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.
The real advantage to a hybrid would be the ability to use the battery pack and engine to replace the genset and handle onboard power. If it can lead to an all-electric coach that would be one less fuel to deal with and the reliability of a vehicle engine for power generation. Cover the roof with solar (A possibility these days now that panel costs are low) and add some charge controllers and the system is even more complete (the battery pack will be the highest cost component and you’ll need at least a moderately size pack regardless.)
I’m a little surprised the HP on the ICE is so high though, the 1-2 of the diesel and electric engines should reduce the need for an engine the same size as it’s non-hybrid counterpart, but this is first generation stuff. Pretty much all the van makers are looking to bring hybrids out in the next view years, those may be even more efficient and lead to some interesting Class C’s and B’s. I know underhood generators, solar and battery setups for house power are out there, but generally a hybrid acting as a generator is going to be more efficient then the oversized alternate ( as in the current Roadtrek setup.)
I’ve been waiting for an all-electric or smartly built hybrid RV for a few years now. I don’t understand why we can’t get an all electric motor home on the road Tesla has already released its intent to build semi tractor-trailers all electric.
If you want an all-electric RV, you are presumably going “camping” in fully-serviced campgrounds (with 50 amp / 240 volt power) and touring along the major highways with charging stations. That doesn’t suit many people. You presumably also have a few hundred thousand dollars for just the chassis, plus the RV coach on top; most RV buyers are not willing to pay that.
My guess is that the engine power is high to handle extended grade climbing, without requiring a massive battery. Unlike the situation in a relatively overpowered car, in a motorhome It’s pretty common to climb mountain grades pedal-to-the-floor and still not maintain the desired speed.
I googled hybrid motor homes because we want to downsize to less than 30 feet. I was curious if any company was planning a hybrid because we are definitely interested! I wish I was younger so we could wait out this production. I believe this is the future, and the best answer for all transportation. Let’s clean up the earth, folks!
We purchased a 2009 36′ Fleetwood Class A Diesel Hybrid in January. FRED only had 17,500 miles, we are presently touring Alaska and enjoying the fuel savings. We are averaging 12 mpg while towing a 2018 Canyon Denali.
Happy travels!