To emphasize the Lightship L1 is an “all-electric trailer” may sound like it is just a marketing thing because most, if not all, trailers are electric and most do come with a battery pack and in most instances, solar panels and even wind turbine to turn nature’s energy into usable electricity. But the “all-electric trailer” goes beyond those. OK. Maybe not the wind turbine part but it is more.
The Lightship L1 is designed with achieving a near-zero range loss for EVs and lower costs at the gas pump, in the case of internal combustion engine vehicles, in mind. And it does so through several innovative features, including an onboard electric drivetrain that kind of makes it a self-propelled camper trailer, much like the electric RV concepts from Airstream.
This electric drivetrain powers the wheels independently thereby relieving some of the load off the towing EV and minimizing the loss of range. And goddamn it, this trailer is beautiful and it looks like no other camper trailer, and the good look is a result of aerodynamic design which also benefits the towing EV.
It is almost 3x more aerodynamic than a classic trailer and being super aerodynamic means less resistance and less effort to tow, and this translates to energy saving for the towing EV. One of the keys to being this aerodynamic is the pop-up body. Note. It is a pop-up body, not a mere pop-up roof.
In Camp Mode, the pop-up design adds up to 3 feet (91 cm) of height to the original 6.9 feet (2.1 m) of the Road Mode. When traveling, the upper section is retracted into the lower section to achieve a profile as low as or near the height of the towing EV.
This feature coupled with the futuristic geometric form with smooth rounded edges and corners, which was derived from a virtual wind tunnel, offers an aerodynamic that would conserve energy while the Lightship L1 is in tow.
It is constructed of automotive-grade composite material and despite its enormous size of 27 feet (8.2 m) long, and 8.6 feet (2.6 m) wide, it weighs in at just 7,500 lbs or 3,402 kilograms. Again, lightweight means less energy is required to pull it and hence, minimizes loss of range.
The Lightship L1 uses no gas-guzzling generator to feed its upgradeable 40 kWh battery because it has solar panels on the entire roof as well as on the dual awnings.
Just when we thought the Airstream Studio F.A. Porsche concept trailer has an impressive all-around view inside, this took the all-around view to the next level. The L1’s airy design features more windows than you can imagine and the fact it has a mostly glass upper, ensure lights can flood the cabin even when the windows are closed.
In case anybody is wondering, the Lightship L1 has a pretty impressive all-electric range of 300 miles (483 km). Lightship RV says the battery and the solar panels, which can offer 2-3 kW of power, affords Lightship L1 dwellers up to 7 days of off-grid living.
The interior has everything you imagine a camper trailer of this size would have, including a lounge space with a table and seating that can be converted to a sleeping area, a kitchenette, a bathroom with a shower and toilet, and more.
The interior height is 7 feet 6 inches (about 2.3 m) and it can accommodate up to 6 people.
You may learn more about this awesome camper trailer over at Lightshiprv.com where you can also reserve a unit. The price for the Lightship L1 All-electric Trailer starts at US$125,000.
All images courtesy of Lightship RV.
via Yanko Design.
