The Future of Camper Vans?

[JT646]

It probably will be pricey....but could be a big 'game changer' to conventional vans:

http://www.viamotors.com/vehicles/electric-van/

 

[WanderingCanuck]

Very cool, but I think I'll need to sell all of my organs to afford one.

 

[John61CT]

I think you might be overestimating the value of your organs.

If anyone finds one do please report!

 

[highdesertranger]

if you read it's designed for people who drive 40 miles or less a day. highdesertranger

 

[JT646]

if you read it's designed for people who drive 40 miles or less a day.  highdesertranger

No--you need to read it again.

 

[John61CT]

Hybrid, not just plug-in

 

[jimindenver]

Actually it says that most people drive less than 40 miles a day.

"The eREV powertrain by VIA enables the VTRUX Van to drive the first 40 miles in all-electric mode "

"With 75% of drivers averaging less than 40 miles a day, most electric vehicles carry extra weight in costly batteries—VIA has optimized its battery pack, carrying only what’s needed for most days"

"With 40 miles of battery range, most drivers won’t burn any gas in a typical day."

So it seems that it is designed around what a good portion of users would find good enough. It can go further using fuel to generate electricity to run the car, something trains have been doing for a long time. So it covers the everyday and has the means to handle excesses if needed. A smart plan for in town.

On the other hand, for over the road you would only see the 40 miles on electric after a charge and that is IF you could find one.

 

[Jim Plow]

Looks interesting but it's not for me.
I drive a 95 chevy van. I like it that way.
Easy to fix, easy to understand when it breakdown.

 

[highdesertranger]

their numbers are based on 40 miles a day. it's a hybrid so it can go a lot further, they say up to 350 miles. I want to see the mpg numbers for 350-500 miles per day. but the more you drive the mpg goes down the highest numbers they give is if you drive 75 miles in a day. the mpg goes from 100mpg@40miles driven to 39mpg@75miles driven, that's quite a hit. then you are expected to plug in when you stop. if it works for you fine. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

For me I don't care so much about the green aspect, what's exciting is getting a **huge** non-lead storage bank and a very quiet **and** a powerful generator+charger combo designed specifically to keep that bank charged automatically, **and** efficient thermostatically cpntrolled heating & aircon designed to work hand in hand with all the above, including autostart.

Try to put all those systems together yourself, if that sophisticated added to a conversion, would cost as much as the whole vehicle.

So in a way you're getting the van part for free

Here's VW's, trying to make up for dieselgate, not enough of those guys got jail time

https://www.wired.com/story/vw-microbus-electric-bus-video

 

[lenny flank]

Looks like it is essentially a built-in generator/battery bank.

I presume that as with most other things the price will come down over time.

 

[DLTooley]

There are a lot of products coming in that pipeline over the next few years.

 

[free2enjoy]

It probably will be pricey....but could be a big 'game changer' to conventional vans:

http://www.viamotors.com/vehicles/electric-van/

I drive a 2016 Chevy Volt and this electric van is essentially the same thing.  Best car I’ve ever had!

 

[free2enjoy]

Looks like it is essentially a built-in generator/battery bank.  

I presume that as with most other things the price will come down over time.

The engine won’t charge the batteries. To do so negates the economy of this configuration since grid power is 75% expensive less than engine power.

 

[free2enjoy]

their numbers are based on 40 miles a day.  it's a hybrid so it can go a lot further,  they say up to 350 miles.  I want to see the mpg numbers for 350-500 miles per day.  but the more you drive the mpg goes down the highest numbers they give is if you drive 75 miles in a day.  the mpg goes from 100mpg@40miles driven to 39mpg@75miles driven,  that's quite a hit.   then you are expected to plug in when you stop.  if it works for you fine.  highdesertranger

My Chevy Volt is the same thing and steady state using the engine at 55mph I get 52 mpg and at 70 mph I get 42mpg.  

In bumper to bumper traffic, if I’m using the engine, I get 66mpg.  The engine will turn on, add some juice to the battery for a few minutes and shut off while the car runs on batteries for a couple more miles.   Really a brilliant car and I’m guessing the van is essentially the same thing.  

It’s not set up to fully charge the batteries from the engine.  Charging is done from the grid except for a little charging here or there like in my example.    Another example is when using the engine and then needing to accelerate....the batteries will add power to help and then later the engine will replenish the battery for the amount used in acceleration.  

In the Volt, the battery never discharged below 20% and never charges above 80% in order to protect the chemistry.  Since the engine is there to make electricity, there’s no need to have full access to 100% of the battery.  

I’m guessing the van is the same or similar system.

 

[free2enjoy]

if you read it's designed for people who drive 40 miles or less a day.  highdesertranger

Electric cars are brilliant city cars.   That’s where they really shine given today’s technology and pricing.  

If someone were to need a long range vehicle REGULARLY, this is the WRONG vehicle because mostly it will be run on gas and this is an expensive way to do that.   Better to just get a regular gas van.  

This is for a city driver that occasionally will need it for longer distances.

 

[free2enjoy]

A year ago, I bought my Volt for me and a Fiat 500e (pure electric) for my girlfriend. I’m blown away by electric except for electric range. I’m not going to buy a Tesla for range I hardly would use.

But now that I’m planning to go nomad in a few years, the cold hard reality is that i would have to get a gas vehicle again. It’s a price I’m willing to pay but hopefully the market will have affordable electric trucks and vans soon.

 

[free2enjoy]

Electric cars have a 12v battery to run the normal car stuff and the high voltage drive battery keeps the 12v battery topped off always. I’ve got a 1500w/3000w surge pure sine wave inverter that I can attach to the 12 Volt and that gives me access to 24kwhs in her battery and 16 in mine.

I bought it for Hurricane Irma to augment generator power if needed.

 

[John61CT]

I'm surprised so much discussion on these **as vehicles**.

To get that out of the way though, say you can't plug into the grid for a few weeks.

Is the genny going to let the bank go dead flat?

Are you getting radically **worse** mpg compared to an Express?

I don't think so.

Now from my POV, the primary function of one of these is, as a mobile **living space** that has

sophisticated power storage and generation,

with integrated thermostatically controlled heating and cooling.

Add solar if you like, but not really necessary.

I've been imagining building a living space on the back of a truck, then towing a Prius around for that kind of functionality.

These coming hybrid Vans are a **huge** improvement over that idea.

Next step is Sprinter / Transit / NV / Promaster extended length standing hightop sizes.

And after that, some towing capacity, say 4-5000#

I bet under five years, maybe from Tesla.

But I want to stick with hybrid, not go all-electric until USA stands at 80%+

 

[wayne49]

Robert "Bob" Lutz is the CEO of VIA.