Winnebago completes 1,300-mile all-electric road trip

Jun. 21—EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Winnebago Industries Inc., an outdoor lifestyle product manufacturer, just completed a more than 1,300-mile all-electric RV road trip with the e-RV. Winnebago said this is the first all-electric zero emission motorhome concept from a major RV manufacturer.

The e-RV was introduced in January at the Florida RV Super Show by the company's Advanced Technology Group as a fully functional, all-electric concept vehicle that redefines efficiency, comfort and functionality, according to a provided news release.

The trip began in Washington, D.C., in early June after a successful exhibition at the RV Industry Association's 'RVs Move America Week' and covered more than 1,300 miles. Highlights of the trip include stops in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Canton, Ohio; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Indiana Dunes National Park; Chicago; and, finally, Eden Prairie, Minnesota — the headquarters of Winnebago Industries.

This is the longest continuous road trip conducted with the e-RV, and the first known trip over 1,000 miles by an all-electric RV, the release notes.

"Winnebago Industries has a rich history and tradition of innovation, and we see electrification as a continually evolving chapter of that legacy," said Michael Happe, president and CEO of Winnebago Industries. "We are proud to be a leader in exploring the possibilities of this technology in the outdoor markets we serve."

The all-electric RV road trip enabled Winnebago Industries ATG teams to further test and document real world performance factors and gather additional data that will drive further refinements as the technology is assimilated into future production vehicles, the release reads.

Members of the ATG who helped design and build the e-RV had the opportunity to drive legs of the road trip which provided learnings from statistics and customer feedback, as they interacted with RV and EV owners at charging stations and nightly stops, the release added.

"Our Advanced Technology Group was very innovative in our approach to building this first-generation e-RV," said Ashis Bhattacharya, senior vice president, business development, advanced technology and enterprise marketing for Winnebago Industries. "We are excited to apply learnings from the road trip as we continue refining, exploring and innovating future iterations of the vehicle."

Winnebago Industries' ATG was established in 2019 to identify and develop emerging technologies for application within future products and services in the company's various business units, the release notes.

Winnebago Industries Inc.'s products include the Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The company has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota and Florida.

For further information on the e-RV concept vehicle, go online to www.WinnebagoInd.com/Electric.