An RV with solar power?
Coachmen's design would use sun's rays for electrical devices.
ED RONCO
Tribune Staff Writer
ELKHART -- The goal is crystal clear: Develop an RV that can run on biodiesel and solar power.
What's a little muddier is when it will come to market.
Elkhart-based Coachmen Industries has joined up with Illinois-based Natural Source Energy Systems Inc. to develop three prototypes using the alternative energy sources.
The two companies will develop a Sportscoach Class A diesel pusher, a Coachmen Class C diesel motor home and a Coachmen fifth wheel trailer.
The company expects delivery of the prototypes by late summer or early fall, but isn't sure when production will begin.
"We have a tremendous amount of testing to do before we begin building RVs or structures with solar panels," said Rick Lavers, Coachmen's chief executive.
Announcing what you're going to do before you do it isn't exactly the best way to maintain a competitive edge, especially in the RV industry, where manufacturers work hard to top each other with new gadgets, gizmos, floor plans and features.
So is Coachmen afraid it's tipping its hand to the competition?
Not really, said Jeff Tryka, director of planning and investor relations for the company.
"If they want to rush to adopt environmentally friendly technology and put it on their units, the environment would benefit from that," he said.
Most diesel engines already can handle some form of biodiesel fuel. But the solar panels are a different twist on powering the RV's internal components.
"The idea is to take some of the strain off the diesel generator," Tryka said.
Generators are commonly used to power the RV's innards -- lights and televisions and appliances -- while it is parked at a site without power.
But why? The industry regularly trumpets statistics showing how RV sales tend to be unaffected by rising gas prices.
For Tryka, it's a question of environmental awareness coupled with demographics.
"The newer generation of consumers are much more environmentally conscious," he said.
And the industry as a whole is trying to be, said Kevin Broom, spokesman for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, a Virginia-based trade association.
"Certainly the industry wants to get out in front on that kind of stuff," he said.
Most RV users self-identify as environmentalists, too, Broom said.
"If there's a way to use less natural resources when going on vacation, then that's a good thing to do," he said. "They want to go out there, they want to see the beautiful sights and they don't want to mess them up."
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Tuesday, March 20, 2007
An RV with solar power?
An RV with solar power?
Coachmen's design would use sun's rays for electrical devices.
ED RONCO
Tribune Staff Writer
ELKHART -- The goal is crystal clear: Develop an RV that can run on biodiesel and solar power.
What's a little muddier is when it will come to market.
Elkhart-based Coachmen Industries has joined up with Illinois-based Natural Source Energy Systems Inc. to develop three prototypes using the alternative energy sources.
The two companies will develop a Sportscoach Class A diesel pusher, a Coachmen Class C diesel motor home and a Coachmen fifth wheel trailer.
The company expects delivery of the prototypes by late summer or early fall, but isn't sure when production will begin.
"We have a tremendous amount of testing to do before we begin building RVs or structures with solar panels," said Rick Lavers, Coachmen's chief executive.
Announcing what you're going to do before you do it isn't exactly the best way to maintain a competitive edge, especially in the RV industry, where manufacturers work hard to top each other with new gadgets, gizmos, floor plans and features.
So is Coachmen afraid it's tipping its hand to the competition?
Not really, said Jeff Tryka, director of planning and investor relations for the company.
"If they want to rush to adopt environmentally friendly technology and put it on their units, the environment would benefit from that," he said.
Most diesel engines already can handle some form of biodiesel fuel. But the solar panels are a different twist on powering the RV's internal components.
"The idea is to take some of the strain off the diesel generator," Tryka said.
Generators are commonly used to power the RV's innards -- lights and televisions and appliances -- while it is parked at a site without power.
But why? The industry regularly trumpets statistics showing how RV sales tend to be unaffected by rising gas prices.
For Tryka, it's a question of environmental awareness coupled with demographics.
"The newer generation of consumers are much more environmentally conscious," he said.
And the industry as a whole is trying to be, said Kevin Broom, spokesman for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, a Virginia-based trade association.
"Certainly the industry wants to get out in front on that kind of stuff," he said.
Most RV users self-identify as environmentalists, too, Broom said.
"If there's a way to use less natural resources when going on vacation, then that's a good thing to do," he said. "They want to go out there, they want to see the beautiful sights and they don't want to mess them up."
Coachmen's design would use sun's rays for electrical devices.
ED RONCO
Tribune Staff Writer
ELKHART -- The goal is crystal clear: Develop an RV that can run on biodiesel and solar power.
What's a little muddier is when it will come to market.
Elkhart-based Coachmen Industries has joined up with Illinois-based Natural Source Energy Systems Inc. to develop three prototypes using the alternative energy sources.
The two companies will develop a Sportscoach Class A diesel pusher, a Coachmen Class C diesel motor home and a Coachmen fifth wheel trailer.
The company expects delivery of the prototypes by late summer or early fall, but isn't sure when production will begin.
"We have a tremendous amount of testing to do before we begin building RVs or structures with solar panels," said Rick Lavers, Coachmen's chief executive.
Announcing what you're going to do before you do it isn't exactly the best way to maintain a competitive edge, especially in the RV industry, where manufacturers work hard to top each other with new gadgets, gizmos, floor plans and features.
So is Coachmen afraid it's tipping its hand to the competition?
Not really, said Jeff Tryka, director of planning and investor relations for the company.
"If they want to rush to adopt environmentally friendly technology and put it on their units, the environment would benefit from that," he said.
Most diesel engines already can handle some form of biodiesel fuel. But the solar panels are a different twist on powering the RV's internal components.
"The idea is to take some of the strain off the diesel generator," Tryka said.
Generators are commonly used to power the RV's innards -- lights and televisions and appliances -- while it is parked at a site without power.
But why? The industry regularly trumpets statistics showing how RV sales tend to be unaffected by rising gas prices.
For Tryka, it's a question of environmental awareness coupled with demographics.
"The newer generation of consumers are much more environmentally conscious," he said.
And the industry as a whole is trying to be, said Kevin Broom, spokesman for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, a Virginia-based trade association.
"Certainly the industry wants to get out in front on that kind of stuff," he said.
Most RV users self-identify as environmentalists, too, Broom said.
"If there's a way to use less natural resources when going on vacation, then that's a good thing to do," he said. "They want to go out there, they want to see the beautiful sights and they don't want to mess them up."
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