On Friday, FOX News reported that Camping World will be collaborating with electric truck startup Lordstown Motors to create electric RVs.
The two companies plan on developing a line of travel and fifth-wheel trailers that will replace their normal generators. They will be replaced with battery-powered packs that are used on Lordstown Endurance electric pickup trucks.
Supposedly, the companies say the battery packs will allow the new RVs to run on several days of silent and emissions-free power.
“There’s a lot of people that want to lose that noisy, polluting generator,” Lordstown CEO Steve Burns told FOX News Autos.
Burns said that Lordstown plans to work with an existing manufacturer on the new trailers. However, the company have plans to work on an even larger project in the future, which will include an all-electric van-type motorhome. The design has not been released yet, but Burns said it will be based on the chassis of their Endurance truck.
In addition, it will look similar to a Ram ProMaster or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Each of those RVs are used for Class B RV conversions. As of now, Camping World sells multiple Ram-based models made by Thor.
“It has to be something that fits on an Endurance chassis,” Burns explained. “And if you look at what other automakers have put on top of a pickup truck chassis, it’s usually a big SUV or a van.”
Camping World CEO Says They Want To Make It Affordable
Burns went on to say that Lordstown doesn’t have many options when creating the look and style of the new electric RVs. He said the body of a van is somewhat limiting. Therefore, he doesn’t expect a crazy design like Tesla’s futuristic Cybertruck.
“There’s not too much creativity you can do with the body of a van,” Burns said. “They’re pretty straightforward, so I don’t think it’s going to be a radical Cybertruck type of van you’ll be seeing.”
Bowlus Road Chief, a high-end travel trailer company, sells their all-electric models starting at $190,000. Yet, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis says they want to provide their customers with a much more affordable electric RV.
“This idea that it’s a hundred and some odd thousand dollars isn’t realistic for the millennials that we believe are the future of our industry,” Lemonis explained. “It’s also not affordable to retirees that want to enjoy America with their grandkids.”
The companies announced there is no release date for their motorhomes. But, they do expect the electric trailers to roll out in 2022. Additionally, the Endurance truck is currently on schedule to enter production in 2021. It will feature a range of 250 miles per charge with 600 horsepower, and boasts a starting price of $52,500.
[H/T FOX News]
