An electric camper van sets a distance record

The American manufacturer Winnebago’s new electric camper van set a record with over 2,200 km in 26 hours.

All vehicle categories are shifting to electric, hydrogen, or alternative fuels. And yes, even motorhomes are joining in, exemplified by the American giant Winnebago revealing its “e-RV” model last January.

A Record for the Electric Camper Van

The Winnebago e-RV traveled exactly 1,380 miles, or 2,220 kilometers, all in 26 hours. It departed from Harpers Ferry in West Virginia to reach Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The camper crossed major cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and Chicago.

According to the brand, this is the first time an electric vehicle has completed a road trip of more than 1,000 miles (1,609 km). It reportedly averaged a speed of 85 kilometers per hour, or 53 miles/h. As a reminder, the vehicle is not a Ford e-Transit, but a thermal Transit with an electric component from Lightning eMotors. On their website, the motor is said to be 160 kW (215 hp), with a torque of 994 Nm.

Regarding stops, they lasted on average one hour and cost a total of 275 dollars (270 euros). Winnebago notes that the savings compared to a combustion model are -60%.

A Technical Road Trip for Winnebago

This trip also served as an opportunity to test the product under real conditions. “We are eager to translate our road trip experiences, currently refining, experimenting, and innovating future vehicle developments,” explains Ashis Bhattacharya, Vice President of Winnebago.

Other engineers from the manufacturer took turns driving the electric camper and “used the charging stops to interact with other camper owners and electric vehicle users.”

Will the Winnebago e-RV maintain its initial features? Today, it is equipped with an 86 kWh battery, enough to cover 200 kilometers. This range is sufficient for the brand, which specifies that most customers “prefer trips under 320 km.”

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