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Originally Posted by dstankov
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The technology has been around for over 50 years so ask yourself why hasn't it made its way into a wider spread of applications such as the RV industry.
Until someone would have to come up with some strong supporting evidence that the reliability has significantly improved I will shy away from the systems.
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Costs. Until recently costs were too high to make it practical and a viable option.
I've used related technology (slightly more complex) in industry for decades and the cost was initially extremely high even for large corporations to justify.
Regarding heat issues with high-capacity alternators, I think the devil is in the details. No doubt that when some aftermarket small company tries to fit a +300-Amp alternator in the same space that the factory had a 130 Amp unit, that reliability can suffer. That's just common sense.
On the other hand, if designed properly for the expected load, capacity shouldn't be an issue. In industry you can buy a 100 HP motor that runs just as cool and lasts just as long as a 10 HP motor. Obviously it's a lot bigger. My point is that capacity in itself doesn't have to be an issue.
Besides, there are easy ways to get around what you are concerned about regarding heat. For instance, if we do a little reverse engineering, we can estimate that the 3500 watt alternator used by Roadtrek is probably rated at 250 Amps at 14 Volts (that's standard for 12-Volt systems). While higher capacity than alternators of the past, that level of current is now common on Mercedes Sprinters and Ford Transits. OEM alternators with capacity over 200 Amps are fairly common.
To make things more reliable all we need is to increase voltage in order to reduce current, which is the primary reason for heat. The E-Trek system is rated at 3500 watts, but at 24 Volts nominal. That means the alternator they use is likely rated at 125 Amps at 28 Volts. And personally, I'd feel very comfortable with 125 Amps or less.
Other than driving costs lower still, I don't see any technical limitations that can't be worked out with a little effort. Whether the system can meet my needs better than a generator is of greater concern.
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