German motorhome manufacturer Dethleffs has revealed a concept motorhome that showcases the latest progress in its ongoing ‘Sustainable Motorhome’ project, which began in 2017.

Following on from the innovations showcased in previous concept models such as the e.home coco and Globevan e.hybrid, this new vehicle – the e.home Eco – aims to show that sustainability is about more than just the powertrain of a vehicle.

“Sustainability means more to us than just electric mobility,” said Bernhard Kibler, CEO of Dethleffs. “In our development projects, we routinely evaluate new materials based on renewable or recycled raw materials, as well as environmentally friendly innovations from our suppliers, to determine their practicality in caravanning applications.”

The outer layer of the e.home Eco’s sandwich panels consist of a natural fibre fabric known as flax or linseed, which is a fast-growing, renewable plant fibre cultivated in Europe. It is characterised by its high stiffness, tear resistance, and low density. It offers similar mechanical properties to mineral glass fibre but with a carbon footprint that is up to 80 per cent lower.

The insulation used by Dethleffs on this motorhome is a special foam made from recycled PET bottles, well-suited for use in such vehicles.

Another striking material choice is found inside the motorhome – its kitchen worktop and table are made from so-called ‘popcorn panels’. This maize-based material was first developed at the University of Göttingen in 2018 and is often used in kitchen construction applications.

Each panel features a core made from expanded maize, encased in a surface layer of oiled oak veneer. The panels offer the same mechanical properties as plywood, but at only half the weight. The maize used comes from non-food-grade varieties, typically used for producing adhesives or bio-based plastics.

Much of the upholstery in this concept vehicle is made with pure sheep’s wool, which is not only natural with a soft feel, but also durable, resistant to dirt and water, and flame-retardant.

The floor covering also makes use of natural materials, finished with linoleum composed of linseed oil, natural resins, cork flour, and jute fabric.

Many of the features of this motorhome are simply a showcase of what could be possible in mainstream manufacturing in the future. Bernhard Kibler continued: “It [the e.home Eco] represents the interim results of our ongoing development work on sustainability. Some of these approaches may find their way into production vehicles in the future, while others still need to prove their practical viability.”

The e.home Eco is built on the Ford E-Transit, equipped with a 135 kW electric drive system and offering a WLTP range of 240 kilometres. The motorhome has also eliminated fossil fuels internally, by utilising the Saphir Comfort SC electric heat pump from Truma, and the Truma electric warm water boiler, which also runs on mains electricity and operates with minimal noise.

Instead of a conventional gas cooker, the kitchen is equipped with an electric induction hob supplied by project partner Thetford. To increase self-sufficiency, a solar power system from fellow partner Dometic has been integrated. It features adhesive-mounted solar cells on the T-hood, rear section and roof, delivering a peak output of up to 1,700 watts.