SHANGHAI, April 19, 2024 - RV living is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle in China as people look for an elevated travel experience. For the road trip enthusiast, selecting the perfect RV can significantly enhance the convenience and comfort of the journey. Relying on excellent performance and quality, the Qingling 700P light truck chassis and Allison fully automatic transmission have obtained wide acclaim from the market and have gained favor from many Chinese RV manufacturers.

Yinyan Expedition is a Class C RV designed for extended trips. The model is equipped with the Qingling 700P light truck chassis and the advanced Allison 1000 Series™ transmission. Its powertrain is equipped with a luxury combination of a 5.2L turbo diesel engine and an Allison 6-speed fully automatic transmission, with a maximum output power of 139 kilowatts and a maximum torque of 510 newton-meters. The Allison-equipped Expedition model is superior in terms of drivability, space, and power performance. Thanks to its abundant capacity of water storage and electricity supply, the motorhome can accommodate luxury furniture and appliances, as well as a large capacity oil tank. All these features make long road trips in China easy for families.

Conquering rugged mountain roads with an Allison-equipped RV

As an experienced motorhome traveler, Zhang Tong often takes his family on long road trips to China’s southwest and northwest to see the magnificent landscape. After driving a Class B RV for six years, he hoped that his next motorhome would have a better configuration with more space. In 2023, Zhang decided to buy this RV after a trip to Tibet. The RV has traveled more than 4,000 kilometers so far including the 2,800-kilometer ride to pick up the RV from the factory to Dali, Yunnan province.

“Allison Transmission’s performance was exceptional during the entire trip, and there were no hesitations or jerks during gearshifts,” said Zhang. “When driving on the highways, it can easily reach a speed of 110 kilometers per hour, which is perfectly matched with the engine output. The transmission delivered steady speed throughout the ride, without the need for hard acceleration.”

Driving an RV can be challenging at times when traversing tough mountain roads and driving long hours. Allison fully automatic transmissions select optimum shift points based on load and terrain to significantly improve overall driving comfort. Drivers can focus more on the fun of driving and the road ahead. At the same time, there is no worry of manually changing gears with an Allison fully automatic transmission. This freedom makes driving less stressful and tiring, ensuring an enjoyable trip.

“Automated manual transmissions (AMTs) have an alarm which can produce a very painful and unpleasant sound. If you’re caught in a traffic jam on mountain roads in places like Yunan, Guizhou, and Sichuan province, an AMT will overheat and start beeping due to frequent starts and stops. The alarm is very harsh, and the vehicle has to be stopped for the transmission to cool down,” said Zhang. “With an Allison fully automatic transmission, there is no worry of such troubles anymore.”

RV experience from driving 20,000 kilometers

Xu Tao, a veteran motorhome traveler from Nanjing, Jiangsu province, has traveled 20,000 kilometers so far with his family in his Yinyan Expedition RV. From time to time, he would take his family on short trips with the RV to enjoy the urban outskirts. When long holidays were approaching, Xu would carefully plan longer trips for his whole family.

Different from other vehicles, a motorhome, besides carrying the vehicle’s own weight, also has to take care of an additional load of water for use and various furniture and appliances. Yinyan RVs are suitable for all road conditions thanks to Allison’s patented Continuous Power Technology™, which enables smoother full-power shifts and better acceleration and stability, even when driving uphill while maintaining ease of driving and better fuel efficiency.

“I bought Yinyan mainly for its large interior space,” said Xu. “While I was driving the motorhome on the highway from Zhangjiakou, Jiangsu province to Shijiazhuang, Hebei province last July, which is mostly uphill, the vehicle showed impressive power performance uphill and great fuel-efficiency downhill when returning.”

The Allison 1000 Series™ transmission also has an advanced electronic control system that supports the interlock function between the chassis and the upper structure components. For example, if the door is not closed, the transmission will not shift into gear. Once behind the wheel of an Allison fully automatic-equipped vehicle, drivers are more alert and in tune with the vehicle. Known for reliability and durability, Allison transmissions offer reduced maintenance and more time on the road, requiring only periodic fluid and filter changes to maintain peak performance.

“Allison is delighted to provide powerful fully automatic transmissions to 700P light truck chassis-based RVs and make sure RV owners can enjoy smooth rides,” said Sabina Wang, Director, of Asia Pacific Marketing at Allison Transmission. “Whatever your travel plans, there’s an Allison to help you reach your destination and witness each unique journey of motorhome owners. Regardless of the road conditions, you can always drive confidently in an Allison-equipped RV.”

To learn more about how Allison's fully automatic transmissions improve RV travel, visit allisontransmission.com.