Is There Are Market for a New RV?

[ClassB4Me]

Would you buy a Tesla RV?

Should Winnebago and Thor Industries be nervous?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

Would you buy a Tesla RV?

Should Winnebago and Thor Industries be nervous?

Yeah, and with a Delco under-hood generator you could charge the Tesla battery while you drive.

[wincrasher]

LOL. The question is moot anyways. Tesla is bound for the way of the dodo. Their next round of bond issuance is going to be in the 10-11% range, which is ruinous. If anyone makes an "electric" van, I'd expect it to be a plug in hybrid like the Volt. I still make plenty of trips where there simply are no charging stations - especially true in places you'd take an RV. We all gripe about no wanting to be tied to commercial campgrounds - how would that improve if you had an EV RV?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by wincrasher

If anyone makes an "electric" van, I'd expect it to be a plug in hybrid like the Volt. I still make plenty of trips where there simply are no charging stations - especially true in places you'd take an RV. We all gripe about no wanting to be tied to commercial campgrounds - how would that improve if you had an EV RV?

Sadly, I think you are right about this. An all-electric RV is superficially appealing, but until there is lots more charging infrastructure, the appeal will be limited, at least for me. That said, though, there are lots of people who never venture past commercial campgrounds, so...

As for Tesla, lots of people have lost money betting against Elon. We'll see.

[wincrasher]

The next wave is what they call "solid state" batteries. It's promises a big leap in capacity and recharge times (if you can deliver high power to a charging station - another set of issues).

Problem is, Tesla is locked into old tech with their supplier Panasonic - still making Lipo cells. Already colossally invested in the giga factory lines and with a 15 year purchase agreement with Tesla.

GM and others have played a smarter hand - putting the risk on their suppliers and being able to switch horses in short order. Almost all are positioned to change to the new batteries immediately, if not before launch of their new vehicles.

Exciting times ahead for sure - even though the government has abandoned the CAFE standards, other forces are driving fuel prices ever higher, so I'm hopeful EV's and Hybrids still have a future. China and the EU are still pushing ahead with their requirements, which will become the defacto market. US will get what everyone else is getting for products - so I hope you like what Chinese buyers like!

Did you see the news that Anheiser-Bush just bought 800 hydrogen fuel cell trucks for their long haul routes? Bought them from Nikoli - a Tesla competitor. They are electric drive, but use a fuel cell instead of battery. Tesla's big truck, besides the batteries costing far more than what they are asking for the whole truck, is only good for short haul, local routes - if they can get the funding to build the factory to make them - so far, besides a few press events, pre-orders have been weak.

[BigLew]

I can see myself and wife sleeping in that loft and viewing the stars from there. Slap a Honda 4cyl in there...in fact, I'd love seeing Honda or Toyota enter the RV market, period.

[GeorgeRa]

I like 360 windows, but I doubt it will happen soon.

Time will tell which EV type will prevail, batteries or fuel cells. The key differentiator could likely be in the cost of distribution; by wire or by 10,000psi H2 tank. One mishap with H2 in fueling, refueling, or distribution can kill fuel cells. Distribution by wire is just much simpler and safer.

We have difficulties accepting R744 CO2 nonflammable refrigerant operating at 10 times lower pressure, so, my vote is for batteries.

[larrylwill]

If the included a generator to charge the batterys, whats the problem. YOu park for the night and run the generator and your charged by morning.