All Electric Orion

[Dustydog]

I've just been reading about Bailey's new baby. Why oh why do manufacturers like Bailey ,and I think it was Elddis before, feel the need to reinvent the wheel. No wonder sites are increasing their charges and certainly all electric caravans will do nothing to help. With no leisure battery I wonder how a mover will work? Touring caravans are just that. Mobile anywhere. Gas and 12 volt are essential imo.
Bailey say "
This also means that Evo-4 owners will not only be getting a much cheaper tourer, but also a more environmentally friendly product, as it won't have such a big impact on your towcar's petrol consumption. "
They fail to mention the power stations pollutions and site owners electricty bills

Sorry Bailey, not for me.

 

[Mel]

I think it still has some gas fuelled equipment so not entirely electric-or have I made that up

. The all electric Eldis never sold and they gave up on it quite quickly. I agree with you DD; seems like a blind alley to me. Baileys development section seems to be in overdrive. Not produced a slide out yet though?
mel

 

[Dustydog]

You're right Lady Mel. It does have gas for the two burner hob.
However I have never seen a gas mover

 

[Sproket]

Am I looking at the same van ?
It looks like they have moved the gas locker to the side of the door .
orion-evo-4

 

[Martin24]

For proper caravanners who never have an ehu not worth even thinking about! But yes the CL owners won't like it and then we'd all be paying even more!!!!

 

[Sproket]

Don't suppose they will be much fun on a 6amp supply or even less in europe.....

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Best thing about it is that it is has silver sides - doesn't show up well in the pictures but it has. I think it really helps the looks and as the sides are GRP, no worries about denting.

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It doesn't have normal heating either - it has a plinth heater like you'd have in a holiday home so I can see the lounge and the washroom being a bit parky in cold weather!

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[Parksy]

For proper caravanners who never have an ehu not worth even thinking about! But yes the CL owners won't like it and then we'd all be paying even more!!!!

I can't understand why a manufacturer hasn't developed a new model which utilises solar energy and 12v absorbed glass mat high capacity leisure batteries. Such a caravan could still be used on a conventional pitch with 240v ehu with a couple of built in 240v sockets as normal but with lightweight solar panels, the solar power regulator, power inverters, chargers for cell phones and more 12v sockets built in during the manufacturing process rather than as d-i-y after market add ons.
Greater battery capacity would be more useful than a microwave oven and the caravan would have first class 'green' credentials with no 240v lighting.
The fridge, stove and heater could be run on lpg with no 240v power supply to either and with solar charging there would be a saving because the solar power would keep the battery topped up and there would be less power drawn from the ehu.
Caravan manufacturers could also have a look at incorporating fuel cells which were mentioned by Surfer here to provide 12v power during the hours of darkness and in winter.
The 'all electric' idea has been tried before and didn't look as though it was an unqualified success although as 'proper caravanners' we wouldn't see many of them about anyway.

 

[NigelDonnelly]

I can't understand why a manufacturer hasn't developed a new model which utilises solar energy and 12v absorbed glass mat high capacity leisure batteries.

Cost.

Cheaper to do what they know *might* sell. Or in the case of the Evo, something which won't, but will get us talking about a 18 month old van in the run up to a major show. I'm sure we'll get a press release after the show about "unprecendented demand for silver Orion" "big success" and rolled out across the whole Orion line-up as a special editon for just £1000 premium"

 

[Parksy]

Surely they could have done the same thing using solar technology to boost sales on the Orion or even as a 'concept caravan' for the shows in order to gauge the reaction.
The manufacturer would be adding something to an existing model which could increase it's appeal rather than restrict the caravan to sites with ehu which could limit appeal to some degree.
I'd have thought that a special edition 'green' caravan would have had a greater impact in the non caravan press in terms of publicity and a £1000 special edition premium would more than cover the cost of installing solar tech and good leisure batteries.
One of these days a manufacturer is sure to risk an investment in a mainly solar powered or 'hybrid' caravan.

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Concept idea is an interesting one - I think Bailey view this as a concept unit, but one which you can buy if you want - a bit of bet hedging going on!

For the majority of caravan buyers at present though, they want to murder the mains supply to get everything out of it and not pay for gas. Solar would make sense, apart from the fact it is a more expensive option. It is deffo a greener option!

 

[RogerL]

Nigel's position requires him to be more diplomatic than me - I think it's a PR setup, designed to keep the Orion name in the limelight but without any substance - there's nothing new in the EVO-4 so no development costs which means that lack of sales won't hurt them.
Since the vast majority of caravanners wouldn't even consider it, why is it being discussed?

 

[xtrailman]

I already have an all electric caravan.
Never used any gas last year while touring.
But do have a single gas cylinder for emergencies.
It would be great if bailey fitted a hob and oven as an extra, as we have never used either.
While the twin electric hob and microwave is used daily.

 

[Martin24]

I have to say I'm with you Parksy!! If Coachman did one of those I'd be at the front of the queue.

 

[Beachball]

Hi I like the weight of Orion Evo- 4 you getting a fixed bed and end washroom 1150 kg and we will not need a big towcar ( This is what we are looking at next towcar a Brand New Seat Alea XL SE 1.6 TDI 7 speed Automatic )

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Beachball, You are right. It's getting a bit negative on here, but the weight is very good!

No gas bottle, little copper pipe, no regulator, no oven or grill and I dare say the plinth heater is lighter than a blown air system and all the trunking and pipe work.

It's cheapish too

 

[Sproket]

There is a gas hob in this one & gas bottle ? ( watch the slide show )

 

[NigelDonnelly]

Look at the hob - there is a hotplate and a pair of gas burners - the gas locker was big enough for a small Camping Gaz cylinder. The oven is a microwave, not a combination oven which is shame

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[Surfer]

Surely a gas hob is a lot lighter than an electric one. Also the electrical cables feeding the electric hob wil be a lot heavier than the equivalent run of gas copper piping. Heating up an electric hob takes a lot longer than a gas hob. Of course you never ever have electrics tripping on a site or the supply fail!

 

[Dustydog]

I was discussing this All Electric idea down the pub lunch time. Someone said why do manufacturers keep reinventing the wheel. Remember the Quartic "square " steering wheel fitted to the Austin Allegro

 

[Beachball]

We do not use the oven in our present van so we took it out and use combination microwave instead . This Bailey does have one gas & 2 electric hotplates so what is your point .
It looks great on the outside and if it has room for 1 propane that will be great This being lighter it will be easier to tow with any towcar
For us it has a nice sized fixed bed and the washroom looks great
If it has the 10 YR Bodyshell Guarantee and Grade 111 Insulation
We would look at both Orions and see which is suitable for my husband mobility .

 

[Sproket]

I don't want to come across all negative but my thought's are.........

How would you go on if there was a outright power cut to the mains supply.?
Yes you can still boil a kettle, but you will have no heating or lighting, & the toilet will not flush.
How are the going to get round the tracker alarm system that is battery powered ?
What about when you get somewhere, & you can't get it onto the pitch & there is no one to help you push it ?
no battery = no mover.......

 

[RogerL]

I'd wager that in a year or two's time, there will be questions on caravan forums about how to fit a 12v battery in a Bailey Evo.

 

[Dustydog]

Some years ago Bailey's Series 6 Pageant Vendee was made with the lounge at the rear and bed at the front. It didn't last. Same with this latest Orion imo. Nice try to be different but not for me. It would preclude me using quite a few CLs.

 

[Royston]

I smile when it was mentioned about the weight being down to just 1150 kg, when the Bailey Ranger first had a rear fixed bed its weight was the same and it had all the items that have been removed from this model, I had a 1.6 ford estate that was pretty useless towing it with head winds, soon changed to a 2.2 diesel .