New Vehicle Concepts for Mobile Vacation

Authors

Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Udo Gillich, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen;
Dr.-Ing. Rüdiger Freimann, Erwin Hymer Group SE, Bad Waldsee;
Dipl.-Ing. Ria Kaiser, TTT The Team Technology, Stade

Summary

The caravanning industry is currently facing challenges to provide future solutions for mobile vacationing that today’s vehicle concepts cannot cover. With regards to both the range of electrically powered cars and the efficiency of conventional vehicles, the self-propelled caravan offers a very promising solution to renew caravanning in the EV age.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG and the Erwin Hymer Group have teamed up to realize this concept in the upcoming years. The chosen set-up includes a complete driveline with a battery, an electrically driven axle and the corresponding control system. This way, it allows for an EV as towing vehicle while at the same time enabling autarkic electrical maneuvering as well as the use in the home energy system.

Such a new caravan faces high additional requirements regarding homologation and functional safety. So far, no similar trailer type is on the market either for passenger cars or vans. The overall concept including safety was therefore thoroughly researched, designed and validated.

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