All-Electric Entegra Embark Nears Delivery
RV dealers and journalists got a firsthand look and an opportunity to drive the much-anticipated, all-electric Entegra Coach Embark Class A motorhome at the 2025 THOR Industries Open House in Elkhart, Indiana, this past September. It appears the world’s first range-extended electric coach will be on the road by early 2026, with the first dozen earmarked as part of a THL RV rental program in Southern California. Full production will begin in late 2026 or early 2027, with deliveries to RV dealers nationwide, according to Entegra Coach executives.
The all-electric Entegra Embark is slated for full production in 2026-2027.
The premium-level, 32-foot-9-inch-long Embark is built on a 208-inch-wheelbase medium-duty Harbinger electric vehicle (EV) chassis. It is fitted with a German-built GETEC 1.4-liter four-cylinder range-extending engine used only to power the 45-kw generator that keeps the battery bank charged. This hybrid EV package gives the coach a driving range of 105 miles in “Electric-Only” driving mode and 450 miles in “Extended Range” mode.
Four 35-kw battery packs mounted in the frame power the electric motor of the unit’s rear-wheel-drive powertrain. They are charged via the onboard generator while driving or parked, or via any of the existing plug-in EV and battery-charging options available to electric car owners and RVers at campgrounds or at home.
The new coach has impressed those who have driven it with its quick acceleration, low center of gravity, resistance to side winds, ultra quiet ride, tight turning, and Euro-inspired premium looks and comfort.
“I think a customer who wants the latest and greatest technology, and already has an electric vehicle, will be very excited about this motorhome,” said Ryan Forgery, vice president of engineering at Jayco. “Hopefully, we’re going to tap into a new market even with RVers who want to do things a little bit differently with the electric side of things.”
According to THOR marketing, while independent dealers will set final pricing, the Entegra Coach Embark is expected to retail in the $300,000 to $400,000 range.
— Bruce W. Smith
New Trend: Grandymoons
Multigenerational travel is on the rise, as families embrace the idea of the “grandymoon,” seen as a meaningful way to reconnect. In 2023, the Family Travel Association’s Annual Family Travel Survey gathered data from 3,300 parents and grandparents. Results showed that more than half of the parents planned to travel with their own children as well as their own parents.
Grandparents play a major role in this trend, with 54 percent saying they organize these trips and nearly half reporting they’ve taken a multigenerational trip in the past three years.
The RV Industry Association touts RVing as an ideal fit for this travel trend. RV travel provides families with freedom, affordability, flexibility in designing itineraries, the comforts of home, and numerous opportunities for connection andcreating memories that last a lifetime.
Find a Certified RV Technician
The RV Technical Institute has launched a new online Find a Certified Technician map (rvti.org/find-certified-technician) to help RV owners locate qualified service providers. The new platform pinpoints facilities across the United States and Canada that employ RVTI-certified service technicians.
Established by the RV Industry Association and the RV Dealers Association, RVTI has become the industry’s gold standard for technician training. The program includes a growing number of certified technicians, currently estimated at 7,000. The curriculum, built in tandem with manufacturers of RVs and their component parts, helps to ensure that technicians have the necessary skills and knowledge. Those who complete the program have demonstrated their expertise in RV systems, maintenance, diagnostics, and repairs.
From Sea to Shining Sea
Go RVing has launched RV-2-50, a year-long road trip campaign leading up to the United States’ 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. Curated travel guides of varying lengths invite travelers to experience the freedom and adventure of RVing while exploring destinations that helped shape the United States.
The RV-2-50 travel routes suggest iconic landmarks to stop at and explore while journeying across the U.S. and includes campground suggestions.
Each route showcases historical landmarks, regional celebrations, cultural attractions, and RV-friendly campgrounds. Travelers can select trips of varying lengths, which range from a long weekend to a few weeks or several months.
The six-month itinerary traverses 22 states and 37 landmarks, describing sites to see month by month. Month 1 includes stops from the Northeast to the upper Midwest, such as Independence Hall National Historical Park in Pennsylvania and Niagara Falls, New York. The route heads west through the desolate Badlands, then circles back through the South and Appalachia, ending in Pennsylvania.
A six-week adventure covers 25 landmarks in 15 states; it begins in the west with a stop at the famous “Hollywood” sign in Southern California and concludes in the Northeast at New Hampshire’s Mount Washington National Forest. A shorter weekend journey covers historical landmarks along the East Coast.
Visit gorving.com/rv250 to learn more about these trips.
RV Manufacturers Change Hands
With the sale of its California-based Lance Camper business to Vision Kore Inc. in June, REV Group exited the nonmotorized RV market to focus on its motorized RV brands: Fleetwood RV, Holiday Rambler, American Coach, Midwest Automotive Designs, and Renegade RV.
Lance, a manufacturer of ultra-lightweight composite-built truck campers and travel trailers, was founded in 1965. Vision Kore cofounder Bill Rex, who will serve as president and CEO of Lance Camper, has deep roots in the RV industry, starting at Dolphin Camper Company when he was 19 and ultimately founding Rexhall Industries in 1986.
Oregon-based Host Campers, a manufacturer of high-end truck campers, also has new owners. In an interview with RVBusiness, Dave Hogue, co-owner, reported that he and his partner, Mark Storch, have sold the company to Duane Stevens and Duane Walker.
Hogue and Storch also have roots in the RV manufacturing business. Their fathers, Jim Hogue and Frank Storch, founded Beaver Coaches in the late 1960s. The younger Hogue and Storch started Host Campers in Jim Hogue’s garage, ultimately producing the first triple-slideout truck camper. The company celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Hogue and Storch will stay with the company for a year to help with the transition.