Thor, industry leaders make push for RV-friendly EV charging stations
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As states decide how to spend unprecedented amounts of federal funds directed to the expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure, RV industry leaders want officials to keep the country’s recreational travelers in mind.
Elkhart-based Thor Industries has partnered with the RV Industry Association to commission a report on the EV landscape that begs the question: are current plans to build and expand electric vehicle charging stations inclusive of all drivers?
Key to their pitch is consideration for a growing sector of travelers who are using electric vehicles, like trucks or SUVs, with a hitch to tow RVs, boats or utility trailers behind them.
Jason Rano of the RV Industry Association talks about federal funding and the proposal for pull-through charging.
“For the RV industry, the real hurdle we’re trying to overcome is that the vast majority of charging in the country is pull-in charging,” said Jason Rano, vice president of government affairs for the RV Industry Association. “If you’re driving a passenger electric vehicle, the charging port is usually on the front of the vehicle on either side. You pull head in into a charging port and you plug in and you’re fine. Now, if you are pulling a towable RV, which is upwards of 90% of our industry, then that doesn’t really work, right?”
Why pull-through charging?
An alternative to the pull-in charging design, which often forces towable drivers to decouple their trailers or take up multiple spaces, is a concept called pull-through charging which allows drivers more room to maneuver without unhitching their vehicle.
The conversation comes following the U.S. Department of Transportation’s creation of the National Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, funded by $5 billion from 2021’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
That money will be allocated to individual states—Indiana, for example, is slated to receive nearly $100 million over five years—to contract with EV partners to build out charging infrastructure coast to coast.
The NEVI program funds 80% of charging station installation with five years of operations and maintenance with the remaining 20% to be picked up by site-owner operators.
Many states now are in the process of requesting proposals from interested parties seeking to own, operate and maintain charging stations.
As that happens, Rano said, the RV industry would like states to incentivize vendors that incorporate pull-through charging in their plans. After all, RV drivers—unlike small vehicle drivers who do most of their charging at home—have the most to lose if not included in plans, industry officials say.
Rano speaks about the importance of rolling out EV infrastructure with the RV industry in mind.
RV travelers are more likely to take longer trips requiring multiple stops to charge and burn through battery range quicker than the average driver. Though there is not an industry-adopted figure on the effect of how vehicle towing affects electric battery range, one Rivian case study found an R1T electric pickup experienced a 50% reduction in range with a 6,500-pound trailer attached.
“If you’re a state that is big on outdoor recreation and doesn’t plan for this, it could impact visitation,” Rano said. “It’s a $140 billion industry across manufacturing, supplying, dealers and campgrounds. We understand the economic impact of this industry.”
What could EV infrastructure look like?
Thor recently shared designs of what pull-through charging stations could look like. Unlike traditional gas stations, the electrical vehicle stop Thor has envisioned incorporates greenspace with picnic tables and natural elements.
“People don’t plant trees next to the gas pump,” said McKay Featherstone, Thor’s senior vice president of global innovation. “There’s a reason for that, but literally you can do that with these charging infrastructures.”
The NEVI program seeks to place charging stations every 50 miles along designated corridors and it’s likely this could include a mix of locations, including interstate or highway rest stops, truck stops or campgrounds.
Most campgrounds already have electrical infrastructure in place, Featherstone said, but need upgrades to become EV compatible. Some KOA Campground locations, for example, have already begun offering EV charging. Extending charging capacity to the rural areas that stretch the gaps between campground and rest stops, however, is a bigger challenge, Featherstone said.
“That’s an area where Thor is investing time and resources to make sure that middle ground is available, too,” Featherstone said.
McKay Featherstone of Thor talks about the locations being considered through the expansion of EV infrastructure.
The RV industry is no stranger to electric energy, Featherstone said. Many large RVs already rely on battery power to support “home” features, like air conditioning, in a parked vehicle during quiet hours at campgrounds.
There’s been some early movement in electrification of RVs themselves, Featherstone said. Smaller, Class B vehicles like a Ford Transit or Mercedes Sprinter-size vehicle are likely to lead in the movement of electric RVs, while larger vehicles, like motorhomes, are in the conceptualization stage.
He said Thor-owned brands like Airstream have long prioritized and continue to push for more aerodynamic trailers that reduce drag and result in greater fuel efficiency regardless of what’s powering the tow vehicle – be it gasoline or electric battery.
“If you’ve got a more aerodynamic and lighter weight trailer, it’s easier to tow,” Featherstone said. “It will go further so you don’t have to stop as many times and you’ll save fuel.”
As electric vehicle infrastructure expands, states like Indiana, Michigan and Colorado have generally shown a strong approach to the EV transition, Rano, with the RV Industry Association, said. States that have incentivized pull-through charging or committed to doing so in future rounds of funding stand out to the association.
Featherstone said he hopes Thor’s customers and partners in the RV industry are able to benefit from the company’s vision for EV charging.
“If customers have a little taste for what the future could be and what that vision could be in a positive way, we hope that gives them confidence for the future,” Featherstone said.
To read the EV visioning report, click here. To learn more about Thor’s EV charging station concepts, click here.