Bumping up RV mpg levels to the mid-teens with hybrid or hydrogen-assisted powerplants
Hummers may get the brunt of the attacks from people looking to launch into a low-MPG ride, but RVs get something like half the miles per gallon that Hummers do. Green Car Congress points us to a Kingsley Coach release that shows the company is thinking about making an RV with either a hybrid or hydrogen-assisted powertrain. If Kingsley goes with an electric hybrid option, it'll be similar to the system in a hybrid car. The possible hydrogen system the company is looking at is not a fuel cell, but a hydrogen injection system which Kingsley CEO Allan Smethers says could bring fuel savings of 15 percent (the hybrid system should bring 35 percent).
Kingsley is also considering greening up their RVs by using solar panels on the roof to power the appliances in the living quarters.
If you want to get more miles per gallon from the RV you have today, check out this advice from KOA. Because, hey, "getting 15 miles per gallon or more is not impossible." Good luck out there.
[Source: Kingsley Coach via Green Car Congress]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phil L. 9:04AM (8/29/2007)
Motorhomes don't get the abuse Hummers do because most aren't driven that much. In a quick look through current eBay auctions, it appears that a typical 10 year old motorhome has under 50K miles on it.
It will be tough to sell expensive advanced powertrain technology in an occasional-use RV. That said, it can make sense for folks who live full-time on the road, and move around regularly.
Energy-saving features like solar panels on RVs are prized more for their ability to allow extended living away from utility hookups. I know of RV full-timers who have ditched their generators, and depend exclusively on batteries recharged by solar panels.
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Bill 11:17AM (8/29/2007)
With the weight involved wouldn't a diesel-only powertrain or diesel-electric hybrid make more sense?
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Snark 11:55AM (8/29/2007)
It blows my mind that RV's even exist in the form that they do.
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Phil L. 2:14PM (8/29/2007)
>> With the weight involved wouldn't a diesel-only powertrain or diesel-electric hybrid make more sense?
You're right: Diesel engines are very popular, particularly in larger motorhomes, where their torque is appreciated, and engine cost isn't a big concern. A diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain would likely turn into a cost-benefit problem (though battery weight would come out of the overall payload rating, which can be a concern). Even small vehicles are struggling with this one; only a few diesel-electric hybrid cars exist today.
>> It blows my mind that RV's even exist in the form that they do.
RVing as a lifestyle makes sense to a lot of people, even in Europe. Admittedly, European RVs don't look much like American RVs, which can be traced directly to fuel cost differences. I like RVing - but I tow a popup camper with a minivan, so perhaps I'm not a typical case in the US.
That said, I can understand the appeal of a retiree who lives close to family in the Mid-west, and winters in a motorhome in Florida, arriving after hurrican season and leaving before summertime heat. At 3 to 5 thousand miles a year, fuel cost is still a small consideration, even at today's prices. What's the carbon footprint difference of a motorhome vs. not needing to heat a home during the winter?
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Fred 7:30PM (9/06/2007)
Speaking from England, I'm surprized that a vehicle weighing several tons should be powered by a PETROL/GASOLINE engine! Over here this would certainly be done by a diesel engine, the direct-injection type being the most economical. 5mpg. petrol would translate to abt. 8-9mpg. diesel, all other things being equal. There have been many recent advances in diesel engine technology, e.g. multi-injection for each power stroke using piezo-electric actuators, to give up to 5 individual "squirts" for each power stroke, also very high pressure so-called common-rail systems using a fuel pressure in the order of 25,000lbs/square " accumulator pipe, with micron sized spray patterns, PLUS the established ones of variable valve timing, ECU engine control etc.
The only other way to reduce fuel consumption in real life, is to make the vehicle LIGHTER. Again in practice, this means the use of aluminium wherever possible, instead of steel. Of course, this bumps up the cost of the vehicle initially, but then you can't have your cake and eat it!
Fred.
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