EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., June 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Winnebago Industries, Inc. WGO, a leading outdoor lifestyle product manufacturer, just completed a more than 1,300-mile All Electric RV Road Trip with the e-RV, 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. The latest road trip further affirms the growing feasibility of electric powered RV travel—the primary objective of the road trip.
The trip began in Washington D.C. last week 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, Illinois; 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.
"Winnebago Industries has a rich history and tradition of innovation, and we see electrification as a continually evolving chapter of that legacy. We are proud to be a leader in exploring the possibilities of this technology in the outdoor markets we serve," said Michael Happe, Winnebago Industries president and chief executive officer.
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. 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.
A few key stats from the road trip include:
- Total miles driven: 1,380
- Total drive time: 26 hours
- Average driving speed: 53 MPH
- Average charge time at DC fast chargers: 1 hour and 2 minutes
- Total charging cost: $275.00
- 60% cost savings over a gas-powered road trip1
- Average miles per kWh: 1.58 mi/kWh
"Our Advanced Technology Group was very innovative in our approach to building this first-generation e-RV. We are excited to apply learnings from the road trip as we continue refining, exploring, and innovating future iterations of the vehicle," said Ashis Bhattacharya, Winnebago Industries senior vice president, Business Development, Advanced Technology and Enterprise Marketing.
Winnebago Industries Advanced Technology Group (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 e-RV is the first public facing example of ATG work streams and demonstrates a commitment to innovation and sustainability with product electrification, connectivity and improving user interface experiences for customers.
For further information on the e-RV concept vehicle and to register for future product updates visit www.WinnebagoInd.com/Electric.
About Winnebago Industries
Winnebago Industries, Inc. is a leading North American manufacturer of outdoor lifestyle products under the Winnebago, Grand Design, Chris-Craft, Newmar and Barletta brands, which are used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The Company builds quality motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth-wheel products, pontoons, inboard/outboard and sterndrive powerboats and commercial community outreach vehicles. Winnebago Industries has multiple facilities in Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota and Florida. For access to Winnebago Industries' investor relations material or to add your name to an automatic email list for Company news releases, visit http://investor.wgo.net.
Contact: Steve Stuber - Investor Relations - 952-828-8461 - srstuber@wgo.net
Media Contact: Chad Reece - Public Relations - 641-585-6647 - creece@wgo.net
1 Based on an average of 10 miles per gallon and the AAA national estimated average cost of $5.00 per gallon of gas would equal $690.00 for a gas-powered road trip.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/39b6948a-c30a-4155-bb3d-50f56379b09c
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