French OEM Unveils ‘World’s First In-Wheel Hybrid RV’ – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
British e-drive innovator Bedeo and French motorhome group Trigano have teamed up on the most unique hybrid motorhome in the world, according to a report by New Atlas. It’s called the ElectriX, and it’s a Class B+ motorhome that offers over 700 km (435 miles) of driving range with the option of going fully electric at the push of a button. It’s the world’s first hybridized RV with in-wheel motors and also boasts a smart, sleek design that blurs the line between camper van and motorhome.
For years, Bedeo has been working closely with fleet managers and automakers toward refitting traditional ICE-driven light commercial vehicles as both all-electrics and extended-range hybrids. For the latter, it uses what it simply calls the Range Extender (RE) system, a pair of hub motors and a battery pack that electrify the rear wheels without requiring any changes to the base ICE powertrain up front. Drivers can call upon all-electric RWD power at the push of a button without losing the range and fast refueling of the stock FWD engine.
Bedeo has been particularly focused on converting Stellantis full-size vans from brands like Fiat, Peugeot and Citroën. The idea is that the vans maintain their ICE driving range for long distances but can switch over to pure-electric driving to meet EU zero/low-emissions zone regulations and/or boost overall fuel economy. A delivery van, for instance, could cover the long highway miles of the delivery via diesel, then switch over to electric for the last city miles.
Click here to read the full report by New Atlas.
