While most manufacturers at the Caravan Salon were still hesitant, a demonstrator from CityFreighter and Vöhringer showed that electric motorhomes are already much more than a distant vision. Sebastian met up with Michael Schöning from CityFreighter at the last Caravan Salon and took a look at a fully integrated electric motorhome whose specs are genuinely surprising.
The key takeaway: electric mobility in the motorhome sector is doable — and it might become reality faster than many think.
Want to hear the full conversation between Sebastian and Michael Schöning and get more technical details? You'll find the complete podcast episode from the Caravan Salon here:
Why the industry has been hesitant so far
For decades, the motorhome industry has had to work with whatever the big vehicle manufacturers offered them. Chassis from the Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit formed the base on which coachbuilders constructed their motorhomes. These combustion-engine chassis could be modified however needed: drilled, sawed, welded — no problem at all.
Electric mobility changes all of that fundamentally. High-voltage technology, cybersecurity and functional safety bring completely new requirements. As Michael Schöning explains, several manufacturers had already approached Mercedes with their plans. The answer was sobering: it's a niche market, and customers would need to be re-educated. That attitude is exactly what pushed Schöning and his team to take matters into their own hands.
The demonstrator: impressive specs
The vehicle on display at the Caravan Salon has the dimensions of a classic fully integrated motorhome: 6.95 m long. But the real surprises are on the inside. The combination of Vöhringer's lightweight-construction expertise and smart aerodynamics makes all the difference.
The aerodynamics are especially interesting. The vehicle is shaped like a teardrop: 2 m wide at the front, 2.35 m in the middle, and back to 2 m at the rear. Even details like the size of the wing mirrors or a future flush-mounted awning play a crucial role in reducing drag.
The entire interior fit-out, including heat pump and fridge, weighs only around 600 kg. Combined with the large 128-kilowatt-hour battery, the ready-to-drive vehicle comes in at a total weight of roughly 3.5 t. With the planned driving-license extension allowing a gross vehicle weight of 4.25 t for electric vehicles, that leaves a practical payload of around 750 kg.
The real-world test: 430 kilometers are possible
Theoretical figures are one thing, real-world performance is another. When a development director at a southern German manufacturer claimed that more than 260 to 270 km of range simply wasn't achievable, the CityFreighter team set out to prove otherwise. They loaded the demonstrator with crates of screws up to its maximum weight of 4.25 t and ran an extensive test around Aachen — uphill, downhill, on the autobahn.
The result: 430 km of real-world range. According to Michael Schöning, you don't need 600 or 700 km, as some manufacturers claim. What actually matters is the combination of a practical range (around 400 km) and fast-charging capability of at least 200 kilowatts.
The low-floor platform as the key
A major difference compared to conventional motorhomes lies in how the chassis is built. While traditional platforms like the Fiat Ducato have a floor height of 600 to 700 mm, CityFreighter uses a special low-floor platform. This sits at just 350 to 400 mm above the ground.
The advantage: the battery can be housed safely and completely within the vehicle floor, which also creates a low center of gravity. The design is flexible too: depending on the intended use — for example, as an urban delivery vehicle — the battery size can be adjusted accordingly.
Built for the future with a modular design
For many people, a motorhome is a long-term investment used for ten, fifteen, or even twenty years. At the same time, battery technology is evolving fast. CityFreighter has a smart answer to that: the battery compartment is designed so future battery generations can be retrofitted in four to five years, without having to modify the chassis.
As Michael Schöning reports from his own experience with his Tesla, modern batteries last far longer than previously assumed anyway. Vehicles with 300,000 to 500,000 km on the clock often still have 80% of their capacity left. Current manufacturer standards are around 3,000 charge cycles.
Fast charging keeps getting more efficient
Schöning, who regularly drives the route from Aachen to Vöhringer in Reutlingen, experiences the charging progress firsthand. At modern fast-charging stations, the vehicle is often ready to go again before his burger order has even been taken. This trend will only accelerate in the coming years.
For campers, that means: a break after 300 to 400 km fits naturally into relaxed travel anyway. With high charging power, that break turns into a genuine moment of rest instead of an annoying waste of time.
The coalition of the willing
CityFreighter's goal isn't necessarily to sell motorhomes as a consumer brand itself. Instead, the company wants to show what's technically possible and bring partners from the industry together. Michael Schöning calls it a "coalition of the willing" — a group of companies actively pushing electric mobility forward instead of letting more years slip by.
So far, it's mainly well-known suppliers and supply chain players who've gotten in touch, wanting to contribute components. Talks with the big motorhome manufacturers are still ahead. The approach: don't hand the field over to Chinese manufacturers without a fight, but cooperate strategically and create win-win situations.
When will the first production vehicle arrive?
CityFreighter's conservative estimate: a first small or pilot series could hit the market by the end of 2028. That sounds like a long time, but it's realistic for the automotive industry. Even Chinese development cycles take around two to two and a half years, and European homologation (type approval) alone eats up a lot of time.
The small series will initially serve as a test fleet for road trials with partners. According to Schöning, the price will be decisive for later market success: the electric motorhome has to compete with today's combustion-engine models on price. That only works through volume and scaling.
Production: combining Europe and Asia
To hit competitive prices, CityFreighter is considering a global combination: the base chassis or shell could be manufactured in Asia, while final assembly and fit-out happen in Europe. For battery suppliers too (like CATL), the company is relying on established partners to secure the supply chain.
This pragmatic approach stands in sharp contrast to the wait-and-see attitude of some industry players. Instead of hoping that traditional vehicle manufacturers will eventually deliver the perfect base, CityFreighter is finding its own solutions.
More information at www.evolve.cityfreighter.com.
Conclusion: the electric motorhome future is picking up speed
The demonstrator from CityFreighter and Vöhringer impressively shows that electric motorhomes are no longer just a vision of the future. With over 400 km of range, fast-charging capability, and well thought-out lightweight construction, the technical groundwork is already in place today. The low-floor platform allows for flexible battery integration, and the modular design makes the concept future-proof.
It'll still take a few years before motorhomes like this show up at dealerships. But the momentum in the industry is noticeable: while some are still holding back, a coalition of companies is forming to actively tackle the issue. Collaboration instead of standstill — that could be the key to camping tomorrow.
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