Nation’s Largest RV Maker “Focused” On Going Electric

Sales of recreational vehicles have mushroomed since pandemic lockdowns began, and while fans may crave the chance to get back to nature, environmentalists fret over the impact caused by gas-guzzling RVs.

However, RV market leader THOR Industries is looking for a way to reduce its environmental impact. After rolling out an electrified prototype for its Airstream brand earlier this year, THOR Industries has formed a strategic alliance with EV startup Harbinger Motors. That could lead to all-electric versions of THOR's various RV lines, including products as big as Class A motorhomes, the partners said.

The alliance, said THOR Chief Operating Officer Todd Woelfer, is “focused on developing an electrified RV ecosystem as we execute on THOR’s defined eMobility strategy.”

And THOR — which operates a dozen different RV brands in the U.S. — isn’t alone. RV manufacturers as diverse as Ford and Winnebago are also looking for ways to electrify their product lines.

Challenges ahead

As with the automobile industry, the trend is being driven by concerns about climate change, but there are other factors at work.

“RVs have become ever more popular over the last few years but the problem is that they consumer a lot of energy,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal auto analyst with Guidehouse Insights. That’s not only an environmental issue, “But it also can get expensive,” especially at current gas prices, he added.

The challenge is coming up with a way to reduce, or fully eliminate, the use of fossil fuels while still offering the freedom and flexibility of today’s recreational vehicles, said John Harris, the CEO and co-founder of Harbinger Motors. “If you tell people we’re to make the environment better but they can’t cook hamburgers (in their RV) anymore, that’s not going to sell.”

Modular battery packs could solve some problems

Unlike Tesla and more recent startups like Lucid Motors and Rivian, California-based Harbinger is focused on medium- to heavy-duty truck applications. It unveiled a series of all-electric truck platforms at the North American International Auto Show in September that can be used to underpin everything from Class 4 to 6 trucks.

And it’s looking to add one with an even larger 228-inch wheelbase that could be used for Class A motorhomes, the RV industry’s largest products, Harris told TheDetroitBureau.com in an exclusive interview.

Read the full article from The Detroit Bureau here.