Innovation And Tech: What Does The Future Of RVing Look Like?

First-generation RVs were quaint by today’s standards. They offered little more than bunk space and what could loosely be described as a primitive kitchen. How things have changed. Today’s RVs are pretty much modern homes on wheels. Buyers can still opt for basic travel trailers with few bells and whistles, but they can also invest in luxury motor coaches and everything in between.

So where are we in terms of innovation and technology? What does the future of RVing look like? As with all things future, no one really knows for sure. Yet there are some trends worth keeping an eye on. If they bear out, 

The Electric Motorhome

We have been talking about electric cars and trucks for more than a decade now. Indeed, the world’s major automakers are on course to completely eliminate the internal combustion engine within the next 5 to 10 years. Truck builders are on that same path. Will the RV also go all electric?

If Winnebago has anything to say about it, yes. Back in 2018, the company released an all-electric platform for commercial applications. It is the perfect platform on which to build future generations of motorhomes. Winnebago is facing the same hurdles truck and car designers are trying to overcome – including range and battery weight – but those issues will be conquered at some point. And when they are, an all-electric motorhome is just a matter of time.

Electric Tow Vehicles

As long as we are talking about electric motorhomes, fifth wheels and travel trailers can also go all-electric in the sense of being towed by electric trucks. We already know that Ford, Chevrolet, and their competitors are working on all-electric trucks. Early models have already hit the market.

In addition to the normal concerns, truck designers have the extra problem of maintaining range even while towing a fully packed trailer or fifth wheel. First-generation electric trucks may work just fine for tooling around town and carrying a bit of cargo from the hardware store every now and again. But hauling a fully loaded trailer is another matter altogether.

Read the full article from Vents Magazine here.