While most manufacturers at the Caravan Salon were still hesitating, a demonstrator from CityFreighter and Vöhringer showed that electric motorhomes are already far more than a distant vision of the future. Sebastian met up with Michael Schöning from CityFreighter at the last Caravan Salon and took a look at a fully integrated e-motorhome whose specs are pretty surprising.
The key takeaway: electric mobility in motorhomes is doable and could become reality faster than many people think.
Why the industry has been hesitant so far
For decades, the motorhome industry had to work with whatever the big vehicle manufacturers gave them. Chassis from the Mercedes Sprinter or Ford Transit formed the basis on which body manufacturers built their motorhomes. These combustion-engine chassis could be modified however you liked: drilling, sawing, welding — none of it was a problem.
With electric mobility, that's changing fundamentally. High-voltage technology, cybersecurity, and functional safety bring completely new requirements. According to Michael Schöning, several manufacturers had already knocked on Mercedes' door before. 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 show at the Caravan Salon has the dimensions of a classic fully integrated motorhome: 6.95 m long. But the real surprises lie under the skin. The combination of Vöhringer's lightweight-construction expertise and clever aerodynamics makes all the difference.
The aerodynamics are particularly interesting. The vehicle is shaped like a water droplet: 2 m wide at the front, 2.35 m in the middle, and back down to 2 m at the rear. Even details like the size of the wing mirrors or a future seamless awning integration play a decisive role in reducing drag.
The entire interior fit-out, including heat pump and fridge, weighs just around 600 kg. Combined with the large 128-kilowatt-hour battery, the ready-to-drive vehicle comes in at a total weight of about 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 manager at a southern German manufacturer claimed that more than 260 to 270 km of range simply wasn't achievable, CityFreighter's 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, and on the highway.
The result: 430 km of real-world range. In Michael Schöning's view, you don't need 600 or 700 km, as some manufacturers claim. What really 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 from 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 results in a low center of gravity. The design is flexible too: depending on the intended use — say, for an urban delivery vehicle — the battery size can be adjusted accordingly.
Future-proof thanks to a modular design
For a lot of people, a motorhome is a long-term investment — used for ten, fifteen, even twenty years. At the same time, battery technology is evolving fast. CityFreighter has a clever answer to that: the battery compartment is designed so future battery generations can be retrofitted every four to five years without touching the chassis.
As Michael Schöning knows from his own experience with his Tesla, modern batteries last far longer than expected anyway. Vehicles with 300,000 to 500,000 km on the clock often still have 80% of their capacity left. Current manufacturer standards are built around roughly 3,000 charge cycles.
Fast charging keeps getting more efficient
Schöning, who regularly drives from Aachen to Vöhringer in Reutlingen, sees the charging progress firsthand. At modern fast-charging stations, the vehicle is often ready to go again before he's even placed his burger order. And this trend is only going to speed up in the coming years.
For campers, that means a break every 300 to 400 km fits naturally into a relaxed travel rhythm anyway. With high charging power, that break turns into genuine downtime instead of wasted time.
The coalition of the willing
CityFreighter's goal isn't necessarily to sell motorhomes directly to end customers themselves. Instead, they want to show what's technically possible and bring partners from across 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, mainly well-known suppliers and supply-chain players have gotten in touch, wanting to contribute components. Talks with major motorhome manufacturers are still ahead. The approach: don't hand the field over to Chinese manufacturers without a fight — cooperate strategically instead and create win-win situations.
When will the first production vehicle arrive?
CityFreighter's conservative estimate: a first small-batch 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-batch 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 needs to compete in roughly the same price range as today's combustion-engine models. That's only achievable through volume and scaling.
Production: combining Europe and Asia
To hit competitive prices, CityFreighter is considering a global combination: the base chassis or raw cabin could be built in Asia, while final assembly and interior fit-out happen in Europe. For battery suppliers too (like CATL), they're relying on established partners to secure the supply chain.
This pragmatic approach stands in clear contrast to the wait-and-see attitude of some industry players. Rather than hoping traditional vehicle manufacturers will eventually deliver the perfect base, CityFreighter is actively working out its own solutions.
More information at www.evolve.cityfreighter.com.
Bottom line: the electric motorhome future is picking up speed
The demonstrator from CityFreighter and Vöhringer shows impressively that electric motorhomes are no longer just a distant dream. With over 400 kilometers of range, fast-charging capability, and well thought-out lightweight construction, the technical groundwork is already in place. The low-floor platform allows for flexible battery integration, and the modular design makes the concept future-proof.
It'll still be a few years before motorhomes like this show up at dealerships. But the momentum in the industry is real: while some are still waiting on the sidelines, a coalition of companies is forming that's tackling the issue head-on. Collaboration instead of standstill — that could be the key to camping's future.
Want to hear Sebastian's full conversation with Michael Schöning and dig into more technical details? You'll find the complete podcast episode from Caravan Salon here.
Podcast · Episode 426
Caravan Salon live: Wird das E-Wohnmobil jetzt endlich alltagstauglich?
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