The TechMobility Podcast
Welcome to The TechMobility Podcast, your ultimate source for authentic insights, news, and perspectives at the nexus of mobility and technology. We're all about REAL FACTS, REAL OPINIONS, and REAL TALK! From personal privacy to space hotels, if it moves or moves you, we're discussing it! Our weekly episodes venture beyond the conventional, offering a unique, unfiltered take on the topics that matter. We're not afraid to color outside the lines, and we believe you'll appreciate our bold approach!
The TechMobility Podcast
EV Truck Delays/Hybrid Railroad Locomotives; A Civic Lesson - 2025 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid review; Gas, Hydrogen, or Batteries; Introducing the Grounded G3 Electric RV
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The automotive industry continues its fascinating evolution as manufacturers navigate multiple pathways toward sustainable transportation. This episode explores how different technologies are finding their unique applications across various sectors of the mobility industry.
Honda's iconic Civic celebrates its legacy with the introduction of its first-ever hybrid hatchback. Delivering an impressive 200 horsepower while achieving 50 mpg in the city, this American-made compact combines practicality with driving enjoyment. Priced under $33,000, it represents an accessible entry point into electrified transportation without the range anxiety associated with full EVs.
Meanwhile, hydrogen technology persists as a tantalizing alternative fuel source despite minimal consumer adoption. With just 593 hydrogen vehicles sold in the United States last year, manufacturers like Toyota and Hyundai continue to develop primarily for commercial applications. Long-haul trucking emerges as hydrogen's most promising frontier, where the weight limitations of batteries make full electrification impractical. This strategic patience contrasts sharply with companies like Stellantis, whose delay of the electric Ram 1500 until 2027 may ultimately save billions in capital expenditures during this transitional market period.
The recreational vehicle segment demonstrates how electrification extends beyond traditional transportation. The Grounded G3 electric RV, developed by former SpaceX engineers, offers a 246-mile range, along with innovative features such as self-heating batteries, rooftop solar panels, and vehicle-to-home power export capabilities. Although premium-priced between $165,000 and $200,000, it represents the cutting edge of sustainable adventure travel.
These diverse approaches underscore a crucial reality: there is no single solution to the environmental challenges of transportation. Each technology finds its most suitable application based on specific use cases, available infrastructure, and consumer preferences. Join us as we explore this multifaceted transition, which is reshaping how we navigate our world.
Looking for more mobility insights? Call our hotline at 872-222-9793 or email talk@techmobilityshow.com with your questions and topic suggestions!
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Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester On the docket my insights and review of the 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback, and actually that should read Honda Civic Sport Hybrid Hatchback. The challenges of hydrogen-powered cars and introducing the grounded G3 electric EV and that should be RV. Having some issues with the coffee this week, folks, but we're okay To join the conversation by sharing an opinion, asking a question, even suggesting a topic for future discussion. Call or text the TechMobility hotline, that number, as always and I got this right, I assure you 872-222-9793. Or you can email the show directly. Talk at techmobilityshow. For those of you on Substack, you can find me there too. Ken C, iowa that's K-E-N, the letter C I-O-W-A. I am there as a proud member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative and I'm just in the midst of a lot of great writers and people that are really neat with a lot of cool stuff. You should definitely check it out From the Tech Mobility News Desk.
Speaker 2:Let me start with a little automotive manufacturing news. I've been picking on Stellantis for a long time and picked on them right up until their former chairman became the former chairman and now they're kind of in a rebuild mode. And I think this is where I stop and I shout out to a friend of mine who just came back to Stellantis. She is a big time executive and they brought her in over at Jeep. I've known Wendy Orthman for years personally and it's great. It is a great sign that Stellantis gets it by the kind of people they're bringing back to the fold. And having Wendy come back to Stellantis is amazing, by the way. So, wendy, if you're hearing this, welcome home.
Speaker 2:Meanwhile we talked about EVs and we talked about how the industry and customer demand is a little funky, and we talked about how, in the past, that Ram was going to be the last of what we used to call the big three to actually field an EV pickup truck. First it was going to be 2025. Then it's going to be next year, and now production of the all-electric Ram 1500, which was first unveiled two years ago, is going to be delayed again until the summer of 2027 and will be a 2028 model year truck. It marks the second delay for the pickup, which initially had been slated to launch in 2024 before being pushed to 2026. Here's the thing Stellantis got fortunate in that by being last, they may actually save hundreds of millions of dollars by being able to defer this.
Speaker 2:Now, automakers change production plans. All the time, ford's modified some plans about what they were going to build. Nissan has actually axed a couple of vehicles they were planning to build that were EVs. But more often than not right now particularly Ford and GM they're up into their eyeballs in capital expenditures. Ford converted an entire plant to build the EV light, their F-150 Lightning. They built a Ford Mustang Mach-E, which I just had one last week. It was a lot of fun, but it's not selling at the volumes they had projected when they made the business case to build those plants and auto assembly plants.
Speaker 2:You don't build for a million or two. You're looking at hundreds of millions and even a few billion, and that really puts a hit on your profitability and your profit line if you're not building according to the numbers that you anticipated. And right now the Ford Lightning ain't selling the way they anticipated. And right now the Ford Lightning ain't selling the way they anticipated the Chevy Silverado EV, gmc Sierra EV which, by the way, another amazing vehicle that I will be doing a review on in the weeks to come and you're going to want to stick around for that. Yeah, it was $100,000, but oh my God, put a pin in that. We'll come back to it. But again, these vehicles are not selling at the level that when the business case was made two to three years ago that you know they budgeted for, it's just not happening as a result.
Speaker 2:Stellantis, looking at the lay of the land, is able to stall some of that and not be that much money. They haven't converted a plant yet. That right there will save them almost a billion dollars. They haven't ramped up and did all that stuff and got inventory out there that now they have to heavily discount to get dealers to sell it. They're not going to fall into that trap and in the end that helps everybody to get dealers to sell it. They're not going to fall into that trap and in the end that helps everybody. Not to mention that, yes, by waiting they were able to see what everybody else was doing and do better. Now they're going to even be able to do still better because when theirs comes out it's their first venture, which will be better than the other automakers who started coming out, like Ford did in 21, chevy did in 23, and they're kind of locked in to their first generation for five or six years. Ram comes out totally fresh towards the end of the decade, so it's not a bad thing. So again you know they're starting to make the kind of tough decisions that they need to make, and this Automotive News article continues.
Speaker 2:The automaker's slower and more flexible approach to EV manufacturing reduces exposure as compared to competitors Ford Motor and General Motors, like I just said, which both dedicated entire factories solely to electric pickups with high volume expectations that haven't panned out, solely to electric pickups with high volume expectations that haven't panned out. Bear in mind, those pickups that they're building in Factory Zero in what used to be called Hamtramck, a part of Detroit, are carrying very high five-figure numbers to build. I mean, the Chevy Silverado EV had a sticker price of almost $80,000. The Ford Lightning, the Ford F-150 Lightning, same thing. They were high. The GMC Hummer EV, when it came out, was $116,000. The Cadillac Escalade IQ and I just drove one of those about two months ago Amazing vehicle, but it starts at $140,000, and the one I drove was $167,000. It was like being in a business class of an airliner, but yeah, $167,000.
Speaker 2:No, they're not selling these things in the tens of thousands. And because you've got all that fixed overhead sitting there, the employees, the suppliers, all of that, that's hard out of pocket, particularly if you're a supplier, a mid-range supplier, that committed to the program, made the investment at a certain volume level and based your profit and your expenses and your staffing, and all that at the level GM told you for this program that you bid and won, and now you're coming in at less than a quarter of those sales. Yeah, by contract there's some make goods GM has to do out of pocket. The suppliers don't swallow it all. They're going to swallow some of it but not all of it, and that messes with your bottom line and Stellantis, to their credit, to their wisdom, held off. They held off and in fact funny thing they're actually rushing some V8 engines back into production because of the changing mix that they weren't going to build. Now they're going to build them. So we'll see what happens with that. But I'm anxious to see how that happens. But stay tuned. 2027, we got two years.
Speaker 2:On another subject, let me talk about railroads for a minute and hybrid locomotives for a minute. We've talked about Norfolk, southern. We've talked about CSX, we've talked about Burlington, northern Santa Fe. Now we're going to talk about UniPacific and this is from Progressive Railroading Magazine, and they're talking about their collaboration with a company called ZTR and they'll shortly be testing the first of their six hybrid switch locomotives in a working rail yard.
Speaker 2:Basically, they're getting ready the diesel engine of the traditional hybrid. Actually, most people don't realize that your actual diesel locomotive is actually diesel electric. The diesel engine in these locomotives don't turn the wheels, they turn a generator which turns an electric motor that turns the wheels. The hybrids they're going to now gets rid of that engine, gets rid of the carbon polluting diesel motor, going to batteries instead, going to something different, going to natural gas. They will be evaluating these for performance and cost. These hybrid locomotives can operate either on a traditional diesel engine or stored battery power, with the battery recharging during engine operation. Pretty cool. Next is my review of the Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback. You are listening to the Tech Mobility Show the all-in-one, browser-based platform that does it all.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page. Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show, from Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts.
Speaker 1:More room, more power, more luxury More Civic For less than you think, ask your Honda dealer about the full line of new Civics.
Speaker 2:He'll tell you more. Bear in mind that when that ad played, the Honda Civic had been in production 23 years had been in production by that time 23 years. It actually came out in 1972. That is an ad from 1995. Talking about more, and that year 1995, they brought out the next generation Civic. So it was brand new for that year and it's considered to be one of the most iconic vehicles in automotive history and one of Honda's best sellers, with over 28 million sold through 2024. Sellers with over 28 million sold through 2024.
Speaker 2:The Civic Hybrid was first introduced in Japan in December 2001, with its US debut in the spring of 2002. As a 2003 model, it used the automaker's integrated motor assist system that had originally been developed for the smaller Insight. The second generation of the Civic Hybrid moved to a new platform in 2006, and it also gained the ability for low-speed EV-only operation at that time. In 2013, production of the Civic Hybrid moved from Japan to a Honda manufacturing facility in Greensburg, indiana, where it's built today. Manufacturing facility in Greensburg, indiana, where it's built today. The 11th generation of the current generation of the Honda Civic was revealed in June 2021.
Speaker 2:Refreshed for the 2025 model year, the Civic Hatchback is available in three trim levels Sport, sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid. My impressions for the purpose of this review are about the Civic Sport Hybrid model. The Sport Hybrid features the powerful and efficient Honda 2-motor hybrid electric system, a combination of a 2-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor delivering a combined 200 horsepower and 232 foot-pounds of torque. Combined 200 horsepower and 232 foot-pounds of torque. Linear shift control elevates the driving experience by mimicking the vehicle's speed-linked rev feel typically associated with a conventional drivetrain shifting gears under acceleration. Epa fuel economy numbers are 50. City 45. Highway. Cargo capacity is an impressive 24.5 cubic feet. To further amplify the legendary fun-to-drive spirit and class-leading ride comfort of the Civic, the ride and handling of all Civic hybrid models have been optimized with unique spring and damper tuning and especially developed tire. Hybrid trims also enjoy the lowest noise, vibration and harshness levels in the Civic lineup, with a robust noise reduction package that includes active noise control. So here's what I liked about the Civic.
Speaker 2:And now let me start with a question. First, is there a market for a five-door hybrid hatchback? Here's my answer, after spending a little time behind the wheel yes, if it's a 2025 Honda Civic. There's a reason why this model lineup has remained in the Honda stable for over 50 years. When underway, the hybrid is smooth, solid, responsive and comfortable. The current hybrid rides on a modern platform with three drive modes economy, normal and sport as well as steering wheel mounted paddle shifters for additional vehicle control. A large cargo area with a split fold down rear seat means that you can optimize the interior to carry passengers and or cargo as the need arises. A rear windshield wiper adds to the driver's 360 degrees of visibility.
Speaker 2:And here's what I didn't like about the Civic, and it's not a long list. It really is not One of my personal pet peeves, and you know this and you know what I'm going to say. Lack of a spare tire. There's no spare tire in this thing and I don't know if those tires that are on it will run flat or not. No satellite radio, but you have Bluetooth, and thank God for that. And the other one's kind of a like to have it would have been nice, in a vehicle that's kind of geared toward performance, to have a head-up display. And speaking of the displays, I found them to be on the smaller side, not as easy to read and use as a result. And again, another like to have again, because you know you guys are portraying this as a well, not a performance car, but a sporty car. I would have liked to have some fog lights. It would have been nice to have fog lights. Where am I going? Where's the bottom line? Let me say this I'm impressed that Honda not only continues to build a Civic in a hatch, but what I neglected to tell you is that it is the first time that the Civic hatchback is a hybrid. That combination is a first. This year.
Speaker 2:Honda continues to make the investment to make the Civic not only relevant and practical, but better. The car keeps getting better and better, and it's amazing, considering that we're in an environment now where pickup trucks, suvs, crossovers Is where the money is. But Honda still has a commitment and not just a commitment, but a commitment to make it better to do more, fun to drive, inexpensive to run and plenty of room for most folks to haul their stuff. You might find that the Honda Civic hatchback hybrid, whether it's a sport or sport touring, might be the vehicle that you've been looking for all the time, particularly if you're not down with station wagons, you're not down with trucks, suvs of any size. There's still room for you and it's still a vehicle for you that you can afford. You're not going to spend $40,000, $50,000, $60,000 for this, unlike some of the European choices that are out there, so you might give this consideration.
Speaker 2:American-made Honda Solid the Honda Civic Sport Hatchback Hybrid. The manufacturer suggested retail price for the Honda 20,. Well, I'm sorry. For the 2025 Honda Civic Sport Hybrid Hatchback starts from $29,950. The Civic Sport Touring Hybrid has a sticker price that starts from $32,950. Destination charges add $1,095. And here's a final note $1,095. And here's the final note. Although I didn't get a chance to drive one, you can still also purchase a regular gasoline version of the Civic Hatchback and its base MSRP is $27,450.
Speaker 2:Just in case you wanted to know and I didn't get a chance to spend a whole week like I normally do and I didn't get a chance to spend a whole week like I normally do I got a chance at the Mama event up in Elkhart Lake, wisconsin, to drive it. Experience it the minute I saw it. I wanted to drive it because there are fewer and fewer and fewer passenger cars available to even be exposed to, and it was well worth the wait. I think it's genius that you can have some fun, get fuel economy I mean 45 and 50 miles to the gallon, meaning this thing just sips gasoline. And that is the attraction of hybrids right now. That is why the industry turned away from pure EVs towards hybrids. I can get high fuel economy, get the benefits and the power benefits of a hybrid, of an EV, but yet I don't have range anxiety. I don't have a problem because wherever I get gasoline I'm good, and this is not a plug-in hybrid, so I don't even have to worry about ever plugging it in, as opposed to, you know, those that are. So it's just. It's just solid all the way around and I'm glad I had the chance. I just wish the thing had a spare tire. That part just irks me just a little bit. But you know, fun is fun and you do what you got to do. You should check this one out. While Honda is still making them, automakers are still chasing the dream of hydrogen powered cars. But there are challenges.
Speaker 2:This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility podcast just about anywhere you can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us from Apple Podcasts, iheart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place to be. We no exception. Hi, I'm ken chester, host the tech mobility show. Several times a week, I post to tiktok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility, technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the tech mobility show on tiktok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:Okay, so what's the deal with hydrogen Laboring in the shadows of battery technology when it comes to electric vehicles and everything else, when actually using it as a fuel? Automakers continue to tinker with both methods of using hydrogen over the years, but other than a few niche models and think Toyota Mirai, it really hasn't caught on. So why are they continuing to invest money and time on it? And that's a good question. This is topic B. Hydrogen seems to be in that gray area. There's an opportunity to do it and the reason why they're looking at it. Number one takes less time to refill. There's no carbon in its signature, so you can burn the stuff if you choose to burn it with not increasing greenhouse gases or adding negatively to the environment. But that's mitigated by how hydrogen is currently made.
Speaker 2:Right now, most hydrogen that people know as hydrogen is what they call gray hydrogen. It's actually reformulated natural gas, as they use a steam process to separate molecules from natural gas. So you really don't get the advantages of going all hydrogen. There's green hydrogen. Green hydrogen is actually from a water electrolyzing process, taking water and breaking it down in its basic molecules of oxygen and hydrogen and capturing it that way and it makes it green. And if you go all the way green, you're using renewable energy to drive the process, because that type of process consumes a lot of energy. So in the perfect world you would be close to a water source and the factory would be near a wind farm or a solar farm. So you have the energy, the water, and you could make green hydrogen. And there are factories being built in the United States to do that, but their output, which is still a year or two away, is still only going to be a drop in the United States to do that. But their output, which is still a year or two away, is still only going to be a drop in the bucket compared to all the hydrogen that's currently being made.
Speaker 2:The old-fashioned way You're saying well, maybe, what about trucks? Okay, let's talk about trucks for a minute. Right now, toyota, hyundai and, to a lesser degree, honda, have invested hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars For the last seven or eight years. Toyota has partnered with Kenworth to build an electric fuel cell, a hydrogen fuel cell truck that they used in the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, and have been studying that for years and trying to scale it up. Kenworth says we got the ability to build it, but we can't find anybody who wants to buy it. He said we need buyers, we need a competitive cost, and one of the big problems that they've got is infrastructure. People are not building, companies are not building out an infrastructure of hydrogen refueling. If anything, it's that chicken and the egg thing. If they build it, they will come. Well, okay, do you mean if I build the hydrogen cars, they'll build the refueling stations, or if I build the refueling stations, they'll build the cars?
Speaker 2:Truckmaker alternative power truckmaker Nikola was in the process of building a network until they went broke. Ironically, lucid Motors bought most of their assets, but as far as that dream is concerned, it's double dog dead. There was money in recent legislation that was passed a few years back for building out a hydrogen network legislation that was passed a few years back for building out a hydrogen network but right now most clean air initiatives are being rolled back or outright canceled. So there's some question of whether or not that's going to happen. But the automakers continue to tinker. I think they just can't help it. But they do Most of what they're talking about now, even though they've shown. In fact, porsche even developed an engine that burned hydrogen, an internal combustion engine that burned hydrogen. Why would they do that? Again, remember no carbon, no greenhouse gas issues, no pollution, with very little modification.
Speaker 2:Refueling issues. Refueling is the big deal. Refueling is the big bugaboo and it's becoming less of an attraction. With the increased efficiency of battery, electric battery packs, longer range, more stations, quicker charging times. It's making hydrogen less and less of an issue and more of a niche product.
Speaker 2:Trucking's got something they call the messy middle, and what that is is they're trying to get to zero emissions, and right now they are full emissions with diesel engines, gasoline engines. That's where they are and they're looking at a host of technologies in order to get there and literally it is fleet specific and the more successful technologies that they're really looking for. They're looking for hardware that is fuel agnostic, and what that means is I can burn anything in there Hydrogen, diesel, gasoline, vegetable oil, it don't matter Biodiesel. For some trucking firms, that may be the answer. For small to medium like regional truckers, battery electrics may be the answer. But if you are a long haul trucking company, battery electrics don't cut it. They just don't. I mean they're too heavy, take too long to it, they just don't. I mean they're too heavy, take too long to charge. That doesn't work.
Speaker 2:So Toyota, hyundai and Honda have been building and designing few cells that are big rig size, class 8 big rig size. Why? Refueling's a breeze. They emit no pollution, can go for miles and it gets you there. But lack of refueling stations, which could be mitigated, though, for trucks, because, in the case of the Toyota test, because they were in the port of Long Beach, the port of LA, they could build and I believe they did build a refueling station there, because the trucks that went out came back there every night, every night. So it's possible if a trucking company wanted to build refueling stations at their terminals across the country, that that could be nipped in the bud.
Speaker 2:Or a group of truckers get together and say you know what? We're going to create a company, just like the automakers did for electric charging, and we're going to build out a hydrogen network along major interstates for our trucks and manufacturers might even get in the game and that may in the end be how it gets done. But right now for cars it ain't happening. It's not happening. Let me give you some perspective.
Speaker 2:Hyundai, who has a fuel cell vehicle called Nexus000, not 940, 94. Toyota's Mirai that's been out for years. How many did they sell last year in the United States of America? 499, not 4,999, not 49,000, not 499,000, 499. That is barely one. Both of those are barely one shift and 94 euros. That's an hour and a half of production in any standard automobile assembly plant. 499 might be one shift, might be one shift, eight hour shift in a plant. That's all they sold.
Speaker 2:I don't think it's dead, but I think it's going to probably take the trucking industry to come together and make a commitment that hydrogen is a reasonable alternative for the larger trucking companies and we need to build at least some backbone of a network. We'll see what happens. I think that's the only way it's gonna happen in this environment. But it makes sense for truckers because they definitely need a solution and it always gets down to money. Can they make this work? If they build the network, I believe that the cost of these trucks will come down and more truckers will sign up, because for long-haul trucking, battery electrics make no sense. They weigh too much. While the electric RV industry is still young, a maker of smart, modular electric vans is making a play.
Speaker 2:We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings of the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Each week I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel. That's the Tech Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:Okay, so what do you do if you're an ex-SpaceX engineer? What do you do? In this case? You find or you found an electric RV company. Before we get into that and it's pretty cool what they're doing but before we get into that and we talk about them specifically, let me give you a little background here.
Speaker 2:As of mid-2025, the market for electric recreational vehicles in the United States is still in its early stages. While several companies have introduced promising prototypes and initial models, the widespread availability of fully electric RVs is not yet fully established. Meanwhile and these are the boys I'm talking about it's a company called Grounded. They're a maker of smart, modular electric vans and they have unveiled something called G3, its most advanced all-electric RV. Yet this is Topic C. Well, before we get into Grounded and how impressed I am with it, let me give you some other companies in the space. Right now, the Winnebago ERV2. And it's a prototype camper van and it's an evolution of Winnebago's initial concept ERV as part of a pilot program designed to gather public feedback for optimizing future models. It's based on the Ford e-transit platform and only boasts 108-mile range. Remember that number, 108 miles? We talked about these folks.
Speaker 2:The next ones Pebble Flow another former Tesla bunch of folk. An all-electric travel trailer which looked really snazzy. I was so impressed. It was like staying in a European hotel and that's exactly the feel he wanted Way cool. A company I have not heard of called Bolas. They're a luxury travel trailer manufacturer and they're looking to become an all-electric RV company offering high-end electric models three of them. Another company we talked about, lightship. They also have Tesla roots, looking to become a prominent all-electric RV manufacturer. They started making models last year and then one of the majors in the industry, like Winnebago, thor. Thor Industries is a major player. They're offering the Thor Vision, a Class A electric RV. They have a range of 300 miles.
Speaker 2:So what am I talking about? And I let oh, I'm sorry I left one out. We talked about a E kind of an E, I want to say assist. Rv Airstream, during the pandemic, came out with something called an E-assist. Rv Airstream, during the pandemic, came out with something called an e-assist, which actually would help the owner position the RV in an RV park and, at speed on the road, actually provide additional propulsion support to the tow vehicle. And this article didn't come out with that.
Speaker 2:But this is something that I know for a fact. So where are we going with this? Well, you would think, with all the attention we've talked about that I know for a fact. So where are we going with this? Well, you would think, with all the attention we've talked about trains, we've talked about cars, we've talked about trucks, we've talked about commercial trucks, we've talked about big class A trucks, medium duty, vocational trucks Everybody's going electric. The RV industry a little slower, but they're heading that way.
Speaker 2:But think about it. Take a look at this for a minute. Your typical RV, when traveled, you're out in the middle of nowhere. If you're lucky, you're pulling into a campsite with a hookup. But the question is, the hookups just for ancillary stuff? Does it have the ability or the electrical infrastructure to recharge your EV? Your electric RV doesn't have the ability to do that, because that's a lot of juice and that's a lot of infrastructure. And with the typical RV park, if you're looking at a small one and maybe 20, 30 RVs and you say maybe a quarter of those are electric, hmm, that's a little crazy.
Speaker 2:So let's talk about Grounded First of all. Their G3 is based on Chevy's Bright Drop, zivo 400 and 600 chassis and it looks cool. But then again, I always thought that Bright Drop and their chassis configuration just begged to be upfitted, it just begged to be converted into something, and I was hoping somebody would do this. Grounded is doing this and, by the way, their version has a range of 246 miles, which means if Winnebago is ever going to come out with something, they're going to have to do way better than 108 miles. That's not even worth doing. That ain't even weekend travel. I couldn't even go from here to Iowa City, which is 100 miles in that thing. That's not going to work.
Speaker 2:The Grounded G3 comes in three trims. Brace yourself, they're not cheap, they're base EV I use the word loosely because it's pretty well equipped starts at $165,000. And it's a sleek, minimalist build with a queen bed and essential furnishings. And it's called the Form. If you go up to the G3 function, it's $180,000, adds expanded kitchen lounge and power for extended trips. If you go all the way, all the way in on this thing, the g3 freedom, which is 200 000 fully loaded with maximum battery, star link, lift bed, bathroom and bespoke finishes, I can't see that, if you're going to buy this thing, that you would buy anything less than the freedom. Unless you were really just a weekend warrior within maybe 150 miles your house, then you might. You might spring for the function.
Speaker 2:The form, to me would be more of a office on wheels. Maybe you know where you're traveling, place to place. It makes more sense. The only thing they would be missing now is making it autonomous, and we talked about that maybe five or six years ago the rise of something like an autonomous hotel that would drive you to your destination, kind of like a train, only on public roads. It was a way cool concept.
Speaker 2:Now Bright Drop is looking at a way to give upfitters all kinds of options. Grounded wants to do that. But here's some things that they've added, which is duh and genius things. Number one unlike a lot of EVs, this thing would be four season ready because, honest to God, if you're out there camping in the winter, real cold will kill your batteries. They've got self-heating batteries that power onboard systems down to zero Fahrenheit, while improved installation and a redesigned swingout rear door boosts thermal efficiency. Modular build they call it aluminum framing, a hundred percent of recycled interior panels and a motorized lift bed that expands to a california king size. That's big layouts customized in real time using a 3d configurator tool. Here's something else you didn't think about, because they said these things are designed to go off the grid and off the road awatt rooftop solar, up to 20-kilowatt-hour house battery and 1,400-watt vehicle-to-house power export system.
Speaker 2:This thing is my hero. It is way cool. Yes, it comes in all-wheel drive. Talk to me 11,000-pound GVWR GM Safety Suite fast charging, which you either do regular chargers or the Tesla superchargers it's got. You can do either. Or, if you're thinking about an electric RV, I think the Grounded's the one you want, really, because it's got so much going on and I would expect these guys to increase range and just make it better and better and better. And, by the way, they use everything they do on the interior surfaces recycled, all of it.
