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Topic: All electric coach. Really all electric.  (Read 1001 times) previous topic - next topic

All electric coach. Really all electric.

This Winnebago RV Is 100% Electric And Zero-Emission
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #1
That's a lot of charging? 125 mile range ? Good for some of the older guys that like to pull over and take a break at every stop sign .. wouldn't try it a night!!

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #2
Not a practical setup.
John & Carm Morales

"We travel not to go anywhere, but to just go.  We travel for travel's sake.  Our great desire is to move."

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #3
I wonder if Coach Net will send a "mobile electrician" ?
Jim C.
coachfree, previous 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003 Foretravels.

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #4
You could tow a diesel genset maybe ^.^d
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #5


I was thinking along those lines.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #6
A diesel driven generator to power the electric motor - sounds like the electromotive diesel locomotives that have been around for decades.
On the other hand, I like the move toward all electric and we have to start somewhere.  "Motorcars" weren't practical when they first came out due to constant mechanical failures, frequent maintenance, safety issues and few navigable roads, but they managed to work out the problems.  I had always thought that diesel cars would be the future, but that future looks pretty dim.  Tesla has extended the range of their cars to compete with conventionally powered cars, but not the amount of time to do a "fill up".
2000 U320 mid entry  #5688
2006 Jeep Liberty


USMCR retired
SDFD retired
FEMA US&R TF8

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #7

It really bugs me that any all electric vehicle is referred to as zero emission. Indeed, the vehicle itself may be zero emission, but producing the electricity to recharge certainly is NOT.

Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #8
It really bugs me that any all electric vehicle is referred to as zero emission. Indeed, the vehicle itself may be zero emission, but producing the electricity to recharge certainly is NOT.


Agree X2
Chris
1999 U 320 DGFE
Build Number 5523
Chris & Elka Lang
In the field, Lonoke AR

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #9
It really bugs me that any all electric vehicle is referred to as zero emission. Indeed, the vehicle itself may be zero emission, but producing the electricity to recharge certainly is NOT.
The more we transition over to wind and solar power generation, the better that situation will become, at least in the long run.  But in the immediate term, if you follow the production pipeline back far enough, there is no "emission free lunch".  Producing solar panels is not emission free, nor is manufacturing wind turbines.  Somewhere, somehow, you gotta pay the price.
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #10
It really bugs me that any all electric vehicle is referred to as zero emission. Indeed, the vehicle itself may be zero emission, but producing the electricity to recharge certainly is NOT.
An exception to this would be the EV that was recharged using solar panels.  In the Southwest, we're starting to see more and more carports (usually in commercial lots) with solar panels and a charging station.  Of course, production of anything requires an expenditure of energy, but the idea is to reduce emissions as much as possible.  Today, the only reliable source of emission free (or low) energy is nuclear power. Today, unlike in the past, nuclear carriers and submarines are expected to operate without every replenishing.
2000 U320 mid entry  #5688
2006 Jeep Liberty


USMCR retired
SDFD retired
FEMA US&R TF8

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #11
Here's a photo I took yesterday at Page, AZ (Lake Powell). This facility converts coal to electric power for "zero emission" vehicles.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #12
It really bugs me that any all electric vehicle is referred to as zero emission. Indeed, the vehicle itself may be zero emission, but producing the electricity to recharge certainly is NOT.


And neither is the manufacturing of all the components that go into the vehicles taken into consideration.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #13
I'm editing this as I thought I may have sounded obnoxious.  (I may be obnoxious but I don't need to sound like it.)

Does it really matter if we call it zero emission or remote emission?  Does pretending that just because it doesn't have a tail pipe it has no emissions any different than pretending that emissions from conventional sources don't matter?

I think it really boils down to realizing everything has an impact.  Be it fuel choices, food choices, spending choices, or whatever.  We are all in one pool, so lets try not to pee in it.
Mike & Lilli
1991 GV U280 36' SBI, 3208 Cat, Build #3825
4320 Watts Solar
Kansas City, MO

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #14
I think it is about reducing the amount of emissions - yeah, I'm mindful of the fact that I'm traveling around "America the Beautiful" in a 30.000 diesel burner. 
2000 U320 mid entry  #5688
2006 Jeep Liberty


USMCR retired
SDFD retired
FEMA US&R TF8

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #15
The coach is OK. The 300 miles of electric cord spooled out is a bit inconvenient.
Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide


Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #17
At 125 miles per Charge it would take a week just to get out of state, going west. The 31 day trip would have required over 60, all electric. 
Steve DeLange
2005 U320T 40'
Pearland, Texas

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #18
"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch."

A partial help to the portable power storage bottleneck is the latest version of batteries by Dr. Goodenough, the li-ion inverter. 

Uses silicon not lithium.  Three times the charge rate and discharge rate and amount stored.  Cheap.

Electric motors on each wheel stuff like a railroad engine?  Just a matter of time.

Industry is heavily invested in the current li-ion so this will take time. 

I think I read that the silicon batteries had little temp restrictions
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4


Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #20
I spent a career in the electric energy industry, 30 years. 
Trust me, if it weren't for government subsidy the solar and wind industry would not exist--- the economics are not there, period.
 Dont get me wrong, I'm not against those industries, they simply cant compete with with a liquid, portable energy source that provides unlimited range at reasonable cost (that would be petroleum).  We sold many thousands of 4 megawatt wind generators.  Maintenance cost on these units is very high as is initial cost.  In addition there is a great deal of noise polution involved with their operation.  Solar is very inefficient, with the best panels at around 28%, and the cost per watt is very high.

Everyone seems to forget that petroleum is not some evil man made substance, but a naturally occuring substance in our world.
If you want a true low emission fuel, look to hydrogen, followed closely by liquified natural gas.
Just my informed opinion.
Current coach 1996 U320 40'
Previous coach, 1990 36' U280

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #21
We are moving well beyond discussions of motorhomes and may be censored in this discussion.  Having said that, I would add that renewable energy has come a long ways from being unprofitable.  Here is an interesting article regarding the economics of renewable energy:  The Economics of Renewable Energy: Falling Costs and Rising Employment |...
You can also find many other studies on the subject if you did a search on the economics of renewable energy, which we have used for centuries.
2000 U320 mid entry  #5688
2006 Jeep Liberty


USMCR retired
SDFD retired
FEMA US&R TF8

Re: All electric coach. Really all electric.

Reply #22
Don't really care one way or another what others think about it, but for me the ability to be off grid, even in a big city, with or without selling energy back to the power company is...... PRICELESS.  And with battery tech coming along soon any house can have the ability to go thru 1 to many days without wind or sun. Not practicable in all areas, but then neither is oil. Imagine trying to power a space station or lunar/mars hab with fossil fuels. Not happening. I have not, and will not, put solar on my present home as I will be out of it in a few years hopefully, and on to my off grid coach. Sure I will have to put in diesel to move it about. But my net use of fuel, and my ability to fend for myself will be greatly increased. And for that reason, I say its all good.
One day there will be a all electric RV, train, bus, truck etc. Sure the power might come from fossil fuels for a while, but eventually it will come from renewable sources. More power beams down to earth daily than we need. Just have to get the efficiency up. And we are. Just takes time.
'99 U320 40 WTFE
Build #5462,
1500 Watts Solar 600 amp Victron lithium
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Hemi
Instagram bobfnbw
Retired