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Motorhome

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A coachbuilt Hymer motorhome
A coachbuilt Hymer motorhome

A motorhome (or motor coach[1]) is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle (RV) which offers mobile living accommodation.[2]

Features

Two Class C motorhomes, built on (left) Freightliner Sprinter and (right) Ford E-Series chassis.
Two Class C motorhomes, built on (left) Freightliner Sprinter and (right) Ford E-Series chassis.
Dethleffs alcove motorhome
Dethleffs alcove motorhome

Motorhomes usually have sleeping spaces for two to eight people. Each sleeping space is either fixed or converted from another part of the motorhome's interior, usually a fold-out sofa. A kitchenette area contains cooking equipment. The type of equipment included differs depending on the motorhome make and model, but generally a kitchenette has a stovetop, oven, refrigerator, and sink. More luxury models may also provide a microwave. A small bathroom with a shower, sink and toilet is usually also located in the motorhome. On smaller motorhomes, the toilet may be of the "cassette toilet" type, which is a kind of portable toilet or container-based toilet. The toilet sometimes swivels to provide extra room and can be accessed from outside the motorhome for easy emptying.[3] Larger motorhomes usually have a separate shower cubicle.

A motorhome also has a cab area with a driver and passenger seat. These seats often swivel to become part of the living space. A dinette area provides a table and seating space typically used for eating meals. A lounge may also be included, consisting of either a U-shaped sofa located in the rear of the motorhome or a side lounge.

Variations in terminology

In the United Kingdom and the United States, the word motorhome is commonly used. On occasion, other synonyms are used, such as motor home and motor caravan.

In Germany, a motorhome is referred to as a Wohnmobil. In Sweden, the term husbil means motorhome. In France, a motorhome is called a camping-car. In Italy, the term camper is used to mean motorhome in general, and the term motorhome refers to Class A motorhomes in particular.[4] Spain and Portugal use auto caravana or auto-caravana. In the Netherlands and in Poland, the term camper is used.

In Australia and New Zealand, the term campervan is frequently used for smaller vans, either with a low top or high top that do not have a toilet and shower. In New Zealand, the term housebus is frequently used for larger motorhomes.

In some countries, the proprietary name Winnebago has been largely genericised to refer to any motorhome.

Discover more about Features related topics

Ford E-Series

Ford E-Series

The Ford E-Series is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for model year 1961 as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the E-Series line is currently in its fourth generation.

Microwave

Microwave

Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from about one meter to one millimeter corresponding to frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz respectively. Different sources define different frequency ranges as microwaves; the above broad definition includes both UHF and EHF bands. A more common definition in radio-frequency engineering is the range between 1 and 100 GHz. In all cases, microwaves include the entire SHF band at minimum. Frequencies in the microwave range are often referred to by their IEEE radar band designations: S, C, X, Ku, K, or Ka band, or by similar NATO or EU designations.

Bathroom

Bathroom

A bathroom or washroom is a room, typically in a home or other residential building, that contains either a bathtub or a shower. The inclusion of a wash basin is common. In some parts of the world e.g. India, a toilet is typically included in the bathroom; in others, the toilet is typically given a dedicated room separate from the one allocated for personal hygiene activities. In North American English the word 'bathroom' is sometimes used to refer to any room in a residence that contains a toilet, regardless of the inclusion of a bath or shower.

Container-based sanitation

Container-based sanitation

Container-based sanitation refers to a sanitation system where toilets collect human excreta in sealable, removable containers that are transported to treatment facilities. This type of sanitation involves a commercial service which provides certain types of portable toilets, and delivers empty containers when picking up full ones. The service transports and safely disposes of or reuses collected excreta. The cost of collection of excreta is usually borne by the users. With suitable development, support and functioning partnerships, CBS can be used to provide low-income urban populations with safe collection, transport and treatment of excrement at a lower cost than installing and maintaining sewers. In most cases, CBS is based on the use of urine-diverting dry toilets.

Germany

Germany

Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second-most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between the Baltic and North seas to the north, and the Alps to the south; it covers an area of 357,022 square kilometres (137,847 sq mi), with a population of around 84 million within its 16 constituent states. Germany borders Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, and France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west. The nation's capital and most populous city is Berlin and its main financial centre is Frankfurt; the largest urban area is the Ruhr.

France

France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. It also includes overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, giving it one of the largest discontiguous exclusive economic zones in the world. Its metropolitan area extends from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea; overseas territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic, the French West Indies, and many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean. Its eighteen integral regions span a combined area of 643,801 km2 (248,573 sq mi) and had a total population of over 68 million as of January 2023. France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre; other major urban areas include Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille, Bordeaux, and Nice.

Italy

Italy

Italy, officially the Italian Republic or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern and Western Europe. Located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, it consists of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands; its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical region. Italy shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino. It has a territorial exclave in Switzerland, Campione. Italy covers an area of 301,230 km2 (116,310 sq mi), with a population of about 60 million. It is the third-most populous member state of the European Union, the sixth-most populous country in Europe, and the tenth-largest country in the continent by land area. Italy's capital and largest city is Rome.

Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces; it borders Germany to the east, and Belgium to the south, with a North Sea coastline to the north and west. It shares maritime borders with the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium in the North Sea. The country's official language is Dutch, with West Frisian as a secondary official language in the province of Friesland. Dutch, English and Papiamento are official in the Caribbean territories.

Poland

Poland

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of 312,696 km2 (120,733 sq mi). Poland has a population of 38 million and is the fifth-most populous member state of the European Union. Warsaw is the nation's capital and largest metropolis. Other major cities include Kraków, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, Gdańsk, and Szczecin.

Australia

Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of 7,617,930 square kilometres (2,941,300 sq mi), Australia is the largest country by area in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country. Australia is the oldest, flattest, and driest inhabited continent, with the least fertile soils. It is a megadiverse country, and its size gives it a wide variety of landscapes and climates, with deserts in the centre, tropical rainforests in the north-east, and mountain ranges in the south-east.

New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island —and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country by area, covering 268,021 square kilometres (103,500 sq mi). New Zealand is about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland.

Campervan

Campervan

A camper van, also referred to as a camper, caravanette, motor caravan or RV in North America, is a self-propelled vehicle that provides both transport and sleeping accommodation. The term describes vans that have been fitted out, whereas a motorhome is one with a coachbuilt body.

History

The origins of the motorhome date back to 1910, when the Pierce-Arrow motor company introduced the Touring Landau model at the Madison Square Garden auto show.[5][2] The Pierce-Arrow's entry was specialized for the camper in mind—providing cargo compartments for camping equipment and even an on-board toilet.[6] In the 1920s, individual builders and manufactures began to convert panel trucks and buses to be used for camping. Designers patterned these "housecars" after airplanes, boats, and buses.[7] RV production was halted during World War Two and would not resume for the domestic market until the 1950s.[8] When production did begin again, designers began grafting trailer bodies onto truck or bus chassis.[7]

Raymond Frank gave these housecars their contemporary name of “motorhome". Following a pattern common in RV history, in 1958 Frank designed and built his first motorhome so his family could take vacations to Florida and the mid-west; it was 27 feet (8.2 m) long and mounted on a Dodge chassis. Soon afterwards, other campers took an interest in the design and asked Frank to build them one too. By 1960, the Franks had sold seven motorhomes, and decided to open Frank Motor Homes, Inc. the next year. With the stylish fiberglass construction and contemporary color palette, the Frank motorhomes became an acceptable option for 1960s suburbanites who wanted an RV but scoffed at the travel trailer.[9]

Soon other firms began to manufacture these mainstream motorhomes. In 1958, one of the most recognizable names in motorhomes was launched—Winnebago.[10] Under the direction of John Hanson, Winnebago began to produce nearly all of their motorhomes' components other than the chassis. In ten years, Winnebago had grown from 415 employees to 1,252 in 1969 with over $3 million in sales.[11] While Winnebago was the market leader, other companies were also growing. In 1969 a total of 23,100 motorhomes were sold.[12] While the gas crunch of the 1970s drove many manufacturers out of business—including Frank Motorhomes (then known as Travco)[13]—today, the motorhome market continues to be strong. In 2014, 43,900 motorhomes were sold in the United States.[14]

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Landau (carriage)

Landau (carriage)

In coachbuilding, a landau is a four-wheeled carriage with a roof that can be let down. It was a luxury carriage. The low shell of the landau provides maximal visibility of the occupants and their clothing, a feature that makes a landau still a popular choice for Lord Mayors in the United Kingdom on ceremonial occasions.

Madison Square Garden (1890)

Madison Square Garden (1890)

Madison Square Garden (1890–1926) was an indoor arena in New York City, the second by that name, and the second and last to be located at 26th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Opened in 1890 at the cost of about $500,000, it replaced the first Madison Square Garden, and hosted numerous events, including boxing matches, orchestral performances, light operas and romantic comedies, the annual French Ball, both the Barnum and the Ringling circuses, and the 1924 Democratic National Convention, which nominated John W. Davis after 103 ballots. The building closed in 1925, and was replaced by the third Madison Square Garden at Eighth Avenue and 50th Street, which was the first to be located away from Madison Square.

Dodge

Dodge

Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above Plymouth.

Winnebago Industries

Winnebago Industries

Winnebago Industries, Inc. is an American manufacturer of motorhomes, a type of recreational vehicle (RV), in the United States. In 2018, the company expanded into motorboat manufacturing with the acquisition of Chris-Craft Corporation. Winnebago has also manufactured light-to-medium utility vehicles as well as other products. The company is named after Winnebago County, Iowa, where it used to be headquartered. The county is named after the Native American tribe who have historically lived in the area. During the 1970s and 1980s, Winnebago Industries depended on Native American history and traditions in naming their products, for example "Chieftain" and "Brave." They also used Native American iconography and patterns in their designs and period advertisements.

Categories

Motorhomes can be roughly categorized into three categories:

Class A Ultra Van, manufactured 1968
Class A Ultra Van, manufactured 1968
Campervan, Oldtimer with alcove, GMC
Campervan, Oldtimer with alcove, GMC
Class A (also known as integrated)
A Class A motorhome often has a reputation for being the most luxurious and expensive of vehicles. It has a solid body with the driving area integrated into the standard living accommodation. This style of motorhome will have a large and expansive front window which offers a good view of the road and surrounding landscape. Berths convert from lounge or dinette areas.
Class B (also known as semi-integrated)
A Class B motorhome is also referred to as a low profile or semi-integrated motorhome. It is built in the same way as a Class C motorhome, except no berths are provided over the cab area. As a result, the overall height of this motorhome is lower than a Class C. There is usually a fixed double bed in the rear of the vehicle.
Class C (also known as alcove)
A Class C motorhome may also be known as coach built. It has a trailer- or caravan-style body which is mounted onto a van or truck chassis. There is usually a double berth over the driving cab. Ford and Fiat manufacture the majority of these motorhome chasses in Europe.[15]

Layouts

2012 Thor Motor Coach ACE EVO29.1
2012 Thor Motor Coach ACE EVO29.1

There are many different motorhome layouts available with each manufacturer offering a range of options. One layout innovation that started in 1999 was the development of a slide out or slide room. As seen on the floor plan of the Thor Motor Coach, a slide out is an area that increases the square footage living space of the motorhome.[2] These slide out(s) extend to allow for more living space while parked and retract while driving. As with most innovations, the original slide outs were considered a luxury item, whereas they are now standard on most of today's motorhomes.

Source: "Motorhome", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2022, December 31st), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorhome.

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See also
References
  1. ^ Family Motor Coach Association
  2. ^ a b c Murden, David (2022-01-21). "What is a Motorhome - Ultimate Beginners Guide". Oaktree Motorhomes. Retrieved 2022-02-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Motorhome Glossary". Motorhome Group. Archived from the original on 2011-03-05.
  4. ^ "Cosa mi compro? | COL Magazine". Magazine.camperonline.it. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  5. ^ Morrison, Jim. "Commemorating 100 Years of the RV: For almost as long as there have been automobiles, recreational vehicles have been traversing America". Smithsonian.com. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  6. ^ White, Roger (2000). Home on the Road: The Motor Home in America. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 8.
  7. ^ a b White. Home on the Road. pp. 142–143.
  8. ^ Meloan, Taylor W. (1954). Mobile Homes: The Growth and Business Practices of the Industry. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin. p. 16.
  9. ^ White. Home on the Road. pp. 148–151.
  10. ^ "Winnebago Industries | About Us". Winnebagoind.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  11. ^ White. Home on the Road. pp. 166–167.
  12. ^ White. Home on the Road. p. 170.
  13. ^ "13 Great Centennial RVs – 4 of 13 (Doge/Travco)". RV Business. July 6, 2010.
  14. ^ Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. "Year End Review 2007-2014". www.rvia.org. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  15. ^ Expedition MotorHome. "What is the Difference Between Class A, B & C Motorhomes?". www.expeditionmotorhomes.com. Retrieved 27 Oct 2018.
Further reading
External links

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