Winnebago Electric Motorhome on a F-53 chassis

Gundog wrote:
Just think with a diesel generator you could stop and charge every 125 miles LOL.

Why stop? I've read posts where RVs run the generator while in motion...

Skyguy

I think you just described a diesel locomotive engine

except it is electric motor driven 100%

the diesel only powers the electrical generator NOT the drive wheels

Just think with a diesel generator you could stop and charge every 125 miles LOL.

I own a 2011 Lincoln MKZ hybrid. It gets 37 mpg and the drivetrain technology is really refined. If a motorhome were to be designed like my hybrid; this is what it would look like. It would have a smallish gas or diesel engine, plus an electric motor, and a rather large battery pack. You would never need to plug it in. It would cruise the flatlands with the petrol engine, then the electric motor would kick in and help up the mountains. On the way down the mountain it would have regenerative braking to recharge the battery. The engine would shut off completely at a stop, but the electric motor would assist in getting up to speed when the gas pedal is pushed. No limited range. I think a hybrid system could work very well.

Not only does the charging infrastructure need to be in place, but our entire electric grid has to be massively updated/increased for EVs to become mainstream. EVs are NOT, contrary to popular belief, that "green". Just the manufacture and disposal of batteries is a huge environmental issue, and most of the electricity in the US is produced burning coal and natural gas. That production would need to more than double if all vehicles on our roads were EV. Even adding solar to every rooftop is problematic (not all areas are conducive to good solar production, and the manufacture of the solar panels themselves, like batteries, is not entirely "green". So realistically, EVs are a temporary stopgap measure to truly "green" vehicles, like hydrogen fuel cells perhaps.

Of course, even the internal combustion engine vehicles were touted as an environmental step forward; a way to help address the horse manure and urine that blanketed the streets of large cities in the late 1800s (1 million tons of manure per year in New York City alone).

Chainwright wrote:
Nah, the hold up in "Infrastructure" is the big oil Lobby. 7-11, circle K's, Corner store, they all partner up with Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Valero and so on, but as any of those business owners and they will tell you that DO NOT make huge profits off of gas but off of the snacks, drinks, meals and other items they offer in their stores. IT will come to pass, in the near future, when a BIG player like let's say Wal-mart will understand what's happening, and will create a Gas stations that has 10 to 15 EV charging stations, EV owners will plug up their EV's, knowing the recharge will take 5,10, 15-30 min and go inside to buy snacks or have breakfast or lunch. Naturally being a BIG player Wal-Mart (or whoever the lucky Co is) will offer petroleum gas pumps too. But as long as Big oil has congress in it's pocket, it won't happen. Tides have to turn, it's happening slowly, but the reason for that is Europe.

Nonsense. It is valid that IF you need or want to go to Walmart then it will make sense to plug your car in while there. It makes sense if you have a EV RV then recharging overnight will work too, just as soon as the power stations are installed. But if you are just traveling down the road and need to replenish the batteries of your vehicle, then stopping for and waiting at a filling station for more than 5-10 minutes will be painful. If ALL the current filling stations along the interstate system were magically converted to charging stations, the arrival rate at the station will exceed the departure rate and just like a sewer it will back up. Gas stations already have an issue with cars taking too long to full up, enter the store for snacks, buy lottery tickets. Extending the time by 30 minutes just for the charge would be problematic. It has nothing to do with Big Oil.

There may be opportunities for creating large recharging locations that offer something to do while you wait, but it will take major investment. It may happen.

Nah, the hold up in "Infrastructure" is the big oil Lobby. 7-11, circle K's, Corner store, they all partner up with Shell, Exxon, Chevron, Valero and so on, but as any of those business owners and they will tell you that DO NOT make huge profits off of gas but off of the snacks, drinks, meals and other items they offer in their stores. IT will come to pass, in the near future, when a BIG player like let's say Wal-mart will understand what's happening, and will create a Gas stations that has 10 to 15 EV charging stations, EV owners will plug up their EV's, knowing the recharge will take 5,10, 15-30 min and go inside to buy snacks or have breakfast or lunch. Naturally being a BIG player Wal-Mart (or whoever the lucky Co is) will offer petroleum gas pumps too. But as long as Big oil has congress in it's pocket, it won't happen. Tides have to turn, it's happening slowly, but the reason for that is Europe.

If Tesla's Semi can go 500 miles moving 80,000 lbs GVW, I wonder what the range would be pulling a 20,000 lb fiver...

Yup, 125-150 Miles is not a lot by OUR standards, but Fortunately the world of 6 billion does not revolve around our country of 330 Mil. It's a Global economy now...Like it or not, the other 194 countries get by just fine without us if they have to. Again 125 miles is nothing in our country, But Go to France, New Zealand, Ice land, Italy, Germany (which has 1100 CGs) to name a few, where 125 miles is considered a HUGE distance (because of the proprotions of THEIR country size; Way smaller then ours) and a RV like this one is very much acceptable and worthy of consideration. Australia is Huge on Rv'ing too, and their mentality is different from ours. I'm sure that of the 7 out of 10 reasons that YOU come up with to not Like/buy this vehicle THEY can come up with 7 out of 10 reasons to Love/buy this vehicle.
Again 125 miles is not alot, but it's a beginning. Just like the model T. I thought that in 2018 we'd be MORE Open minded than folks in 1896, 1906 etc. but my o my history is cyclical, not much seems to have changed.

“the 125-mi range IS a non-starter for me.”

No. That’s exactly what it is. A START! Charging issues...availability and time...will be improved.