Both prototypes are Class A 36-foot motorhomes built on the ecoFred chassis from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation. The chassis has a front-mounted diesel engine coupled with an electric motor/generator and lithium-ion batteries.

{mosgoogle left}The batteries are constantly charged by the diesel engine and also capture and store energy when the vehicle brakes. A hybrid controller automatically switches the power source for the drive train from the engine to batteries or both, depending on which is most efficient.

The ecoFred is powered by a Cummins ISB 6.7-liter engine with up to 300 horsepower. It has a gross vehicle weight rating of 27,000 pounds.

{mosimage}Winnebago introduced its hybrid under the Winnebago Adventurer nameplate. The company said the hybrid chassis can supply power to the 120-volt coach system, eliminating any need for an on-board generator. The hybrid system would add about $30,000 to the vehicle's cost.

Fleetwood said road tests indicate that its hybrid motorhome can produce about 42 percent better fuel economy than a gas motorhome of comparable size.

Winnebago and Fleetwood are seeking feedback from dealers and customers before initiating production. Freightliner said it will begin taking orders for the ecoFred chassis this summer.  

{mosimage}Jonathan Randall, director of sales and marketing for Freightliner, said the ecoFred  “offers reduced exhaust emissions leading toward a cleaner environment, requires less fuel to operated and has an improved brake life, all of which contribute to better overall performance and a reduced operational cost for our customers.”

Freightliner is continuing to make improvements to the ecoFred chassis. It is planning to add an idle-off feature that will shut down the engine while the vehicle is sitting idle at traffic lights or elsewhere. The engine will shut off after three to five motionless seconds, saving fuel, and then resume after the driver removes pressure from the brake pedal.

Freightliner is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America. The company has developed hybrid-electric vehicles for both commercial trucks and buses.

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written by ustaxmaster, February 19, 2009

RVers need to get behind this.

The main reason for the added expense is the batteries. The cost will come down as the batteries become more available.

Also, Winnebago and Fleetwood need to have web pages devoted to these vehicles with space for comments.

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