The business website Inside iNDIANA Business recently spoke with THOR Industries’ Chief Operating Officer Todd Woelfer about the company’s move into electric-powered RVs.
Elkhart-based THOR Industries is moving forward with its eMobility strategy by doubling down on electrification of recreational vehicles. The RV manufacturer in January unveiled the strategy along with its electric motorhome and travel trailer concepts at the 2022 Florida RV SuperShow. Chief Operating Officer Todd Woelfer says the company made the decision a few years ago to approach electrification with a degree of ownership that is unusual for RV manufacturers, particularly when it comes to the develop of RV chassis.
“We knew we would not be a priority for the traditional chassis manufacturers when they were moving toward electrification,” said Woelfer. “And nobody knew the RV space better than we did, and there are unique pressure points and needs of an electric chassis for the RV space compared to an electric automobile.”
Thor developed its travel trailer concept, known as eStream, in partnership with ZF Friedrichshafen AG in Germany. The two companies in December signed a Memorandum of Understanding focusing on the continued joint development of a high-voltage electric drive system for towable recreational vehicles.
The company says eStream uses a proprietary system that “dramatically reduces” loss of range for electric tow vehicles and improves gas mileage for traditional tow vehicles.
See the full report from Alex Brown here.