The hottest new Class A has hit the market, and while there are still very few on the ground, we managed to get our hands on one so we can give you all our full take on it and inspire you with some great upgrades that will take your rig to the next level.
The Basics
If you don’t already know, the Winnebago Ekko is built on a Ford Transit 350 CAB chassis and is AWD. It combines the ease and efficiency of a normal adventure van with the creature comforts of an RV. The rig itself comes stock with 455 watts of solar and secondary alternator for battery charging, a 50 gallon water tank with instant hot propane water heater, and decent size grey water tanks that allow you to stay off grid for extended periods of time without having to worry about overflow or power loss.
The interior is spacious, which is perfect for those of you who want to travel in total comfort. The overall length is 23’ with an interior height of 6’8” and width of 6’9” which leaves plenty of space for lounging, cooking, and general mobility. While we are obviously partial to conventional camper vans, when it comes to traveling with others, they aren’t always the best option. With the Ekkos spacious interior, dry/ wet bath, and the ability to convert the sleeping space into either a queen layout or two twins.
The Additions
Even right off the line, these rigs are a solid build. But you know us, we want to make it bigger, better, and more suitable for off-road, off grid adventure! So let’s get into our plans for the Ekko and how you can beef your own up too.
Upgraded Suspension
First off, the capable AWD transit can already handle relatively rugged paths, but to make it all the safer for trails we will be adding in the Stage 2 TOPO 2.0 lift kit from Van Compass with 225/75-16 Falken All-terrain tires. The suspension system allows for better ground clearance and smoother ride quality both on pavement and dirt.
Front Bumper
To give it a more rugged look and give it more protection when off-road, we will be adding the Backwoods Adventure Mods front bumper for Transits with the WARN Evo 12-s winch. This will add protection to the front of the rig when you make a wrong turn, and will also allow for the placement of more lights for added visibility when taking the rig past where the street lights end. Add on the European/ Raptor grill replacement, and the front of this Ekko will be beastly.
Additional Awning
Also on the exterior, we will be adding on the 23Zero bat-wing awning, sense ours does not have one. The Ekko already has an electric/ automatic awning on the passenger side, but when it comes to wind, rain, and other suboptimal weather conditions, the electric awning doesn’t stand much of a chance. The batwing awning will first off, add a secondary outdoor seating area, and is basically weatherproof. It also comes with an optional wall kit to protect you from the elements. These awnings are sturdy and large enough to keep your whole travel party shaded from the sun or dry from the rain. The only downside, these are not automatic, but in our opinion manual is always the way to go. It prevents electrical malfunction that might prohibit you from using the awning, which is not uncommon in automatic products
Lighting it Up
If you have been following us for long enough, you know that we like lights. 6 Light Force HTX2s on our Sprinter, 8 Lightforce Venom LEDs on our transit, and countless other builds with a variety of Lightforce and Baja lights lining the roof racks. So why would this rig be any different? We will be adding an assortment of lights on the roof of the Ekko. Two grill-mounted HTX2s will be mounted via Van Compass Floating Light mount and Diode Dynamics SS2 flood lights on the sides of the cab for added visibility while hanging outside. Diode Dynamics SS3 driving lights and fog lights will be placed in the bumper. In typical FVG fashion, we will also include the Bluetooth controlled under glow kit to really make it stand out! All these lights might be partially for looks, but they will also help us safely maneuver while driving off the beaten path.
Its Electric
We will be working on is an upgraded electrical system which we will help curate with our friends from RoamRig. As many of you know, they already have a fantastic lithium upgrade suited for revels, which makes the electrical system more compact, last longer, and is more user friendly. With the newest in the Winnebago lineup, we think it will be beneficial to curate a similar electrical setup to make life easier on their owners!
Follow Along!
Overall, we are stoked to get started on this Ekko adventure! Lots of cool things are on the horizon as more of these rigs hit the market. We hope you follow along and get inspired to get the most out of your own! Let us know if you have any questions along this journey or if you happen to have an Ekko you want to kit out.