Let the sun shine Solar home tech has tackled everything from roof tiles to plug-and-play power systems, but campers and RVs generally only have a few solar panels on top. That?s usually plenty to power electrical systems when you?re camping off-the-grid for a few days, but a new concept from German company Dethleffs has stepped up the solar game.
Similar to Volkswagen?s plans for a new electric minibus, the Dethleffs e.home Type C motorhome combines a zero-emissions powertrain with tons of smart technologies inside. And it?s all powered by the head-to-toe solar panels affixed to the camper?s exterior.
Larger than some of the electric adventure vans out there?which are almost always Class B vans?the e.home motorhome uses an Iveco Daily Electric chassis that normally has a 174 mile range without the larger camper trim. All of the extra weight would no doubt limit that range, so Dethleffs has added 334 square feet of thin-film solar panels that can generate up to 3,000 watts of electricity to keep the 228-Ah sodium-nickel-chloride battery array charged.
Inside, the design is sleek and neutral, with cream-colored dinettes and contrasting wood paneling. All of the interior equipment runs off the motorhome?s batteries, even a ceramic range that lets you cook electrically.
New Atlas reports that the concept also includes two foil-based technologies, ?one built into the window panes for darkening the windows for sleep and privacy, and a second in the ligh...