Next Generation (21st Century) Motorhome 25+mpg

[bufbooth]

Hello All,

During my Labor Day three day road trip, I was entertaining myself by thinking what

features a next generation (21st Century) Motorhome could have and came up with the

following:

I was thinking that the RV industry could use a Toyota motorhome as a template or

baseline and do the following to get us up to 25+ mpg on a 22 to 24 foot motorhome:

1) Replace pickup truck chassis with a true motorhome chassis.

2) Replace the 1990s V6 3.0L 150 hp engine with modern 150 hp gasoline engine or a

modern diesel engine

3) Replace the 1990s transmission with a modern transmission (either a 5- or 6-speed automatic,

or a 5- or 6-speed manual)

4) Replace the fiberglass sheet skin with an Airstream skin

5) Make the Motorhome a bit more aerodynamic (less air drag)

6) Have a hard sided push up roof (like the Alaska truck campers), this will lower the height

while driving by about two feet or more. (but have the option to be able to drive with it up)

7) Use more modern lightweight materials

8) Replace the rear duallies tires with higher capacity single tires. (less drag)

In summary, there should be better replacement items to use today than what was used

18 years ago.

Each of the above should be able to add 1 or 2 mpg each to the baseline 15 mpg that a

Toyota V6 with automatic has. The diesel engine item alone should be able to add 3 to 4 mpg.

Also, I realize that a Sprinter 24 foot motorhome has some of the above features, but only

gets 16-18 mpg with a diesel engine, the initial 22mpg advertisement was quickly pulled, due

to not being true.

Just some on the road thoughs...

Dennis...

[Tundrawolf]

I have been seeing some mini-RVS like the Toyota built on this newer Dodge utility van platform (Which is actually a Mercedes-Benz diesel platform). I would imagine these new motorhomes would get the sort of mileage you are wanting..

Actually they claim 18 MPG gas, 20 MPG diesel..

http://www.sportsmobile.com/2_sr_vaninfo07.html

[Maineah]

Hello All,

During my Labor Day three day road trip, I was entertaining myself by thinking what

features a next generation (21st Century) Motorhome could have and came up with the

following:

I was thinking that the RV industry could use a Toyota motorhome as a template or

baseline and do the following to get us up to 25+ mpg on a 22 to 24 foot motorhome:

1) Replace pickup truck chassis with a true motorhome chassis.

2) Replace the 1990s V6 3.0L 150 hp engine with modern 150 hp gasoline engine or a

modern diesel engine

3) Replace the 1990s transmission with a modern transmission (either a 5- or 6-speed automatic,

or a 5- or 6-speed manual)

4) Replace the fiberglass sheet skin with an Airstream skin

5) Make the Motorhome a bit more aerodynamic (less air drag)

6) Have a hard sided push up roof (like the Alaska truck campers), this will lower the height

while driving by about two feet or more. (but have the option to be able to drive with it up)

7) Use more modern lightweight materials

8) Replace the rear duallies tires with higher capacity single tires. (less drag)

In summary, there should be better replacement items to use today than what was used

18 years ago.

Each of the above should be able to add 1 or 2 mpg each to the baseline 15 mpg that a

Toyota V6 with automatic has. The diesel engine item alone should be able to add 3 to 4 mpg.

Also, I realize that a Sprinter 24 foot motorhome has some of the above features, but only

gets 16-18 mpg with a diesel engine, the initial 22mpg advertisement was quickly pulled, due

to not being true.

Just some on the road thoughs...

The Sprinter with the 5 cylinder diesel would get 19/20 the newer 6 not as good 16/18 I keep looking at them but they are not cheap can't bring my self to part with 50 grand for a used MH. What I though would make a fantastic MH would be the little cab over diesel box trucks. Years ago I put a clutch in a BMW diesel powerd pop up hard sided MH and for the life of me I can't remember what they were called but they were not much taller then a car either they were very expencive or not much good because they did not last long.

Dennis...

[bufbooth]

I think you are refering to the Vixens, which for the mid to late 1980 made a

class B motorhome that actually did get 25mpg with a Buick 3800 V6 engine.

They also made a BMW turbo diesel version, some models had the push up

roof.

http://stannerair.hypermart.net/Vixenhome.htm

[Tundrawolf]

Those Vixens are about as spendy as a excellent condition Toyota RV!

I heard someone say that the Toyota 22R engine was one of the best engines ever built, but it did not get good gas mileage. I wonder what could be done to make it a gas sipper-like a Weber DG carb, a rearend ratio change, etc..

Edited September 5, 2008 by Tundrawolf

[bufbooth]

If you knock off 3000 or so pounds the 22R does get great gas mileage,

my 1986 Toyota Pickup truck with a 4 speed manual got me 35mpg while

cruising at 70mph. I put 205,000 miles on her, and the guy I sold her to

put on another 75,000. In her last year she was totalled out three times

(by the insurance company) but kept on running.

Dennis...

[Tundrawolf]

Wow... I always hear people saying they are only getting mid 20's, but then again those guys have 4x4s with huge tires, too..

[bufbooth]

Also, at least with the base pickup truck, the 4 speed was rated at 5 or 6 mpg better

than the 5 speed for the 1986 model.

[keitholivier]

Dennis, I have spent almost every weekend this summer driving from Michigan to Nebraska and back for work and almost all the mileage was with the Dodge sprinter turbo diesel. Even carrying over a ton and driving 75-80mph, one gets at least 20mpg (depending on headwind) driving west is typically right on 20 and east may rack up to 26. It certainly is a very economical vehicle.

The EPA modified their fuel economy test because of how peoples driving style had developed due to years of cheap gas (lots of aggressive acceleration etc). Unfortunately, they introduced the new standard right at the point where the fuel price had climbed over $2.50/gal and with prices being where they are now, most people have toned down their driving in reaction to sticker shock they get at the pump. The right thing for the EPA to do at this point would be to switch back to the original test which fits the current economic climate.