliding with economic reality | Financial Post
I guess my previous comment didn’t make the cut. With influential analysts belatedly realizing Tesla is an overvalued car company, not a technology miracle, its stock has dropped 25 per cent. Other EV start-ups face impossible refinancing odds. VW is closing down an entire production line. Ford is pulling back $12 billion in EV investments and Honda and GM are cancelling a $5-billion EV co-development program. These are all unmistakable market signals. Mainstream buyers, who in growing numbers are deciding these expensive marvels are not for them, signaling their next vehicle will be gas-powered. I imagine once the novelty has worn off of EV RV’s the same will happen to them. Good luck Thor
What happens to all of the batteries once they fail or have to be replaced. Where are these batteries going to be disposed of? Bury them, landfill or sink them in the deep blue sea? It’s an environmental snafu.
Musk will load them on his rockets and send them into space where they will join all the rest of the space junk that will eventually fall out of orbit and hopefully burn upon reentry thereby polluting the air you breathe.
Just Google EV battery recycling. There are several plants in the US already set up to recycle EV batteries.
EV sales are up 50% year over year and have already surpassed the number sold in all of 2022 in the first nine months of this year. Yes, some manufacturers have had to change their investment strategies with the cost of capital and realizing consumers aren’t going to pay an extreme premium for an EV car, as they shouldn’t. Glad they are getting pricing down quickly to help the consumer move into these better cars (driving experience, safety, and environment)
Not some manufacturers, all, even Tesla has cut back. And reducing prices trying to sell his cars.
Yes, capitalism. They need to cut back because their projections were too high. Still up 50%. They just thought they’d get more than that and were greedy on the higher margin potential for the prices they were trying to charge. Capitalism is a beauty
By greed in capitalism do mean the current business model where they lose between $30k and $60k per unit sold. How very greedy of them making minus ($30,000) per unit. Those greedy capitalist pigs …..
Yep. The $40,000 Tesla Cyber Truck has died on the vine.
As something that ugly should…
Tesla is profitable per car. Others need to develop the volume and it requires initial investment.
But why would the big 3 develop or invest more into producing the volume if the demand is not present? It’s a loser business model.
You can’t do volume without the customers to buy the product. Your making my point anf for that, I thank you.
As I have stated in previous posts, this is basically a fad that the people who rush out to buy the “first” of everything have done so. Between those people and the political party in charge with their “green new deal” all the auto manufacturers jumped on the band wagon investing billions of $$ on EV startups only to find out the majority of the population doesn’t want or need over priced toys they can’t drive on trips, or in cold weather. EVs will be a viable vehicle someday, after the infrastructure is in place, range is comparable to gas, and recharging can be done in the time required to refill your gas tank. Or all of us old fogies are long gone and the younger generations are in charge
15% of 2022 sales globally is hardly a fad. About 11% of car registrations in 2023 were EV here in Colorado. There are also several models in the $30,000 range. We have a Leaf that we use for almost all of our local driving including trips of 150 miles plus, year round. Far cheaper to operate with only tire rotations in 3 years, and energy costs of $.03/mile. I agree the infrastructure isn’t developed enough yet, but it is happening.
I’m still pro-choice on EVs. Happy to hear you like yours. I don’t choose one, maybe some day but not now. They have no useful or practical place in my life compared to my choice of ICE autos but I’m glad they fit in some people’s lives.
Hi, Bill. You mean the previous comment with the link? Anything with a link (even my comments🙄) need to be approved. Sorry it took awhile to approve your comment, but it’s here now. Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks Diane, I will keep that in mind for the future. Cheers.
You’re welcome, Bill. It’s not a big deal, but I just wanted you to know the procedure so you wouldn’t think your comment wasn’t going to be posted at all. And since you’re such an early bird, anything you post that’s held for moderation, e.g., it has a link, may sit for awhile before I get to the comments because I am definitely not an early bird. In fact, when you posted this comment (3:59 a.m. my time), I was still trying to get some sleep.🙄 Have a good afternoon. 😀 –Diane
I hope all the brands help invest in charging stations once an EV RV exists that is practical. Good to get ahead with charging. RVs still a few years away but cars are rocking. My Tesla is the most amazing car I’ve ever owned. I’d buy it just for the driving experience but great to know its not gas polluting. Can’t wait for a real motorhome EV one day
Have you not seen any of the news about the rest of the auto industry putting their EV programs on hold? Seems the people like you have bought their EVs now the rest of the population is very comfortable with their ICEs and don’t want the aggravation of lack of charging stations that work!
Nothing is on hold, Bob. They just had overzealous projections. Still up 50% and share of EV continues to climb. Enjoy your gas. I’ll enjoy my EV. Nonsense that this is combative. Just accept people’s differences. I have a gas car too.
Still a heavy polluter. All of the items to build your car required fossil fuels. Most of it is done in china, and recycling when the car expires is just as bad.
To make this work, you would have to include campsites with charging stations. RVers would want to start out their day fully charged.
I really can’t see it happening anytime soon.
Where’s all the electricity going to come from? The utilities have a hard enough time supplying demand just to keep household air conditioners running!
Now now, there you go being practical. 😉
LoL! Had to check the publication date on this one. Honestly expected it to be April 1, 2023.
As long as the Gov’t does not kick in another dime of tax dollars for charging stations, go for it. Not a dime for EVRV charging stations and not another dime for passenger automobile charging stations.
EVs have been around fully for 20 years plus and a sustainable business model should now grow organically if this tech truly has legs. Plumbers and landscapers shouldn’t be required to pay off some doctor’s student Loan and then also pay for a special fueling station for his fancy car.
*Notice that in the article, Thor asks for your tax dollars to assist them in this Unicorn. They can barely hang a door that won’t fall off, let alone develop EVRVs.
It looks like a high-end campground that you only camp at for an hour or so. So as campers are complaining about campgrounds costing over $100-a-night for “amenities”, who believes that this is going to be affordable?
And those solar panel “shades” are mostly for show. Just back-of-the-envelope math says that it would take acres if not square miles of panels to “supercharge” just a couple of these vehicles at a time. How much more of America will we be paving over for this?
Currently the future looks bleak for lithium battery manufacturing outside of China. Currently China supplies a large percentage of the rare earth minerals for lithium batteries and are restricting export of them giving them leverage on the worlds market. Currently they produce 98% of the gallium, 60% of the germanium, and 65% of the graphite materials to produce the batteries. Production of these materials in other parts of the world including the U.S. is slow and could take a long time to compete with China
To me, the EV industry is making a new-technology mistake. If all builders were to coordinate their R&D they would consider having a low number of standardized batteries. Exchange batteries would be located at power exchange stations. One would drive in to an exchange doc. An on-board servo would eject the battery to the power station’s servo that would accept the battery and load onto the vehicle whose on-board servo would take over and doc the newly charged battery into place. Instead of a couple of hours or more to get back on the road it would only be several minutes.
This has already been tried in Europe and flopped. The most expensive single component of an EV is the battery, costing literally tens-of-thousands of dollars. And it’s a depreciating asset. Would you really want to swap the brand new battery in your EV with one that might be years older with hundreds or thousands of charge/discharge cycles and has less than 80% of the capacity of your new one? Would people who have older, fully-depreciated worn out batteries use the battery swap as an opportunity to upgrade their now used up ton of toxic waste with your fresh, new battery?
No one has yet said where all this mythical electricity is going to come from. Can’t have coal fired generating stations natural gas is considered a no no.