Fully electric RV, diesel generator, RV of the future?
Hey everyone, I've been thinking a lot about the design of RVs as we shift towards a more electric world. Battery capacity and cost is not yet acceptable to build a _fully_ electric RV, but I was thinking it would be possible to build a mostly electric RV with a diesel generator to provide power directly to the electric motor.
Here's my idea:
* Class A motorhome, solar panels on the roof, some form of battery stack inside, probably COTS like the Tesla Energy power wall.
* Electric motors rather than a diesel engine. This would save a lot of space and maintenance costs alone, as anyone who has owned an electric car knows.
* But since we can't affordably and reliably store enough power in a battery stack, we have a diesel generator that simply provides power directly to the electric motor WHEN in transit.
* All electric systems would be monitored by a centralized computer that can shut down certain systems (such as that blender someone turned on, or AC) when power levels are low.
* LED lights, smart locks, tankless water heater, etc the usual stuff we are seeing in modern homes these days, just in an RV.
In a camping mode, then, the RV would run entirely on stored electric power with solar providing additional power. In transit, the diesel generator would turn on and provide power to the motors. Additionally, the diesel could be used as a supplemental source of power in camping mode if the batteries did not have enough.
Basically I want to build my own spaceship, but on land, and without some massive diesel engine that has a thousand moving parts.
Does anybody out there do this? It seems most RVs are designed for retirees who want to dump a lot of money for shorter term comforts, but very few RVs seem to be designed for long-term living, which is exactly what I want to do. Sadly as you can tell from my prose above, I'm not an electrical/mechanical guy, so much of the detail escapes me. I am a computer guy, however, so the software component is relatively easy, not to mention very exciting.
With the rising cost of living in the US, combined with an interest in mobility, the idea of buying some cheap plot of land out in the sticks but living on an RV full time is quite compelling. But I want a smarter RV.
Here's my idea:
* Class A motorhome, solar panels on the roof, some form of battery stack inside, probably COTS like the Tesla Energy power wall.
* Electric motors rather than a diesel engine. This would save a lot of space and maintenance costs alone, as anyone who has owned an electric car knows.
* But since we can't affordably and reliably store enough power in a battery stack, we have a diesel generator that simply provides power directly to the electric motor WHEN in transit.
* All electric systems would be monitored by a centralized computer that can shut down certain systems (such as that blender someone turned on, or AC) when power levels are low.
* LED lights, smart locks, tankless water heater, etc the usual stuff we are seeing in modern homes these days, just in an RV.
In a camping mode, then, the RV would run entirely on stored electric power with solar providing additional power. In transit, the diesel generator would turn on and provide power to the motors. Additionally, the diesel could be used as a supplemental source of power in camping mode if the batteries did not have enough.
Basically I want to build my own spaceship, but on land, and without some massive diesel engine that has a thousand moving parts.
Does anybody out there do this? It seems most RVs are designed for retirees who want to dump a lot of money for shorter term comforts, but very few RVs seem to be designed for long-term living, which is exactly what I want to do. Sadly as you can tell from my prose above, I'm not an electrical/mechanical guy, so much of the detail escapes me. I am a computer guy, however, so the software component is relatively easy, not to mention very exciting.
With the rising cost of living in the US, combined with an interest in mobility, the idea of buying some cheap plot of land out in the sticks but living on an RV full time is quite compelling. But I want a smarter RV.
