Summary
- Lightship unveiled the AE.1 battery-powered travel trailer, due to start production in mid-2025
- First 50 units will be Cosmos Edition models priced at $250,000, expected to use tax credits to reduce the effective price
- Trailer uses battery pack to power appliances and propel the trailer, maintaining range in EVs and increasing mpg in internal-combustion vehicles
- Features of the trailer include a solar roof, "automotive grade" climate control, and a dishwasher
- Start of production is delayed from original target, additional grades to follow the Cosmos Edition, and other companies are also working on electric vehicle RVs
Article
Startup Lightship has introduced its battery-powered travel trailer, now known as the AE.1, which is set to begin production in mid-2025 at the company’s Colorado facility. The first 50 Cosmos Edition models will be priced at $250,000, with tax credits expected to bring the cost down to $239,900. The trailer uses a battery pack not only to power appliances but also to propel the trailer, allowing EVs to tow it without losing range and internal-combustion vehicles to achieve better fuel efficiency.
The Lightship AE.1 Cosmos Edition offers battery power supplemented by a solar roof, allowing campers to avoid the noise of generators and the dangers of propane tanks. It also features amenities such as an “automotive grade” climate control system, as well as a full bathroom and kitchen with a dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, convection oven, and induction cooktop. The start of production has been slightly delayed from the original target of late 2024, and the price of the Cosmos Edition is higher than the previously mentioned base price of $125,000.
In addition to the Cosmos Edition, Lightship plans to release three additional grades—Atmos, Panos, and Terros—following the initial launch. The Cosmos Edition will initially be offered to early reservation holders before being made available to all customers, with reservations also being accepted for the other three grades. Companies like Airstream and Colorado Teardrops are also working on travel trailers designed to accommodate electric vehicles, with features that aim to enhance EV range or fuel efficiency in internal-combustion vehicles.
The concept of RV life with electric vehicles will require some adjustments, and Lightship is one of several companies addressing this challenge. Airstream introduced the eStream in 2022, a travel trailer that also aims to boost EV range or fuel efficiency in non-electric vehicles. Colorado Teardrops utilizes a battery pack in the trailer connected to the tow vehicle to provide additional charging support. Lightship’s innovative approach to electric-powered travel trailers offers a glimpse into the future of sustainable and efficient RV travel.
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