โNov-17-2019 12:36 PM
Ground-breaking gas-free caravan powers up
Full off-grid, Melbourne-built ERV by Retreat caravan priced from $109,900
Almost unlimited, self-contained power for caravans has become a reality with Melbourne manufacturer Retreat Caravans confirming its solar-boosted ERV model is now on sale after successfully completing a plug-free 20,088km, 176-day trip across the country.
The latest development of the hi-tech 'smart' caravan platform unveiled earlier this year, the ERV built by 15-year-old Retreat in conjunction with Australian technology company OzXCorp, uses a lithium-ion battery 'bank' and extensive roof-mounted solar panels to deliver enough grunt to power a range of appliances simultaneously and for extended periods of time.
The first test caravan is a 20-foot unit that runs on a self-generated 240-Volt system using a special inverter and has no gas system.
โNov-19-2019 05:27 AM
RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:
We boondock. A lot. We could do without electric much easier than we could do without propane.
Same here, but they are using solar capture without propane
Great. As long as the sun is out. Or you are not parked in the shade.
I think they would have got some not so sunny days in those 20,000kilometres around Australia
Great. When you know for sure let us know. Also, please explain how you get enough charge to keep an all electric caravan fully functional with several days of those "not so sunny days." Not trying to be a smart a$$, but I would really like to know how someone expects this to work under real world conditions. It would also be enlightening to know if heating the caravan while camping in the winter impacts the utility of the unit. While boondocking in our RV, we often camp in below freezing temperatures. Our propane furnace keeps us warm, but we have to be careful or the furnace blower will drain our batteries.
Well they did for 20,000 km best to get in touch with them. When they release details it will be more intwresting how they did it. Seeing we get pretty cold winter days without sun in Australia
โNov-18-2019 04:59 PM
Bobbo wrote:RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:
We boondock. A lot. We could do without electric much easier than we could do without propane.
Same here, but they are using solar capture without propane
Great. As long as the sun is out. Or you are not parked in the shade.
I think they would have got some not so sunny days in those 20,000kilometres around Australia
Great. When you know for sure let us know. Also, please explain how you get enough charge to keep an all electric caravan fully functional with several days of those "not so sunny days." Not trying to be a smart a$$, but I would really like to know how someone expects this to work under real world conditions. It would also be enlightening to know if heating the caravan while camping in the winter impacts the utility of the unit. While boondocking in our RV, we often camp in below freezing temperatures. Our propane furnace keeps us warm, but we have to be careful or the furnace blower will drain our batteries.
โNov-18-2019 04:03 PM
RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:
We boondock. A lot. We could do without electric much easier than we could do without propane.
Same here, but they are using solar capture without propane
Great. As long as the sun is out. Or you are not parked in the shade.
I think they would have got some not so sunny days in those 20,000kilometres around Australia
โNov-18-2019 09:58 AM
Bobbo wrote:RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:
We boondock. A lot. We could do without electric much easier than we could do without propane.
Same here, but they are using solar capture without propane
Great. As long as the sun is out. Or you are not parked in the shade.
โNov-18-2019 09:45 AM
โNov-18-2019 05:25 AM
RobertRyan wrote:Bobbo wrote:
We boondock. A lot. We could do without electric much easier than we could do without propane.
Same here, but they are using solar capture without propane
โNov-18-2019 03:54 AM
โNov-17-2019 05:55 PM
Bobbo wrote:
We boondock. A lot. We could do without electric much easier than we could do without propane.
โNov-17-2019 04:57 PM
โNov-17-2019 03:56 PM
DutchmenSport wrote:
Based on the current rate of exchange today per the internet - $1.00 us = AU$ 1.47
That makes the price tag: AU $109,900 = to US $74,671.90
That's a bunch!
โNov-17-2019 02:37 PM