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First drive (and sleepover) in the all-electric Winnebago eRV2 [Video]
Since it was first unveiled this past January, Winnebago’s all-electric eRV2 prototype has been on my radar as an EV I’d love to experience firsthand, especially since many of my loaners are focused solely on driving, and this electric RV offers so much more. Winnebago gave me the chance to take the eRV2 for a spin, and I spent the night in it down in San Diego. Check out my thoughts and video review below.
Table of contents
The eRV2 is Winnebago’s first all-electric prototype
While Winnebago has a well established history in recreational vehicles in which its own name has become synonymous with the segment, its journey into electric vehicles remains nascent.
During the 2022 Florida RV SuperShow, Winnebago unveiled the eRV – an all-electric RV concept that kicked off the company’s second venture into zero-emissions travel after a less successful attempt at an EV platform back in 2018.
The concept was built atop the ever-popular Ford Transit platform, upfitted by a familiar name in Lightning eMotors. The company utilized the vehicle’s body, chassis, and suspension, then equipped it with an 86 kWh battery that was expected to deliver 125 miles of range and a charge time of 45 minutes on a DC fast charger.
A year later, Winnebago hit the Tampa RV show yet again with an all-electric encore called the eRV2. Contrary to the original concept, the eRV2 is part of a fleet of working prototypes built by Winnebago for testing and development, while the recreational specialist works toward delivering a commercialized electric RV to its customers in the future.
After months of talks, I was fortunate enough for the opportunity to experience the Winnebago eRV2 down in San Diego and spent the night at an amazing RV resort called Sun Outdoors.
Performance specs and first drive in an electric Winnebago
When I first arrived at Sun Outdoors, I was greeted by the Winnebago team, who had several RV spots secured, home to multiple eRV2 vans for testing and media purposes. As someone new to the RV life, I was very eager to learn exactly how this electric van conversion operated on and off the grid and how that compares to traditional RVs.
Sustainability, modularity, and advanced technology were three key pillars the team and Winnebago expressed to me during my initial walkthrough, and those factors were recognizable throughout the EV, even as a prototype.
As we originally pointed out during the January reveal of the eRV2, the advertised range of this electric prototype leaves much to be desired. Since Winnebago builds the electric prototypes from Ford’s 2022 E-Transit, it’s really at Ford’s mercy at the type of charging speeds and range it can deliver, especially when you consider that Winnebago is pushing the EV’s GVWR to the max in order to offer as much function and comfort for extended periods in these vans.
The published range of the eRV2 is a mere 108 miles, not ideal for road trips, but I was told by the team that savvy EV enthusiasts driving conservatively in “Eco Mode” can get closer to 130 miles of range under ideal driving conditions.
While most of my time in the eRV2 was at the RV resort exploring this electric prototype inside and out, I did take it for a decent spin around Chula Vista to see how it drove. In my opinion, it drives like a commercial van, not exactly built for passenger comfort. This was especially noticeable in the suspension when going over any bumps.
That being said, this Class 2 RV was very easy to get used to, and I normally drive a hatchback. I immediately felt comfortable and confident behind the wheel, and the RV had an amazing rear view camera and bird’s eye sensors to aid me in parking and safely backing up in small parking lots. Parking is going to take some practice because even when I felt like I had pulled up enough, I still looked like an a-hole taking up too much space.
For its height, the eRV2 feels rather sturdy and balanced on the road, even at higher speeds on the 5 highway. Even in Eco Mode, I was able to quickly get the electric Winnebago up to speed and safely merge using the side mirrors. It doesn’t exactly have “oomph” when accelerating, but you’re hauling so much weight that it’s probably for the best. If the range can be improved, this could easily make for a wonderful roadtripping EV – a smooth highway ride for sure.
To power the components inside the electric prototype, Winnebago partnered with Lithionics Battery to create a proprietary “IonBlade” lithium house battery that features a 48V system capable of over 15,000 usable watt-hours.
This system is unique in that it operates separately from the EV’s battery pack for driving but can also be recharged from its own J1772 plug on the side of the van using a cable from Ford Pro.
If you’re ever in a bind on the road, you can actually recharge the RVs propulsion battery using the house power. It’ll take forever, but it can certainly get you a few miles of range to reach the nearest charging station.
The RV’s front port also has a CCS plug for DC fast charging capabilities and can replenish from 10-80% in under 40 minutes.
Winnebago’s new focus on sustainability extends outside of the electric prototype as well. As you can see above, the eRV2’s roof is equipped with solar panels that provide up to 500 watts of power alone, 900 watts total if you connect a separate, portable solar panel to a boondocking port in the rear.
The panels generate free energy from the Sun converted into house power, which includes an impressive number of USB-C plugs, 110V outlets, and customizable LED cabin lights. Check out the interior below.
“Japandi” design, modular interior spaces, and bedtime
As I mentioned in my video walkthrough you can view below, Winnebago’s design team created the interior of the electric eRV2 using a “Japandi” approach – a combination of Japanese and Scandinavian design philosophies.
The result is a clean, calm, and modular interior that optimizes available space in clever ways. For instance, the rear offers a five-in-one sleep/lounge that can be adapted from seats with safety belts to a rear couch, single bed, or foldable full bed (demonstrated below).
That area can also be converted into a dining/work area using a modular table, which is complemented by a separate workspace in the front. The cockpit seats rotate 180-degrees to create a more lounge-like, social setting, or offer chairs for the folding desk (seen above). The spinning seats were a nice touch, but I had trouble getting them all the way around without having to open up the driver and passenger doors.
The cabin and its various workspaces are loaded with available built-in charge points included one wireless charging pad near the desk. The production-level electric Winnebago will offer a high-speed Wi-Fi router as well. It was present on the eRV2, but Winnebago is currently using it for data testing so I wasn’t given access.
You can watch me fumble around trying to set up the table and prepare the rear for bed in my video, but I do want to point out the overall control system of the electric eRV2 and the success I had with the Winnebago Connect app.
While there were a couple bugs to be sorted out in the overall control system software, it’s nothing I wasn’t made aware of by Winnebago during my initial walkthrough. This is a prototype after all. In general, I found the control system extremely helpful and easy to use. I was quickly able to open or close the roof hatch and control the direction of the fan to cool down the cabin, monitor the overall climate and control A/C as needed, and keep a close eye on our fresh and gray water levels.
Winnebago set me up with their new Connect app as well, which enabled me to monitor and control many of the same functions, which was great when I was outside the electric RV by the bonfire or lying in the rear bed.
The interior is loaded with LED lights grouped into specific areas, whether it’s the rear, galley, front, or walkways. I had so much fun changing the lights of each section to various colors, creating an enticing neon glow to passersby at the resort. Several traditional RV owners curiously walked up and began asking questions. One couple was so bold as to just walk right into the eRV2 and look around without my permission. It was all good, though – I’m always happy to enable nosy people if it means potentially converting them to go all-electric.
When bedtime came, I found the setup quite simple, although dressing a bed in such a tight space was a little tough. But I managed, and I ended up with a comfy space to rest after a busy day of capturing footage followed by hours of discussions about the exciting future of electrification with the Winnebago team around the fire.
The bed itself was comfortable, and I could fully extend my legs, but I still found it a bit cramped. I’m 5′ 11″, so I’d imagine anyone over 6 feet is going to struggle stretching out, especially if they have someone next to them. I woke up a little warm in the morning but was able to easily adjust the cabin temperature using my Connect app, with my phone connected to a conveniently placed USB-C charger above my head. Loved that.
Closing thoughts and a video walkthrough
All in all, this was an amazing experience in an electric Winnebago prototype I won’t soon forget. The Winnebago team was on site at Sun Outdoors to answer any and all my questions and were beyond hospitable.
During this prototype pilot program, the Winnebago team has already gathered tons of feedback from real-time data and observations from RVers, influencers, and journalists like myself. Winnebago understands this first genuine crack at an electric RV is not perfect, but that’s what prototypes are for. I think the company is off the one helluva start, and I’m excited to see what improvements the commercialized model will eventually bring.
To me, the biggest hurdle looking forward is range. Winnebago can spin that narrative however it likes, but 108 miles is going to fall flat with most consumers, especially those currently driving a combustion van conversion. To really push EV adoption in this segment, that max range will need to at least be doubled – and that’s on Ford, not Winnebago.
The American automaker recently announced a new T3 electric truck that will be built at its new $5.6 billion BlueOval City EV mega-campus. With incoming upgrades to the ultra-popular Ford F-150 Lightning as well as tons of research and funding into advanced battery technologies, I have no reason to believe Ford won’t be delivering an upgraded version of the E-Transit with a more powerful and energy-dense platform.
When that optimized vehicle inevitably does arrive, Winnebago should be able to capitalize and deliver an electric RV similar to the eRV2, but even better from both a design function and performance standpoint. In getting to know some of the team working on delivering a customer-grade, Class B electric Winnebago, I have little doubt that they will deliver something customers will love.
When that does happen, I’ve already secured my spot for another test drive – this time will be for multiple days on the open road. Until then, check out my video walkthrough with the all-electric Winnebago eRV2 below.
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No, Ram is still not planning to launch the all-electric pickup we’ve been waiting for, but it is selling this mini one for $30 for Christmas.
Ram is selling a mini EV pickup for Christmas
Former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares promised Ram’s electric pickup would outperform the competition with class-leading range, charging speeds, towing, and more, but it was all just a pipe dream.
After delaying the long-awaited Ram 1500 REV several times, Stellantis made it official in September. Ram’s EV pickup was first expected to launch in 2024, then pushed back to 2025, then 2026, and now it’s canceled altogether.
Development of the all-electric Ram truck has been shut down, and the Ramcharger, a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), will take its place in the lineup.
Although you won’t be able to get your hands on a full-size model, Ram will sell you a mini version this Christmas.
On its website, Ram is selling a 2026 Ram 1500 REV Hallmark Keepsake ornament for $29.95. It’s made with authentic details based on the all-electric pickup and even includes a 2025/2026 license plate and spinning wheels.
Ram’s range-extended pickup is equipped with dual electric motors, a 92 kWh battery, a 3.6 L V-engine, and a 27-gallon gas tank that CEO Tim Kuniskis claims delivers “unlimited” range of up to 690 miles. The REEV is Ram’s most powerful pickup, packing 647 horsepower and 610 lb-ft of torque.
Crosstown rival Ford announced similar plans earlier this week. Ford ended production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning, and plans to replace it with a next-gen EREV version.
So, if Ram has no plans to offer an all-electric pickup, why is it selling a Christmas ornament? Maybe it really was planning to launch it at one point in time.
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An analysis of Tesla’s patent applications shows a slower pace of innovation in the last 2 years and a shift toward AI hardware and software as Elon Musk is betting the house on autonomous driving and robots.
We have long debated whether Tesla (TSLA) should be valued as an automotive manufacturer or a technology company. While bears point to declining car deliveries and margins, bulls point to autonomous driving and robots as the next phase of growth.
The bears are right. Car sales still account for the majority of Tesla’s revenue and profits, and they have been steadily declining over the past 2 years.
A bullish future in which Tesla’s AI bets replace its declining auto business remains hypothetical, but there is at least some data supporting Tesla’s investments in this shift.
Now, a new analysis of Tesla’s patent filings over the last decade by Electrek gives us perhaps the most objective look yet at where the company is actually putting its R&D efforts.
The data reveals a massive shift. The “car” part of Tesla is shrinking in the patent logs, first replaced by a surge in manufacturing innovations, then by patent applications linked to AI hardware and software.
Here’s a look at the data (important to note that there’s a 12-18 month lag in patent application data and therefore we are not up to 2024 for the most up-to-date data):
The ‘Twin Peaks’ of Tesla Innovation
We obtained a dataset breaking down Tesla’s ~4,200 patent applications from 2014 through 2024. When you map them out, two distinct peaks emerge, telling the story of the company’s pivot to AI.
The first peak hit in 2018, right in the middle of the “Model 3 Production Hell.” At the time, Elon Musk was supposedly sleeping on the factory floor, and the patent filings reflect that desperation. We saw a massive spike in “Industrial” patents, most of which were related to manufacturing.
Tesla was clearly trying to find ways to build vehicles in high volumes for the first time.
Then, filings dipped as Tesla focused on profitability in 2019/2020.
But look at 2022. We see a second, even larger peak. This time, the composition is entirely different. The “Industrial” slice is still there (thanks to innovations such as gigacasting), but the “Automotive” slice has become a sliver.
The new dominant category: AI hardware and software.
In this category, you have everything from new theories and processes for autonomous driving to new AI computing hardware that became Tesla’s AI4 computer inside its vehicles.
We can see that “AI” contributed to the first peak in 2018 as Tesla was expanding work on Autopilot and FSD, but only started to represent a majority of Tesla’s patent applications in the 2020s.
Tesla is Becoming Less of an Automaker
Here is the wildest stat from the research: Less than 10% of Tesla’s total patents are now classified as “Automotive.”
For comparison, if you look at legacy automakers like Toyota or VW, their portfolios are dominated by mechanical engineering patents: chassis, suspension, and combustion efficiency.
Tesla’s portfolio is now 40% AI-related. We are seeing a flood of filings related to:
- Neural Network training (Dojo).
- Vision-only distance estimation (replacing LiDAR).
- Data labeling and simulation.
This confirms what we have been saying for a while: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has completely shifted the automaker to AI at the detriment of its auto business.
The 2023 and 2024 data (which is still trickling in due to publication lags) show the next pivot.
While there are still a few patents related to the auto business, such as regarding wireless charging, they now represent a small minority.
But even then, things like wireless charging for EVs fall into the automotive category; you could argue that Tesla is doing it for the AI category, since the idea is that autonomous vehicles will need wireless charging if there are no humans to plug them in.
As you can see from the chart above, since 2023, the majority of Tesla’s patent applications have been related to AI hardware or software – even though many of them are still in mechanical and electrical engineering, they are no longer about the automotive business.
We are seeing a lot of filings for “electromechanical joints” and “linear actuators,” which are clearly related to humanoid robots.
Electrek’s Take
There’s a little something for both sides of the Tesla spectrum in this one.
Bears can feel vindicated that Tesla’s shift to AI is indeed coming with less spending on automotive R&D. We have seen Tesla’s pace of innovation in EVs slow down in the last few years, and I think we can expect that trend to continue.
Meanwhile, bulls can now visualize Tesla’s shift to AI through these patent application trends.
This reflects a bit of why I sold my Tesla shares last year. I invested in Tesla because I believed in its mission to accelerate the advent of electric transport, and I saw the company as being the most innovative in the space.
It’s no longer the case, and Musk has now unofficially shifted the mission to accelerating the advent of the “age of abundance.”
Call me a skeptic, but my spidey sense always starts tingling when billionaires who buy elections start talking about utopias.
For example, Musk recently said that charity will not be necessary because AI will “end poverty” and deliver “universal high income”:
The most absurd aspect of this statement is the context: it was a criticism of a charitable donation, specifically Dell’s.
Effectively, he is discouraging billionaires from philanthropy under the pretense that AI will eventually ‘end poverty,’ rendering charity obsolete. But the mechanism for this end to poverty is missing.
If AI generates massive wealth, that capital will initially concentrate in the hands of the billionaires who own the models and the data feeding them. How does that wealth translate into ‘Universal High Income’? It won’t magically trickle down. We know that by now.
With the political landscape captured by ultra-high-net-worth individuals who consistently block higher taxation, the only path to redistribution is through the very thing he is dismissing: charity.
If it does happen, and I have serious doubts as you can probably tell, one way or the other, it will go through charity from the ultra-wealthy. Either directly or through allowing their captured political class to increase taxes on themselves or their corporations.
The argument boils down to, ‘There is no need to be generous now; wait until we have accumulated even more wealth.’ It exposes a fundamental contradiction in the promised ‘age of abundance.’
I think AI has a lot of potential to be a positive for humanity, but the risk is also insanely high – hence why it attracts insane risk takers such as Musk.
The way I see it, there are going to be a few winners in this AI race and a lot of losers, and it’s still up for debate whether Tesla will be in the former or latter category.
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Dodge opened orders for the 2027 Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV, the “world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car.” The 2027 model year gains an NACS port, but is it worth the price?
2027 Dodge Charger Daytona EV price and range
After dropping the base R/T trim last year, the only electric Charger Dodge offered was the high-performance Scat Pack model.
For the 2027 model year, Dodge added a few new standard features to make it a little easier for those looking to go electric.
The 2027 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack now comes with a standard North American Charging System (NACS) port for charging at Tesla Superchargers, unlike last year’s model, which had a CSS port. It will also include a J1772-to-NACS AC adapter.
Although it’s not the most exciting feature, the added NACS port will make it much easier to find and access Level 3 public charging stations.
Dodge and Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, announced plans last month to adopt NACS ports for its electric vehicles in North America, starting in 2026.
Don’t worry, Dodge still included a few fun features like Drift/Donut Mode, Launch Control, and PowerShot, which unlocks the vehicle’s full power for 10 seconds at the push of a button. The electric Charger also features the “World’s first Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust” system, designed to sound like a classic V-8 engine.
Aside from the added NACS port, the 2027 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack EV remains essentially the same as last year’s model.
It’s powered by an all-wheel-drive (AWD) dual-motor powertrain, packing up to 630 hp. When PowerShot is activated, it delivers 670 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque for 10 seconds.
With a 0-to-60-mph sprint and instant torque, the electric Charger is the quickest of the bunch, even faster than the famed Hurricane engine.
| Driving Range | Starting Price | |
| 2027 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack two-door | 267 miles | $72,495 |
Dodge didn’t reveal battery specs, but said the 2027 electric Charger has a maximum range of 267 miles. Last year’s model was powered by a 100.5 kWh battery, delivering an estimated EPA range of 241 miles.
The 2027 Dodge Charger Scat Pack will start at $72,495, while the four-door model will cost an extra $500. That’s considerably more than the 2026 model year, which starts at $60,690.
Dodge will share more details about NACS charger access and adapters for 2024-2026 Charger Daytona owners in Q1 2026.
To make room for the 2027 models, Dodge is offering up to $12,750 off outgoing Charger Daytona EV models or 0% APR financing for 72 months. If you’re interested in a test drive, you can use our link to find available Dodge Charger Daytona models near you today.
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