RV FEATURE
V6 – a hybrid claimed to use only 2.8 litres of
petrol per 100 km.
For truly serious offroad going, the Rivian XIT and
RIS are worth considering. Currently scheduled
for sale in 2021, the two models (a dual-cab 4WD
ute plus a seven-seat 4WD) will have four electric
motors (totalling 750 hp) and a range of over 640
km. Just why anyone needs such power is unclear,
but it give some idea of what is possible.
The prospects for caravanners are generally
good. There are seemingly no downsides apart
from (initially) a need to ensure charging facilities
are available in remote areas – an opportunity for
land owners to build solar arrays and install rapid
chargers!
MORE TECH INFO
Tesla charging station spotted at Jurien Bay
Caravan Park, WA. (Pic: Marty Ledwich)
HYBRIDS FOR TOWING
Many hybrid SUVs and serious offroad 4WDs
are already available in Australia. These include
the Land-Rover and Range Rover, Lexus NX and
RX, the Mercedes GLE, the Mitsubishi Outlander,
Nissan Pathfinder, Porsche Cayenne (see page
36) and Volvo X160 and X190.
In 2020, the iconic Jeep Wrangler will be sold
in hybrid form, perhaps causing serious 4WD
owners to rethink hybrids. Full details have not
yet been released but the drivetrain is likely to be
similar to the Chrysler Pacifica’s 3.6L Pentastar
32 \
Collyn Rivers is an ex-research engineer with
a particular interest in RVs. He has written
extensively on most technical matters relating to
the field, from solar to caravan weight distribution
and more.
His website is a trove of reliable information for
RVers, including more en electric vehicles.
VISIT RV BOOKS
RVBOOKS.COM.AU