OzXCorp’s new all-electric retreat caravan has successfully completed a massive 20,000km shakedown which saw it do a lap of the entire country.
This is Australia’s very first fully-electric caravan and was able to travel comfortably around the country with large chunks of off-grid activity posing no problems.
The plan, now that it has passed the test, is to make its innovative technology available to other makers of RVs.
The caravan is a concept vehicle with electrics designed by OzXCorp, an Australian technology startup that partnered with Retreat Caravans to create the test product.
While regular caravans rely on a mix of fossil fuels and electricity, this Retreat caravan is all-electric.
The caravan has a 16kW/h battery bank which is supported by a 1540W solar array.
This battery is capable of powering the heating, cooling, lights and hot water via an energy management platform known as the DCX.
A 5kW, 240V inverter is used to power domestic appliances and can run a toaster, kettle, hairdryer and convection oven, so all of the ‘mod cons’ are available to users.
Our intrepid testers John and Fran Huett were on the road for a total of 178 days testing the OzXCorp Retreat.
According to the review by OzXCorp at the end of the test, all of the power and communication systems were free from mechanical stress, and there was no degradation to the capacity of the battery even after 178 days of daily use.
They feel this reinforces the validity of the design.
When the couple went off on the test run, OzCorp co-founder Andrew Huett said that while the look and feel of apartment-style living are clear in modern caravans, the functional side has not been completely addressed.
That is what OzXCorp is trying to sort out with their new design. They expected to find some problems along the way, but as the test went on they monitored all power outlets live via an internet connection.
They unplugged the caravan from the grid in Melbourne and set it off with the hope that it would not need to be plugged in for petrol, diesel or gas for the entire journey.
Thanks to the live data that was supplied, the company can show that there was no load-shedding or rationing of power to alter the statistics favourably.
They wanted a fluid, and truly self-sustaining, hassle-free experience, even in the event of cloud cover. And they managed exactly that.
If cloud cover ever gets too bad, it takes just 6 hours to fully recharge at a campsite.
The trip around the country finished at the Retreat Rally in Geelong, giving Retreat owners the opportunity to see the all-electric variation in person.
In typical fashion for a Retreat Rally, the team passed a hat around to raise money for the Cancer Council of Victoria, collecting $16,000.
The next plan for OzXCorp is to streamline the product and make something that other RV manufacturers can incorporate into their existing designs to make off-grid living a reality for RV enthusiasts all over the world.
Find out why you should go for our fully-electric Retreat caravan here.
For the original post written by Anthony Kilner, click here.
