World-leading American RV manufacturing group Thor Industries and its EV chassis partner Harbinger presented one of the most impressive motorhomes of 2024, an electrified Class A camper bus offering an estimated 500 miles (800 km) of hybrid range. It was just a concept a year ago, but it ultimately paved the way for the all-new Embark EV, the market’s first range-extended Class A electric motorhome, debuted under Thor brand Entegra Coach. More than just a breakthrough powertrain, the new large motorhome is an impressive build from nose to tail, incorporating European-inspired spaces and design elements that let travelers live cleanly and comfortably.
There’s still a healthy debate raging on about whether the automotive market at large should be maintaining focus on pure-electric vehicles or tempering their strategies with the style of range-extender engine featured prominently at this month’s IAA Mobility show.
When it comes to RVs, though, there isn’t much of a debate – pure EV battery ranges tend to fall short for traveling long distances in a compact car, let alone a broad, oversized, heavy RV box carrying a small home’s worth of rooms and equipment. Either we use range-extended hybrid layouts while battery density improves, we continue along with ICE-only powertrains, or we stop RVing much farther than the outskirts of the local metro area.
Thor has long been committed to experimenting behind Door #1, exploring innovations ranging from solarized travel trailers with “endless” power, to fuel cell-backed Class B+ camper vans, to self-propelled Airstreams. Silicon Valley beat it to market on the self-propelled travel trailer front, but Thor emerges at the front of the curve in terms of electrified Class A motorhomes.
At roughly 30 feet (9.1 m) long, the new Embark EV is no half van/integrated motorhome amalgamation – it’s a pure-blooded bus-size Class A. And as such, Thor calls it the world’s first range-extended electric Class A motorhome, a large, clean electrified camping vessel to join the growing market of plug-in hybrid and all-electric camper vans and tiny market of electrified Class C and B+ options.
Thor Industries/Harbinger
While it looks quite different from the outside, the Embark shares its underpinnings with last year’s Test Vehicle prototype. It rides on Harbinger’s electric medium-duty chassis and carries a 140-kWh battery pack. Thor’s all-electric range estimate has dropped from 150 miles (241 km) to 105 miles (169 km) after a year of testing and R&D, but that’s only a fraction of the range story.
The Embark’s onboard low-emissions engine-generator keeps the electric drive running after the battery is fully depleted, allowing Embarkers to enjoy an extra 345 miles (555 km) of range before they finally need to pull over for a direct-to-grid recharge or tank fill-up.
The fuel tank on board means travelers won’t need to worry about lack of electric fast-charging infrastructure (maybe any infrastructure) out in the boonies and will be able to fill up at the pump for another 345 miles of range. When DC fast-charging is available, Harbinger’s 800-V electric architecture promises charging up to 80% battery level in about an hour, perfect for a nice, relaxed lunch stop before getting back on the highway and finishing the day’s leg.
Thor says the battery is mounted centrally within the chassis, keeping weight low and balanced for better stability and handling. The electric powertrain delivers instant torque and a smooth, quiet ride for long-haul RVing performance and comfort. The battery is also designed to power appliances at camp and work as a home backup power source, and the range-extender makes it a veritable live-in generator.
Thor Industries
Inside, Thor has smartly borrowed from the styling sensibilities of its European arm, creating a clean, warm space with gray felt wall paneling and furniture contrasted by wood grain doors and face panels. The single floor plan previewed features a rear bedroom with 97 x 76-in (246 x 193-cm) super-king bed; a dry bathroom with separate toilet, rainfall shower and sink areas; a large aisle-spanning kitchen; and a front dining lounge with vis-a-vis sofas, an expandable table and a retractable pop-up TV.
Though Entegra doesn’t indicate that the dining lounge converts into a second double bed, we imagine an RV of this size will offer that as an option, if not standard – the front area certainly appears plenty large enough to accommodate one. Initial pictures also show a pair of seat belts on the swiveling front-facing rear bench, so you there ought to be two sleeping berths to accommodate those two extra people.
Thor Industries
While the Embark is a production model, Thor plans to continue testing through a rental fleet before beginning full-scale production in mid-2026. It will offer a select number of models through RV rental provider THL, making tweaks and improvements to the unit based on customer feedback.
“The Embark will go through extensive consumer testing through the rental market prior to production next summer,” said Ken Walters, President & CEO of the Jayco Family of Companies, which includes Entegra. “We want to be sure that it offers everything a customer expects from an Entegra Coach motorhome.”
We’ll report all the details on what that “everything” entails (and how much it costs) once they’re made public closer to the model’s full market launch next summer (US).
Source: Thor Industries
