Opinion by Tony Barthel
Somehow, whenever the future of RVing is being discussed, someone calls me or sends an email. While my own crystal ball may be no more polished than anyone else’s, I do have some perspective on what’s ahead for RV enthusiasts.
I love trucks, cars, RVs and anything else with an engine. Perhaps that love comes from the fact that my family came to the U.S. so my dad could help with the engineering of the T3 automotive turbocharger. But I also recognize the challenges of the large vehicles we currently call recreational.
The latest question I got was about the future of RVs in general and, more specifically, Class A diesel pushers.
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A history lesson
There was a time of great optimism in the U.S. when we all got to drive cars whose design was dictated solely by stylists. After the styling department did their work, the engineering department then had to figure out how to bend sheet metal into fins and curvy swoops with bulging headlights.
Aside from one rather dismal failure by the Chrysler Corporation in the Airflow series during the 1930s, aerodynamics wasn’t a consideration at all.
Then came the Arab Oil Embargo in 1973 and the government decided to begin forcing automakers to make more efficient vehicles. As fuel efficiency standards increased, car design became more and more dictated by how to push that shape through the wind to the point where, today, design is very much dictated by a combination of aerodynamics and crash and other impact safety regulations.
The forces of nature act upon all things the same way, so that’s why your car looks so much like the one in the next lane over.
Electric RVs
So looking at how the government is regulating things, there’s no avoiding the drumbeat of zero-emissions vehicle discussion which, at the present time, is focused around electric vehicles. While there are other technologies in use, including hydrogen fuel cells in cars like the Toyota Mirai, most of the energy spent (see what I did there?) is going toward vehicles moved by electric motors.
So what about RVs and, in particular, Class A motorhomes?
Well, they’re doomed. At least in their present state. At least in my opinion.
Class A diesel pushers are very inefficient
Class A diesel pushers are an absolute icon of inefficiency in just about every way possible.
First, aerodynamically they’re a complete disaster, since their shape is dictated by interior space. That means they’re not dictated by how efficiently they move through the air. Part of making a vehicle more aerodynamic includes reducing what is called the frontal area, or the part you have to shove through the air. A 12-foot-tall rectangular box is about the worst possible shape you can create for doing this.
Second, motorhomes essentially spend a vast majority of their time sitting idle. The people who own them spend many tens of thousands of dollars on a resource that they barely use – a gigantic diesel engine. This is the kind of stuff that makes financial planners lose their minds.
Third, most Class A diesel pushers are a litany of things that are there just in case. For example, does the owner of a Class A need 150 gallons of fresh water aboard when they predominantly stay at full-service RV parks? Nope. Do they need giant generators under the same circumstances? Nope.
Of course, there are those who take full advantage of these capabilities and seek them out. They serve some owners very well, as do the large diesel engines that they utilize to travel this wonderful country.
So, is it possible that the Class A motorhome is just doomed? Sort of.
The future of RVs
I mentioned aerodynamics and I think the science of shoving things through the air is going to play an increasing role in the design of our RVs, just as it has with the automobile. Today we have big boxes that are poorly designed for travel but work nicely once parked.
I am betting that we’re going to see travel trailers become designed more for travel as well as being great when parked. In fact, this technology already exists.
One of the few RVs that offer almost full function when parked but also travels well is the TrailManor travel trailer. This design sits inside the tow vehicle’s envelope when rolling down the road but then rises to full height when camped. Another benefit of this design is that it fits inside some garages and is light in weight.
TrailManor owners report that the hit they take in fuel mileage is minimal. Again, this is due to a combination of the trailer’s being relatively light in weight but also not being so detrimental aerodynamically.
However, TrailManor is only a small blip on the radar when it comes to travel trailer sales. What would it take to make them more successful?
Perhaps greater adoption of this type of design. Another thing that would help would be more and more adoption of electric tow vehicles. And, if there is greater demand for trailers that tow more efficiently, other companies are going to adopt this type of design as well.
In fact, there is one company that has specifically tested their trailers for aerodynamics: Safari and their Safari Condo Alto A2124’s odd shape comes specifically because it was designed to slice through the air.
Back to the Class A
As you watch RV sales skyrocket, one of the areas that is not following that trend is the Class A diesel pusher. Class B vans have jumped a full 148% in sales, according to one study, and travel trailer sales are up by half. But Class A motorhomes showed just a relatively tiny blip in sales at a 13.6% increase.
What would make sense is if Class A motorhomes came in two flavors: one that’s very much like today’s models that has all the ability to boondock, and others that were more park-friendly and had less on-board infrastructure but offered greater operating efficiency.
Crazy, you say? But it’s been done before. In fact there was a Class A motorhome that was relatively aerodynamic, had a low profile and drove like a car. That was the GMC MotorHome of the 1970s. But even with the power of General Motors’ engineering, it still wasn’t the best example.
That honor, in my humble opinion, goes to the Ultra Van which was a Corvair-powered fully functional motorhome designed by an aircraft engineer. Surprisingly, it didn’t weigh that much more than the average Corvair of the time and offered everything you would need in an RV – including great fuel economy.
Electric power
Another thing to think about is that big diesel engine which has a smaller version of itself up front as the generator. This is just dumb.
As we move more and more into electric drive motors, what would make sense for the Class A market is some sort of onboard generator that can provide power to the batteries of a Class A that move it down the road, but also can serve to operate everything inside.
Think of things like a fuel cell, which can operate on propane, as proved by Watt Fuel Cells. That means you could use the existing propane infrastructure, which follows us RVers around like a dog on a leash, but then also offers less maintenance.
The fuel cell could operate in conjunction with the batteries and a solar system to charge the RV when it needs to move. It would also keep those same batteries in check when the rig is stationary. Cloudy day? No problem. Cross-country trip? Also no problem. Very low emissions? Check. Lots and lots of torque to cross the Rockies? Easy.
“More and more governmental agencies are looking at the emissions of diesels and seeing how they can curtail these. One way of doing so is to kill them off altogether. “
This could be something to celebrate
So while some are bemoaning the potential loss of a diesel engine, if we thought a bit differently, this could actually be something to celebrate. Especially for those who like to breathe.
It’s not inconceivable that you have 800 watts of solar on the roof of a big Class A motorhome. But then having an electric drive motor and a propane fuel cell also means the driveline takes less space and makes almost no sound. It is also very clean from an emissions standpoint.
Smaller driveline, smaller rig, longer range. And fewer moving parts means you’re not going to need a $700 oil change ever again.
Where is diesel going?
As someone who loves the grunt of a diesel engine and its associated torque, I realize there might be some who wish to hold onto their diesel engines. But the end of the line for diesel is on the horizon.
I say this because more and more governmental agencies are looking at the emissions of diesels and seeing how they can curtail these. One way of doing so is to kill them off altogether.
Diesel engines themselves are very, very efficient and diesel fuel has more energy than gasoline. Furthermore, diesel emissions have less carbon dioxide than a gasoline engine. However, diesel does have two big disadvantages: nitrogen oxide emissions and particulate emissions. Oh, and the numerous studies that show that diesel exhaust can be a carcinogen.
As a society, we were doing fine with accepting some of this. Many European agencies were even encouraging people to drive diesel passenger cars, which were made more palatable by ever-improving emissions systems.
Until Volkswagen screwed the pooch. Volkswagen figured out that their front-drive cars were being emissions tested when only the front wheels were turning and the rear wheels were stationary, such as during an emissions test. So some clever engineers figured that they could run the engines to optimize emissions during testing but optimize performance and fuel economy on the road.
And then we found out. And heads rolled at VW as the company racked up almost $35 billion in fines, charges and penalties around the world. But, more than that, suddenly customers no longer wanted diesel passenger cars.
Diesel sales are continually declining
Diesel sales went from as high as 85% in Italy to some 35% recently, with numbers continuing to decline.
Government agencies, including our own federal government and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) are sitting in rooms figuring out how to eliminate diesel engines altogether.
Don’t believe me? This is why you see companies like Ford coming out with large gasoline V8s that rival their diesels for performance in heavy-duty vehicles. They talk to regulators and regulators are burning the midnight solar panels to kick diesel to the curb.
In fact, recently CARB had planned to really crack down on diesels all around including motorhomes coming in from out of state – until the RV industry took note and fought them on it. But you almost lost your privilege to just casually visit California with your diesel motorhome.
And don’t think the war is over.
Another salvo is the government doing what it can to at least keep diesel engines in compliance, as witnessed by the actions against companies like EZ-Lynk.
So now what?
I think the RV space is going to change with a combination of technologies and governmental intrusion. With ever-increasing numbers of electric tow vehicles hitting the roads and on the horizon, we’re going to see demand for towable RVs that don’t put such a hit on the range of these vehicles.
I also see the days of diesels in private hands going by the wayside. Not soon, but soon enough.
Would I buy a diesel-anything today? As a friend of mine in the legislature told me, “Only as a short-term waste of your money.” Ouch.
##RVT1002
Nice write up but some of your thoughts bring many questions to mind. The idea of the world moving to towable campers using electric vehicles with no means of quickly charging them on long halls seems to be more than a few years away. I also question the industry and political marketing promoting the electric vehicle as the answer to future transportation. The largest problem I presently see is the amount of pollution generated to build and charge electric vehicles and their related components. Wind and solar are not there. Unless we move to nuclear (a clean energy source) or hydrogen cell generators we will be reliant on coal and natural gas generation for reliable energy. As for the electric vehicle I see better results in reducing pollution with the use of hydrogen fuel cell engines. No pollution, existing technology, and fueling stations could use existing fueling locations. But, that is just me dreaming of a better way. We can reimagine the Class A to a better design.
Fossil fuel’s demise? From a Government that has NO solutions? None!
Solutions will come from a capitalist private enterprise effort incented to bring the best of human ingenuity and innovation to the industry.
Diesel going away?? HAHAHAHAHA!!
Reality – the brilliant government edict of 2035 will come and go and if one reads the experts – neither will 2100.
Why?
The ONLY mines for rare earth minerals for batteries are in S Africa, Congo and China. Most workers are slaves. 40,000 little children (under 12) are slaves in Congo mines according to the UN.
To provide the rare earth minerals for batteries – we need no less than 100 new mines – and it takes10 years to get the first ounce out of a new mine. NONE are being dug today!
So let’s take a break from hype.
Keep your diesel and if considering a new buy – enjoy it. We will ALL be long gone before any of this government hype ever comes to fruition.
Could not have said it Better !
AGREED! Chuck, come back. Your honesty and “tell it like it REALLY is , is DESPERATELY needed. Let the “johnny robot” sites peddle questionable journalism.
Sorry, you are wrong on your obvious assumptions about lithium sources. There are at least 3 lithium mines in the US right now. Also solid state batteries are now a reality. And speaking of energy, what do Think the monetary and human cost is of oil shale for carbon rich fossil fuels?
I have been sounding the horn in recent years that RV manufacturers are stuck in a rut and appear unable to improve their trailer designs. Especially, the fifth wheel RVs could be built a lot lighter weight with today’s technological breakthroughs.
As I see it, the issue with most government officials is a total lack of qualification to solve these issues in a positive way. They don’t know how to motivate, only regulate. Offer a billion dollar incentive to solve the emissions vs. efficiency issue. Be productive about it. 10 years ago, we couldn’t land a rocket and re-use it.
“… some sort of onboard generator that can provide power to the batteries of a Class A that move it down the road, ….” Why not do what the railroads did; create a diesel that powers a generator that powers the motor that moves the vehicle. Railroad diesel locomotives are the most fuel efficient method of transporting goods.
How about simply going to natural gas like the trash trucks and muni buses? We have at least 1,000 years of it and it is clean – heck – the power plants that will supply the electricity to your Tesla are natuarl; gas!
If a teash truck can move with natural gas – so can a 45ft DP
Use our existing CLEAN resources and stop the silly EV nonsense!
Tony, you talk about propane to run fuel cells, but did not mention that Diesel engines can run on propane and methane!
Diesel manufacturers have been providing propane conversions for Diesel engines for years. 15 years ago we ran bulldozers in California on methane conversions, using the methane gas by rotting garbage to power the bull dozers spreading the garbage. You under estimate the Diesel engine manufacturers engineering’s ability.
How bout we stop trying to take peoples’ freedoms away and let them decide what is best diesel or electric?
How bout we stop making 7 million people each year die from polluted air from burining fossil fuels? FACT!
supply the “facts” that you allege
They Can’t
Hey Jimbo – how many of them are in America???
Be honest – don’t hype. China and India – both of whom our wonderful politicians allow to keep burning anything and everything to power their economies running are home to most of those 7 million – and you must know it!
Arguments go nowhere when they are filled with hype that is so easily debunked
Thanks for some sanity on this ridiculous thread!
Because the rabid Left have an agenda that is powered by MONEY
America has a constitutional republic and our freedoms are based upon that, NOT liberal agendas of what they actually “want”, rather than what is needed. Petroleum is how the world became better, note that many parts of Africa are just now getting the opportunity to have electricity, and clean water, based upon petroleum. The United States, with huge tax credits, less than 1.6% of all vehicles sold are electric, yet the goods moved across the nation are both diesel trucks. Many people don’t realize that in the late 50s or early 60s in Los Angeles the skies were brown and your lungs hurt breathing in the air. Our air is so much cleaner today. There must be the opportunity for people to have a choice, diesel pusher motorhomes offer families greater enjoyment, than a bare-bones trailer pulled behind an electric vehicle.
Brian I’m curious, do you allege that the air in LA got cleaned up by constitutional freedoms or liberal agendas?
At my age our smaller DP (35ft) will last our lifetime. Even if I were to sell it I couldn’t afford a class B that’s anywhere as nice as our old rig.
Two related articles to consider:
https://thenextweb.com/news/cummins-technology-reduces-diesel-emissions-syndication
https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2021/05/diesel-exhaust-fluid-innovation/
Tony, great article. I can’t wait for the electric haulers to arrive. I will buy the Tesla truck as soon as it arrives to replace my gas powered truck. I have owned a Tesla model S for 8 years and will probably still be driving it 20 years from now. No maintenance other than tires at 80, 000 miles and windshield wipers. The battery has a max range now of 254 down from 265 new so I think it will last over 1 million miles, probably longer than me. I can get anywhere in the US without worrying about recharging with the ubiquitous Tesla network and I can add a hundred miles in 10 minutes or 200 in 25. It’s done charging before I can finish lunch or dinner. I plan on charging the Tesla truck with the 680 watts of solar panels I have on my 21 foot Outdoors RV travel trailer which is set up for Boondocking and can carry 100 gals of fresh water and 40 lbs of propane and a 3500 watt propane fueled Onan generator which never gets used because we have so much solar.
excellent. I’ve yet to hear a Tesla owner say he wished he had a gas car.
Stats – 20% of EV owners went back to gas last year. Just the facts of lack of convenience. Fossil fuel is portable, small in size for the power it provides and plentiful.
If all you do is the 10 mile drive to work, buy the Tesla. But when the weather turns and a hurricane requires an evacuation, the Tesla sits in the garage. Same for any long trip. Totally impractical. Let’s be smart and not hype.
REAL ANSWER – NATURAL GAS. TRUCKS, BUSES, RV’S AND LONG DISTANCE – ALL CLEAN.
Andy,
Can you charge from your trailer solar to the Tesla truck while underway?
No
Most of us don’t have $90,000.00 to $120,000.00 to Invest in an electric car and upgrade our electric panels in our homes to upgrade the charging station from a 15 or 20 110 volt circuit to facilitate any decent charging rate. Many of us live in the Midwest where there are no ” charging stations ” let alone rapid hi current charging systems. Where I live I googled charging stations and there is 1 within 75 miles. Not all of us have unlimited income to invest in an unproven and expensive and polluting form of transportation.
Old men yelling at clouds.
One correction, and it’s a key one: electric vehicles are not “zero emissions”. They’re “remote emissions”. Most of the electricity used to charge these vehicles is still produced using fossil fuels, and the production of the vehicles, their batteries, and their chargers uses an insane amount of energy – again, produced mostly using fossil fuels.
A fact usually overlooked by the majority of fans of ‘electric’ vehicles.
Ever hear of ‘change’ Tommy? It’s happening all the time whether we like it or not.
IMHO, the electric vehicle conversation is another case of human short-sightedness for exactly this reason. Where do all of the EV proponents think this electricity is coming from? At a time in human history when power grids are more vulnerable than ever due to failing infrastructure, declining resources due to climate change (ex: water used for hydro, wildfires preemptively shutting down grids, etc.), and, as we have recently seen, cyber attack, how does it make sense to create the enormous added burden on the grid of everyone constantly plugging in their cars? I am 100% in favor of finding petroleum-based alternatives for fueling our addiction to motorized vehicles, but don’t believe a planet of electric vehicles is a solution until technologies can be further developed to enable those EVs to be self-sustaining, whether through fuel cells, solar generators – maybe even incorporating a wind-driven charging system. There are so many possibilities, but plugging into the grid isn’t a viable, long- term solution.
Also, I think diesel gets a bad rap. You get so much more bang for your buck with a diesel engine, maybe working on cleaning up the emissions makes more sense than trying to replace a global fleet of trucks that are largely responsible for getting all the goods we need and desire into our hands…just a thought. Since we know the oil industry isn’t going to roll over on it’s belly and stop pumping oil until it has wrung the last possible $$ out of the earth, and positioned itself to profit off of any major shift away from fossil fuel energy production, I’d speculate that diesel (and gasoline) will be with us for a while yet. Cleaner petroleum powered vehicles are well within the ability of the auto industry to produce…if their hand is forced.
In 2020 the sources of electrical energy in the United States were
Natural Gas 40%
Coal 19%
Nuclear 20%
Renewables 20%
(8.4% wind, 7.3% hydro, 2.3% solar, 1.4% biomass, 0.4% geothermal)
Coal has been steadily decreasing, natural gas has been steadily increasing as has renewables and nuclear. The industry has been moving to less polluting sources since 2007. (Source: US Energy Information Administration)
I also have been moving into less polluting energy sources. I have a large solar array and lithium storage on my RV, our full time home. We use this source whenever possible even when in a campground. Most of the time I only use pedestal power when I need the air conditioners and during extended periods of heavy overcast.
Personally, I don’t see a problem moving to electrical vehicles. We are currently looking for a new toad and are exploring that option.
Know of many RV Parks – let alone federal or state parks with charging stations? Heck – we buy EMS to protect our RV’s from lousy electricity at campgrounds – but all of a sudden we are going EV toads???????????
NATURAL GAS!!!
CONVERT CARS AND RV’S TO NATURAL GAS AND SKIP THE POWER PLANT!!!!!
Don’t confuse emotional people with facts .
I think you’re going to see a decline not because of the diesel but because of the expense these RVs. Why buy a massive RV when you can build a towable tiny home for half. I’m in the market in the next couple of years but I want something I can make my own. People are also not buying new, they are buying used and refurbishing then flipping…even old buses. I’d like to see companies sell the bare bones for people like me who are only traveling as singles or doubles with absolutely no need of extra sleep in space or gear. People like me who want to add our own furniture and finishing rather than overpriced particle board and veneer. I don’t want your banquet dining, flimsy tables, neon lighting, faux fireplaces or outdoor kitchens with big screen TV. Which is why people like me are continuously buying used and gutting. I’d rather spend 20k rebuilding a used RV than 200k plus on new. Companies need to get with recycling program…redo your old ones instead of constantly pushing out new.
Back when I was a Chevy parts man we had two women come into the shop with an ultra van who were touring the US
Just think when RVs go electric we can camp at the charger while it takes all night to recharge. That will really {bleeped} off the Tesla owners
I hate American Car Manufacturers and Owners too!! {Bleep} Tesla!! Buy Foreign!
Let me tell you the tale of Diesel coming from a school bus driver. There will always be a diesel pusher. Why? Because they now make a cleaner form of diesel. Let me take you back 16 years when I started driving a school bus aka diesel pusher. They smelled. And they smelled bad. No one wanted be behind a school bus. Now fast forward to 2010. Then new invention of something called a re gen. Meaning regeneration. It was new and confounded the mechanics to no end. But what it does is burn off the carbon that forms in the engine and goes out the back end of the bus. But what this fangled thing does is twice burns off the carbon in a fine mist, smells horrible when it burns it off but spits out the tail pipe making for cleaner emission. At my former district they got an electric bus. OMG the problems they had with it. Flash forward to now. Some school buses are using propane. Yup. Propane. I won’t drive one them. No way. So the RV is not doomed. It is doomed to propane or electric.
I have no idea why it bleeps when I say o my god in three letters. But what ever. So as an addendum? I truly believe it won’t be electric but propane if anything. But I do believe the diesel pushers of today? Will get that re gen thing and that will make for cleaner emissions. As for electric? Nope won’t happen. It does not have go go to tow or the energy that a gas engine has. And so if you see a green bluebird symbol on the bus? It is a propane bus. That I will never drive ever. I love my diesel pusher that drives my children to and from school every day. Next year is my last year. I am retiring. Happy Trails.
No propane? Are you allergic to your stove? I have driven propane trucks and they run sweet. As much as I like my diesel now, I know they are going to get phased into something new. Hopefully they will be the alternative to electric. Napa California has a tourist train (full -size) that was diesel, of course, and was converted to propane. Runs sweet.
Our built-in filter apparently has been programmed to put in “(bleeped)” when it sees “OMG” [it just bleeped the 3 letters I put in 😆 ]. So just put O M G to get around that. (I didn’t just say that. 😆 ) When I bleep something, I’ll put “bleeped by Diane.” Have a good night. 😀 —Diane
Why not fix a filter that removes GOD.
Well, that didn’t get bleeped, Ed. I’m not the one that sets the filter parameters, but it seems there’s a way around all of the words on the list. We’re just trying to stay out of religion and politics on here. There are too many people who disagree with other people’s beliefs and opinions and, being anonymous, they tend to give them a piece of their intolerant mind. We don’t want name-calling, derogatory remarks, etc., on our website. Things can get out of control very quickly. There are plenty of other social media sites to post that type of comment. Have a great day. 😀 —Diane
Yeah, school buses will be all electric within the decade
Do you suppose they will install seat belts as well?
No to seatbelts. Oregon does have them but from the safety stand point if you ever watch a school bus go up in smoke, check out the you tube videos. You don’t have minutes but seconds to get the children out. There was one that happened a few years ago, if there were seat belts? All would have died. So no to seat belts. Its like the tootsie pop. How many licks does it take to get the tootsie center? The debate will continue.
Thank you jillie, I understand the thinking behind this, but it has always bugged me that we hear ALL DAY LONG that seatbelts save lives – and I totally agree. I’m here after being in several ‘accidents’ (none my fault) where my seatbelt definitely saved my life. But with kids just sitting there waiting for an emergency stop to happen, or some sort of front end crash to send them careening toward the front of the bus, it just doesn’t make sense to NOT have these kids buckled in. I would hazard to guess that more crashes happen than burning buses, but that’s just my guess.
If you take a look at how school bus seats were like say 20 or even 30 years ago, there was a metal bar that went above the seat. In crashes the children were hitting that bar and injuring their mouths to removing a few teeth. (the patridge family bus has them. Take a look at the inside of that bus)The seats of today are very well padded and go above their heads so if you have to slam on the brakes they hit a padded seat in front of them. It is a cushion of sorts to protect them. Preschoolers are buckled in no matter what because they cannot control their bodies yet. Meaning wobbly. This is from the Transportation dept that has redesigned the modern school bus. So no more metal bars. It is all padded. I have seen redesigns of buses over the years and I like what they have come out with in the past few years. But in accidents? The school bus is like a tank. Comes out with a few scratches but if you hit one? Ouch. Its hard to flip a school bus because the rear wheels have rockers. So you can take a corner and still come out upright. Take a look at one if you can. They are built.
Wow. Thanks, jillie. I grew up in Chicago (50’s) and we walked to school, so no school bus rides – except for an outing to a museum. Once out of school I never saw the inside of a school bus again. I just assumed everything was the same as ‘back then’. The outside of the buses still look pretty much the same except for a few geegaws.
The info about the back of the seats is HUGE. Sounds like someone actually did some thinking on this. Thank you for your time explaining this to me.
As I think about safety I remember reading about a hurricane that hit Maine back in the 30s. This bus driver thought a church would be the safest place for the children. So he took a handful at a time to the church and went back to get the rest. Ran out of time. The water came rushing and took the school bus down the river. As it was discovered and believe it or not the school bus survived and the children, injured survived. The church? Gone and so were the children. They did not blame the driver because he did what he did to protect them. He committed suicide years later because of the guilt. So I guess it goes with out saying. I would rather be on a bus in a hurricane then in a building. IMO But that was one tragic year in Maine.
“…is focused around electric vehicles. While there are other technologies in use, including hydrogen fuel cells in cars like the Toyota Mirai, most of the energy spent (see what I did there?) is going toward vehicles moved by electric motors.”
This is nonsense. It’s one thing to compare battery-driven EVs to fuel cell-driven EVs. But to compare a hydrogen fuel cell car with a car “moved by electric motors”??? That’s nonsensical — hydrogen fuel cell cars ARE moved by electric motors!
All the people complaining about this article being ‘doom and gloom’ won’t have to live in the hotter, drier and crazier world that they are leaving their grandkids. That said, I’m still looking forward to getting a Diesel Super C or Pusher, because companies like Shell and Chevron now HAVE to reduce their TOTAL carbon output – which means the rise of ‘biodiesel’. There will be more and more businesses springing up to modify existing vehicles, and to convert them to handle new fuel standards. Our economy is going through the same flux that it did when the railroad crossed the continent and displaced a month-long steamship trip around South America – or the change from whale oil to petroleum – or the internet supplanting shopping at the mall. These changes bring great opportunity and innovation. Personally, I’m looking forward to a fossil-fuel free future!
You might be right about this, Jeff, but you won’t live long enough to see it. Just sayin’.
Total EV is a long way off. Power plant emissions would rise astronomically. Replacing carbon fueled power plants would require millions of acres of solar cells and windmills, not to mention the number of batteries needed to store the power and the inverters to convert it into AC power.
As far as charging the EV’s, it takes one hour of normal charging for every 25 miles of travel at an 80% charge. That depends on the size and weight of the vehicle.
Super chargers require a 480 volt three phase source. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The country does not have the infrastructure to handle this.
As far as the Ford 150 EV, it has a range of 230-300 miles. Add a large load,such as a a travel trailer weighing 6000lbs and mileage is greatly reduced.
Hmmm…. if only there was leadership pushing an “Infrastructure Bill” to put American-made solar panels on homes, upgrading our power grid, replace a fleet of aging vehicles with electric powered ones and researching ways to improve all these technologies.
Yeah, Jeff, we will see how much of the budgeted $$ goes to improve the infrastructure, and how much goes into pockets, or special projects, of donors and other politicians. Our gas taxes are supposed to go into roads, but much of it is diverted to schools or other recipients.
And if what we see coming out of today’s schools is any indication of what our tax dollars do there, I say we just try to fix the roads and forget the schools.
I know, I know, what a terrible thing to say. Jump on me – I’ve got lots of coffee to drink here . . .
My plan is to test an F-150 Lightning late summer to tow a GeoPro G-19FBTH toy hauler. I want to deal in facts, not guesses.
Another “thinking out of the box” solution to the problem of fuel-guzzling apartment sized mega-land yachts making a mad dash across several state lines, pausing for impromptu overnight stops at Walmarts along the way, only to be packed like sardines into RV parks for weeks or months at a time is…glamping. People didn’t used to NEED to bring all their own stuff with them, and the cost and convenience of renting a luxurious tent cabin, or even a “rustic” wooden one, would probably end up being more economical given the rising prices of RVs and RV parks these days. And for those who like to return every summer to the same locations, why not just buy a vacation cabin? The economics would probably be comparable and a cabin is more likely to appreciate in value rather than depreciate as soon as you put it to use…
The basic problem is that as long as we continue to think like the rest of the herd we’ll have to continue to run with them.
Not everyone buys an RV because they crave fuel mileage or economical accommodations. That was never (and still isn’t) a concern when deciding what to buy. I bought into the “RV lifestyle” because wifey and I could see we were going to love it. No more wondering who slept in ‘our’ bed last night. Not having to ‘camp’ overnight at a static location, but where we wanted to stay. Living out west we can stop and camp just about anywhere we want. I know this might be foreign to folks “back east” and I feel their pain
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What you are talking about, Carson, is totally foreign to an RV’er. From your comments I would guess you don’t have a diesel pusher or even a gas MH. Do you have an RV of any kind or do you ‘camp’ at the Holiday Inn because it’s more ‘economical’? Just wondering.
Diesel will still be the choice for moving freight across highways, rails and water for decades to come. Diesel emission control is still somewhat in it’s infancy (remember smog pumps?) and at the same time too complex and un-dependable but new technology is on the horizon. Google “Ducted Fuel Injection”, a new kind of injector design being perfected by scientists at Sandia, NM. Ford and Caterpillar have already invested in it.
I think that once a clean and dependable diesel engine is available for highway trucks and busses you will still have the class A motorhomes.
Doom and gloom…it sells. So tired of all the doom and gloom opinions and articles.
Only if you view it that way. People that change the world look at it as opportunity.
I challenge you to buy a Watt fuel cell. Let us know if you get one.
I’m in discussion with Watt Imperium about providing me a unit to experiment with and will report on their technology when I’ll able to.
Find out how long the catalyst lasts and how expensive it is to replace. Watt fuel cells were supposed to go on the market years ago. No one I know has one.
The sky is falling!!!!
Awesome article that’s certainly going to get lots of RVer engagement (45 comments in first 9 hours). That said, as the article eluded to, it’s going to be a lot more complicated that the Class A diesel pusher issue when you look at the aggregate issue that goes far beyond the miniscule impact that that market segment.
IMO, from a “big picture” perspective looking at macro influences, keep your “good eye” tracking functional leadership like the Chinese. You may not like some of the abysmal maintenance track records of the nuclear industry at large in some Countries, but with the growing insatiable power consumption needs, like it or not, ultimately we will be forced to rethink the current present method of operation.
But hey, like Jerry Maguire espoused, we here in America “Follow the money,” or long before Sir Winston Churchill quipped…
“You can depend upon the Americans to do the right thing. But only after they have exhausted every other possibility.”
“eluded to” — that’s hilarious.
If you mean its spelling, it’s”alluded” to.
For many (most?) of us, RV’ing has nothing to do with $200,000 diesel pushers, so upcoming electrification has no impact on most RV’ers
I’m not working on how soon a Class-A will be electric powered, but I am trying to determine if an EV SUV or Pickup can tow a small or medium travel trailer a reasonable distance and how easily it can be recharged. Stay tuned…
Just wait a while. The economic collapse is just around the corner (+/- 2 yrs). That will separate the fools who bought up, boats, four wheelers, snowmobiles, RV’s, over priced housing, etc. It’s pure economics people. Research Milton Freedman the famous economists, who explained inflation is TOO MUCH MONEY, chasing too few goods. 22 states are in the process of cancelling the ” Federal giveaway unemployment money, to force the people back to work. This, in turn will GREATLY reduce the free time the masses currently have, because they will have to return to WORK. That will trigger a bonanza of ” slightly used” stuff. So, be patient, keep your powder dry and get ready for some great deals in the not to distant future. How do I know this, easy I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Riiiight…it’s the unemployed, collecting unemployment checks, who are out there buying boats and four-wheelers and snowmobiles and RVs. Which genius told you that? Hannity? Carlson? You really need to change the channel sometime…they’re sucking up whatever braincells you may have once had.
Mr Thornton is famous around here for dire prognostication since you-know-who lost.
Chris, not sure what your saying. You see, as Americans, we demand nothing but the best from our elected officials. I wish people were god fearing and honest, but sadly that has slipped a lot since one Whitehouse occupant, used his position to take advantage of a young intern. In the old days, the right thing to do would be resign from office. But, somehow the moral compass got out of joint in our country and the people allowed it. Well, the is changing, so stat tuned, not sure if your aware, but truth justice is returning. Hope you can find in your heart to accept the righting of the ship.
Ok, just the facts. Federal unemployment subsidized to your state check was $600 per week for the last year (has since been recently reduced to $300). That was an additional $31,200 added to your state unemployment benefits. So let’s say, you were getting $400 a week in your state, that’s $1000 a week, or 52K a year. Comment?
Crickets!!!
The diesel engine has been around for over 100 years. Way more efficient than a comparable gasoline engine, way more torque. The NO and particulates can be reduced. Remember, one of the old guys said their “aint no free lunch”. Currently, the electrical generation (all types) and the transmission grid is not capable of powering every vehicle if all were switched to electric. Trust me, electric vehicle have very serious drawbacks. The batteries are not allowed to be made or recycled here (USA) so they are shipped back to China, and they most likely just toss them into the ocean. Their record of environmental things is the worst on the planet. The batteries have come down in costs, but still are way more expensive lb. per lb. than diesel/gas engines. Price the charging station needed for your home, not the cheap one, a reliable one, 1500+ for the bosche one. Technology cannot in and of itself fix this planet, less people on it is the cure.
Agreed on that last point 100%
Saying that the grid can’t handle it is a common misconception.
The “grid” in Texas recently showed how well IT worked. Seems like a design flaw was to blame. Not enough backup for emergencies where the solar and wind was pretty much shut down.
Texas’ grid failure was largely due to natural gas freezing up. Normal grid operations will be able to handle electric vehicles, and only minor upgrades into the future.
Would suggest doing MUCH better RESEARCH.
The TrailManor is NOT a new design.
The Hi-Lo trailers made in USA in the past had that feature for a very long time. BUT, they didn’t sell well enough for the company to continue; now out of business.
ICE powerplants are NOT going away for a very long time. There will have to be massive strides in battery technology, fast recharging technology (put full tank of ICE fuel in under 10 minutes tops vs. up to 3+ hours for full “tank” battery-bank recharge), and recharging stations availability that rivals gas stations (hmm…make every gas station also put in at least 4 recharging stations? There’s a reason Tesla puts in rechargers at hotels and restaurants – so you can while away an hour or 2 eating, or better yet, sleep the night.
This article is chicken little crying wolf while making much ado about nothing.
Doug, Hi-Lo trailers were not the same as TrailManors. Hi-Los did not expand in length, while TrailManors do. Torsion bars allow that to occur. Hi-Lo trailers, as most pop-ups, use gear/pulley lift systems. The TrailManors used a design that was new when they started production, so it was not a mis-statement.
Might Tony have used a different description of TrailManor’s history? Sure. But his statement was not wrong, just open for misinterpretation. No more egregious than your mixed-metaphor “This article is chicken little crying wolf while making much ado about nothing.” Chicken Little didn’t cry “wolf”, and the article is not “about nothing”. Changes are coming, and none of us have a perfect crystal ball.
Not going to challenge all the comments, but the trailers like Hi-Lo were similar in concept in that it’s frontal profile was within that of the tow vehicle. Reduced frontal for wind, which by the way is the biggest mileage killer I know. Voice of experience
Hey Tony, I want to sidestep all of the contentious dirt/soot your article stirred up and say that your big-picture (technology+market preferences+government) characterization is spot on. Working in Ford’s Product Development Group during the late 70’s diesel was a front-and-center focus in our powertrain planning. We were ill-prepared to flex our passenger car engine production to diesel and fortunately did not have to for several big-picture reasons, including a change of administrations at the end of the decade. Politics aside, thanks for delivering an accurate history lesson.
Celebrate the end of the diesel engine? I guess that means no tractors producing crops or trucks transporting products. I think you have been wearing your covid mask too long.
We, the United States of America, will be returning to normalcy in the not to distant future. Wiser than ever, because of the recent discoveries that are unfolding as we read this May article. There will certainly be turmoil, because the US Constitution does have a provision for what is about to be unvailed However, truth and justice will prevail, have no fear my fellow constitutionalists. What I would hope for is the unknowing, after the truth be told, litigated no doubt, understand that evil cannot, and will not be tolerated.
Drilling will be prevalent again, pipelines will be laid and fossil fuels will be in abundant supply, pushing the fuel prices down, and the gas guzzling RVs will be on the road again. Those in doubt will be held in check, as America prospers once again. God Bless this great Nation and the men and women who died to keep us free.
Tin hats will be free!
Bill, what size? I’m putting in a big order. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 82 Mil
Over counted by about 20 mil.
Guess I’ll wait till the final recount, then place my order. Need one, or will you be fitting friends who don’t know what’s coming?
Thanks for the laugh.
By the way, you have a Kool-Aid moustache.
‘Died to keep us free’? What flag-waving BS. You mean men and women died to keep us in control of the resources we want for the USA. None of these wars have ANY relation to our ‘freedom’, quite the opposite in fact.
Um, guess I’d direct you the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor, HI for starters. Let me know if you need more.
They’ll be replaced by battery powered robot harvesters – why would ADM or other megacorporations want to PAY for a human who can only work eight hours??
I’m already dreaming of a workaround for my beloved 2001 Fleetwood Discovery 37u — take out her Cat 330 hp and Allison and all the stuff. Leave in axle shaft. Design new gearbox that accommodates three or four Tesla Model 3 motors available via eBay and install a large battery capacity that powers both drivetrain and the house. It would easily fit in the existing engine compartment. Say goodbye to radiator and CAC and other stuff. My Discovery weighs about 30k lb. Tesla Semi truck is powered by Model 3 motors and its capable of pulling 80k lbs for 600 miles. The math seems very doable for this conversion. Then add about 3000 watt solar on rooftop that slides out, and you’ll have almost free energy that recharges the batteries while boondocking. It’s a definite possibility. But I’m no engineer so I don’t understand the engineering challenges this project would pose. Easier if Tesla went into building chassis for RV builders, for sure.
Your serious?
I would love to stop going to gas stations, seeing filthy parking lots and Co2 emissions.
But, Coal, Nat Gas collectively provide the grid with the largest % of electric power. As a side, I do find it funny that these comments are on an RV website, which said vehicles burns copious amounts of fossil fuel for enjoyment.
When I see the picture which shows the front of a chassis then the caption of the picture says it is the rear. That to me makes the whole article loss credibility.
Absolutely true. This writer seems to have an agenda here. No discussion about the uptick in class B RV’s campers that offer all the amenities and 17 mpg.
You don’t buy a big diesel pusher and worry about the price of fuel.
Amen.
Ditto
Comrade – you will drive ONLY A GOVERNMENT AUTHORIZED VEHICLE! Nyet! Free Americans have choice, by virtue of our Constitutional Republic. Today, current vehicle sales show only 1.2% of all sales are electric! Why you may ask? Because of the high cost, limited range, limited charging stations, limited US Electric Network to charge more vehicles, the long time to charge, and mostly because our energy independent nation has 530 years of known oil! With new continued exploration that would possibly be double of that, with oil new oil fields that may be available. So if you enjoy gas going from $1.87 a gallon just a year ago, that is now over $4 a gallon, then you can buy the rubbish being promoted by the “Greenies”! I have fought in war, was wounded severely in combat, and have the right -along with all Americans – to enjoy what Free Enterprise has made available, and my choice is a Class A Diesel Pusher Motorhome as I worked hard to be able buy one for my family to enjoy🇺🇸💪🏻
Brian. The fuel prices are up for two reasons. First is because it’s time for folks to get out and enjoy the road (summer) without COVID. That means the fuel companies get to raise prices in the name of demand. That is, they demand that you pay more for their product because you are going to use more of it and they can haul in tons of profit. The other word for that is GREED. The other reason is that we are actually out on the road now, unlike 2020. No matter how you cut it, the large corporations are going to get theirs. Have you checked the motel prices lately? In many ways you are right about the electric thing. As usual the manufacturers look at the money they can make before setting up the infrastructure to support them. Remember brown outs in the summer? Wait till everyone has to charge their cars/trucks. Solar can take care of that, but they are way behind the curve. America is the land of opportunity, but don’t confuse “liberty” with common sense. Stay well and enjoy that motorhome!
You do realize your Class A diesel motorhome has been approved for road use? I.e., it’s a Govt. authorized vehicle.
No not “government authorized” but rather meets existing emmissions and safety standards. The government is about to try and squash the will of th people. But they, the politicians forgot one thing. We the people are the government!
Nonsense.
Actually no, I direct you to the US Constitution. Specific cite “the state legislature shall determine the way elections are conducted in their respective state”. That was important to the founders so as to not let this new concept of “federalism” ever have more power than the collective of the “states”. I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
You’re not advancement in technology, or business.
Well said. And to the Greenies… drill baby drill (maybe not quite yet, but it’s comming).
You misspelled coming, and no, it’s not coming.
Thank you Chris for catching that. Get back to me on the other thing, I’ll give you the back story on how I knew it was coming. < see
Wahhhh….about time we pay the real price for fuel, not subsidized. And add more tax to cover the direly-needed repairs and upgrades to the decaying highway system. I’ll gladly pay $4+. But then I don’t waste time and money driving hundreds of miles every week.
I hear the word “subsidized” thrown around a lot. Care to explain. Currently approximately 40% of the selling price, is taxes, be it federal, state, and local. So 40% isn’t enough. What % do you think is fair?
So Thor – are you one of the “campers who never move their camper” or are you a non-camper who doesn’t even own a unit ( if so why are you even on this website), since you don’t waste your time and money driving hundreds of miles each week. And you are full of El Toro poopoo if you think $4 / gal is doing anything but filling the pocket of gas execs. and political party bank accounts! We have collected billions in “road” taxes which gets funneled into pet projects. We collect enough road taxes to rebuild the whole country, and we are selling more gas each year!
He never said diesel was inferior to gas in power. He said diesel is expensive (it is) and diesel engines are expensive (they are) and fixing them is expensive (it is).
As semis convert to electric, diesel demand is going to drop off a cliff. As passenger car fleets go electric, so is gas. The will come a point where petroleum is a boutique fuel that costs a lot of money to buy and is hard to find.
And btw, on a pure power basis, gas and diesel can’t hold a candle to electric, which is why trains use electric motors instead of direct connecting the diesel engine to the wheels. It’s also why Teslas can run with Veyrons at 1/10th of the price.
As fossil fuels come into less demand, price will drop significantly. We’ll actually see a resurgence of folks going BACK to fossil fuels once electric cars are the norm.
I’m always kind of surprised when people object to EVs by saying we lack the infrastructure to charge them if they’re adopted on a large scale. I imagine similar objections were raised about 120 years ago when the car was overtaking the horse. Where are we going to get the gas from? We don’t have enough refinery capacity. We don’t have enough gas stations.
But, as we always do, we built the necessary infrastructure to support gas-powered cars
As for electric RVs, I’m all for it. It doesn’t mean they’d work well right this second, but pretty soon…
You get a 50 foot motorhome and that’s a lot of space to hold batteries. Between that and the improving battery technology, it won’t be long before we see e-RVs with more range than most of us would want to drive in a day.
And while diesel is great for pushing heavy RVs up hills, electric will wipe the floor with it and every other RV, just on power alone. Your Monaco could conceivably do 0-60 and keep up with regular cars.
EVs are not ” but pretty soon” If you read the real test data they are an abysmal joke. Until they come up with solving rates of charge, storage capacity, etc. EVs are just a topic of discussion at a cocktail party. And you do understand that the electricity comes from burning fossil fuels!
“Abysmal joke”? Name your sources for this righteous news..
.
Crickets…
Bill, see below. Crickets back to you, my friend.
Look at his rants — his source is obviously FOX “news”.
Just a request; reply back in a few months, and let’s agree to serve Crow!
Well, currently 1.4% of ALL vehicles currently manufactured are EVs. Um, how about drive through your local parking lots and count the EVs, that should kinda tell ya were are nowhere near what some think. As far as the battery technology, it currently doesn’t exist to facilitate anything close to the energy storage of gasoline/diesel. it’s just simple physics. Oh, and by the way, the pandemic originated from the level four bioweapons lab in Wuhan, China. Even though that had a lid on it till this week. Carry on.
Swapping batteries eliminates long charge times. That is the current idea for long haul trucking. 10 minute drive in-drive out swap of standardized battery package.
Will there be “when pigs fly” exhibit close by too? Next thing people will believe is that we will be mining Mars. Last time I checked, it’s a 5 mo. Trip ONE WAY.
What a HOOT! I live in a state where almost ALL of the electricity is produced by hydroelectric, plus growing solar farms in the barren deserts on the eastern part of the state. I’d have an electric vehicle in a flash if I ‘needed’ one and the price drops to a reasonable level for mere peons.
Your part of the “Grid”. Power is balanced (shared) in three basic Grids. Eastern half, Western half and Texas essentially.
Just an observation…. has anyone seen any information on where all these huge, floor length batteries are going to go when they are dead and can’t be recharged? Will we recycle the whole vehicle? Throw it away? Where does all the plastic go now – that is the plastic that is recycled; – to some foreign country? Remember the throwaway “Bic” lighter?
Either I burn fuel oil to stay at home in a Canadian winter or I burn it to go south.
so leave us alone. Live and let live.
As for my truck, sure I could “roll coal”…but I don’t. But by modifying it I burn far less fuel than stock.
When do you suspect your government is going to let you DRIVE SOUTH, soon?
You must have the best eye sight in the world to see the end of the line for diesels. Since diesel engines last for millions of miles. And 99% of all products in America are delivered by diesels. And anything the government does will have a grandfather clause in it so people who already own diesel trucks will be immune to any new restrictions. Just like now, when my 02 diesel is immune to having to put in that emissions chemical every 1000 miles like the new ones have to do. Or how cars that didn’t come with seat belts in the 60s still don’t have to have them. There are multitudes of the examples if you had thought of it. And switching over to EV 18 wheelers is going to be a long time coming since until they make one that will go 500 miles in a day. If they can’t do that. expect all deliveries to slow way down and even shortages of products to rise.
Not going to get into a big debate, but your “02” diesel that does not need DEF is a polluter and should be retired, and never grandfathered! The new diesels are as efficient and produce MUCH less pollutants! And yes, I am a diesel engineer.
School buses I drive do have the DEF. And are diesel powered. As long as it doesn’t smell and drives well I am good to go.
Sounds like another one drank the koolaid . New diesels are clean, quiet, and odorless. Trucks are the number one selling vehicle. America runs on big trucks. Reality is awesome! Turn off the media and enjoy life.
Sorry if I offended anyone.
Have you ever seen one of the puks in a jacked up diesel powered pickup “roll coal” on an EV or other efficient vehicle? Not helping in the quest to keep expensive to maintain diesels as the apple of our eyes.
So deal with the xxxxx .00001% of diesel owners who Roll Coal. Don’t blame all diesel owners. It also seems EV fans forget the cost to the environment to produce EV batteries. There is NO silver bullet. We just need to keep pushing!
Well,for one thing, hydrogen and propane fuel cells are used to provide power to the electric motors that drive the vehicles .. therefore an EV.
Someone mentioned locomotives which indeed have large 2k and 3k up diesels generators to provide ELECTRIC power to the driveline .. thus moving freight across this country more efficiently than any other carrier.
Plus, just to be picky, the pic of the Freightliner chassis is a view from the front not the rear (unless this has dually front wheels and rear steering l) :ll
I respect your opinions and observations. But, as you said you do not have a polished crystal ball. No one knows what exactly the future holds regarding RVing. Commenting on the Class A lackluster sales is simply explained that the huge expense does not fit the demographics of the young families buying RV’s. Don’t lose sight of the totally skewed world at present driven by the Pandemic. Many decisions and choices this past year and present are being driven by a year unlike any other.
Regarding the eventual fade of diesel engines, that cycle will be very far down the road. As technology evolves all things change. As far as it being a concern for present day purchases I think that would be a foolish over reaction. We are many years away from converting the entire trucking industry to some power other than diesel.
O MG, they’re going to ban DDT and we are all going to die of malaria. Oops, sorry, I thought it was 1970 there for a second.
The problem with your analysis is that you are focused on RVs. Innovation by major RV manufacturers is rare. The evolution of heavy duty hauling will be driven by the trucking industry and makes its way to RVs from there. The need to haul heavy loads cross-country isn’t going away. Exactly what the solution will be I don’t know, though you have suggested a few. Class A’s will follow what the trucking industry does.
You are bleeping O M G ?? Not an F in there.
Must be the ‘religious’ overtone. :-/
It’s our sometimes overzealous filter. I (the usual “bleeper”) didn’t do it. I just went back into your comment and added a space, so now it’s back. It wouldn’t even allow me to approve it as it was. Sorry, Firefly. Have a great day. 😀 —Diane
Banning DDT did result in numerous deaths – just not so much in the USA so we didn’t notice it – then we found out it wasn’t so bad after all – just demonized by a writer – not a scientist…
I appreciate the opinions that you have expressed in your article!
A few facts:
1-RV manufacturers will continue to adjust their product lines to meet the needs of the “buying consumer”. My 1st RV didn’t have slides. My 2nd RV had slides but didn’t have a bathroom that an adult could use. Now my 5th RV has slides a normal sized bathroom and everything that I could want because the RV manufacturers adjusted their product lines to meet my needs.
2-Telling the myths and half truths around Diesel engines is a page from the anti def playbook I from the anti-def.
3-Government Intrusion-WOW! So many angles to respond to this one but I will keep it timely and relevant. If government regulations around emissions and renewable energy mean that our country’s priceless natural resources will be enjoyed by my descendants then I am all for it.
Very negatively towards government assuring we have a planet to live in. We all know big busines and free enterprise does not give a hoot about the environment or the people. It will evolve like it always has and we will figure it out. Quit trying to scare people into believing conspiracy theories.
Big business and free enterprise are building electric vehicles. They see what the future is, and do not believe conspiracy theories.
Unsound opinion. Zero basis in reality. Hype.
Look at trains. They use electric motors powered by – diesel engines. Why? With all the years that have gone by – mobile electric power generation on a large scale fantasy.
Major research houses tell us to get the materials needed to create 1. batteries, 2. solar panels, and 3. wind mills will take hundreds – that’s right – hundreds of brand new mega-sized mines. Polluting mines that would take from today a minimum of 10 years to build BEFORE one ounce of minerals is produced for the mega batteries a 40ft Class A would need.
OK – that gets done.
Does the infrastructure exist ANYWHERE to bring the volume of electricity to charge these?Your house? Storage unit? Gas stations? RV parks – really?
Think – the hyped brand new Ford F 15 EV truck can tow about 150 miles max before needing a 41 minute charge to get its battery to 80%. 41 minutes every 10 miles?
Government dropped EV in 1990 in CA – they knew then it won’t work. Watch a repeat.
Mark, I think you are making too many assumptions in your comment. The Ford F150 EV is showing real life figures of 300 miles with an onboard load of 1000 pounds ( Google). That’s a long way from a 41 minute charge to travel 10 miles. Cell capacity is increasing massively with new chemistry. Freightliner has a large fleet of electric powered class 8 trucks on long term testing with fleet operators. We spend 6 months of the year travelling round the USA with our class A diesel pusher (Tiffin Allegro Bus) and very rarely stay in one place for more than one week so for us a battery powered RV would work well. Lots of “RV’ers” use their engines to drive from home to an “RV resort” then park there for many months then drive home again, just look at the number of diesel pushers for sale with less than 3,000 miles per year on the odometer. Next time you are out on the road look around at all of the pickup trucks and see just how many are fully or even 50% loaded. Times are changing.
People made the same type negative comments about the cellular phones back in the early 1990’s. Within 15 years many people were owners of models with far more computing power than what it took to get Neil and Buzz safely to the moon and back. It is difficult to find anyone these days without even the most basic cell phones. Landline phones and pay phones have become dinosaurs. It is the positive, forward thinkers in both industry and science who will get us to a world with a cleaner environment and more efficient modes of transportation.
I agree that right now owning an EV is challenging. We bought an EV a month ago and find that it is no different around town than driving a fossil fuel model except that we do not have to put that into our car to make it go. A simple overnight charge in our garage gets us enough “go” to get around for the next few days. The challenge right now is doing a road trip. High capacity fast charging requires more planning than does a fossil fuel trip. And there is such a thing a “range anxiety”. The one thing we know is that just down the road there are going to be great improvements in battery technology, more places for a high capacity recharge and more. Whether it be electric or something else the alternative genie is out of its bottle and it isn’t going back in.
This was a very one sided story, especially on current levels of diesel emissions.
You did notice at the top that it says “Opinion by Tony Barthel,” didn’t you, Carl? We’re all entitled to our opinions. Take care. 🙂 —Diane
We are entitled to our opinions. Here’s one: A magazine called RVTravel should hire people with real world RV experience to write their articles.
The article is poorly researched and is rife with illogic.
I agree with some of what the writer is trying to impart, but his message is lost in the drivel.
The most important and salient opinion in the article is that of a reader; the only way to solve the energy needs of the current world population is safe nuclear power, every other technology uses so much real estate that it is rendered unsustainable.
Hey John, why don’t you apply.
Finally, something sensible. Thank you.