Bravo! Winnebago should fire everybody ASAP (for their ridiculous eRV2) and hire these guys, or buy the company, and let these guys run Winnebago! Every stupid particle board-kitchen-cabinet-handyman and off-the-shelf-module kludge in the Winnebago has been "done right" with this clean-sheet design! Very Nice , Lightship!
Pretty neat but that front door is awful. Can you imagine having to go through the process of opening the hatch opening the door walking through closing the door grabbing the hatch and closing it every single time you want to go in and out of the camper? I feel like that would get old very very fast. Also are there no opening windows?
Really enjoyed the vehicle, future of camping. Would be interesting if they could swap some height, or extend height further for a top bed bunk. Also if they could use awnings with solar panels to maximise solar energy generation, to run an AC system or potentially charge the electric car?
Have not put my mind to the RV business but it have boggled my mind for some time why for example Rivian, Tesla or Ford already did not make a co-op with a trailer company that offered extended range trailers. Bet you that is the better product here, the chassis with battery and support engine but for normal trailers 😊
5:25 "...put drive unit on board...": Why do that. Why not run an extension cord from the trailer battery to the electric truck? You're not going to get much solar energy while traveling anyway...just 5 hrs per day...and 1/10th if it's cloudy. I'll bet you wouldn't use any more wire and you wouldn't have more drive than you need. The trucks got plenty of drive.
Sandy: "Let's start with the inside". Ben: "We designed it from the outside", then proceeds to re-direct Sandy to the posters and outside features first.
yep. : ) that's the youtube world … no such thing as a producer or production assistant with a worksheet of talking points and a script for getting through the material with the presenters working together … we're in a post-professional world of video publications these days. Some in the audience will vibe to the "authenticity" of the misdirections and tangents, others will be left wanting for a concise and focused video essay.
I like a lot the features, particularly that telescoping aspect and the aerodynamic form. I just wish it was smaller size. I dont want to haul a trailer that big. A 12' trailer that i could haul with my model y would be amazing...
I asked the same question when I was there on Saturday, and they told me that they have plans for a smaller version. since these are former Tesla guys, they may be following a similar path, with rolling out the deluxe models first.
If it is self propelled, the weight may not be an issue. Control is different to towing. But the EV manufacturers would have to come to the party with changing rateings and control systems that work together.
From the highway stance it appeared almost Cybertruck like in profile. I’m a bit surprised there wasn’t a rendering with them paired together rather than the Rivian. Always great to hear Sandy’s observations.
those are old fashioned and non ergonomic -- e-frosting double glasing is more "chic" - for a better camping experience. (very tongue in cheek, the target audience will never know))
Looks great. I just wish they would reduce all the thermal gaps (windows). I'd like to know who they're polling who say they like a spacious RV. Everyone I know would rather have the walls covered with more storage space. On top of that, every RV I've ever seen had a minimal amount of polystyrene in the walls with single pane windows. I wish someone would install 3.5" of polyurethane closed cell or some vacuum insulated panels in the walls. If you build a great thermal envelope you dont need as much electrical power to keep the cabin comfortable.
It would be mandatory to have a pickup truck for all your stuff....but I don't see enough storage for food, let alone clothing. Also the air conditioning is extremely power-hungry and the thermal loss or gain will be tremendous, even considering that the solar panels on the roof will help. Not practical. And they have taken a high end RV and added $35,000 in additional complexity.
This is exactly what I did with my diy trailer. Two small windows in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. Rest is insulated walls. Edit: but this is a collapsible trailer which is very smart for EV towing.
there is overhead storage that they didn’t show. and some storage where the propane would normally be. and under the couch area. they should make a storage accessory to install over one of the windows for extra though. I too think good insulation is important. and most rv parks don’t provide great views. however, you can electo-dim the windows individually- so you can optimize what you see, easily. some other videos cover additional functionality not included in this video.
@@mriguy3202 - Electric HEAT pump , not a Conventional AC unit, too heavy , inefficient. Defiantly, reduce windows to minimum. and only use Thermal windows. Lightship , should have LESS energy requirements than Conventional RV. ZERO combustion heating & cooking. no longer need Dangerous GAS bottles.
another aspect i like about the starship is that it would allow you to generate electricity for your home if you park it outside. just install a generator plug/transfer switch. minimal permitting or work required. 80 kWh is a huge bank for a home.
They will find that after-sales service is a costly problem. Buyers will take them all over where they will break. The existing infrastructure for RV repairs is pretty awful in the USA. On the other hand, quality control and manufacturer support for existing RVs is so terrible they might be able to stake out a marketing high ground.
Yeah with the service issues the "competition" has, I think Lightship stands a chance if they get funding. They're getting good test data on the raise/lower function by taking it around to shows. They see where it's wearing down. Sounds like they're camping in it sometimes too. Maybe once they have a second prototype they can haul this one down off-road trails it's not meant to go on and see what shakes loose.
A lot that I like about this, both now & the first time I saw it. The largest downside is this thing has an enormous price tag. Kinda has to, w/ that size of battery, etc. Still ... has to or not ... a helluva price tag. I do want to see more action in this arena.
sorry that made me kill myself - largest downside - -price, longterm economics and resource availability are things which bring the dream back to earth - in all things aviation. (jk).. Bluesky dreams (BSD) - blue or green have yet to receive their real "stress test".
Love the chassis, not crazy about the interior layout, prefer the Porsche prototype. This market is vastly overdue for innovation. Great company, hope they continue to innovate.
Ok we spend over a 100 days a year in our airstream and I’ll give a few things I noticed. The bed is an afterthought and would be good for minimal number of days and people especially when you have to make it each day and no storage was shown for any blankets or sheets. There seemed to be minimal stowage throughout. Our classic 30 has tons of storage. People that like EV’s like tech and this didn’t even show a TV. Not even cheap small one or stereo system. They didn’t even mention heat or air and you can’t see any ducts so not sure about that. Appliance type was great but most would rather have a bigger fridge than a dishwasher. This seems for people just spending a day or two out and they won’t need to do dishes. And the fridge style won’t be easy to use. The aesthetics of the bathroom were great but that sink is a joke and needs to go. It’s built for a 3 yr old. You need a air fan for exhaust and temp control. Our airstream has radiant heat that is incredible and silent. The large shower is great. Didn’t mention size of any tanks. Outside you need a receptacle. A satellite or Starlink connection. More storage. An outside shower, awning, and you need to be able to carry bikes. Preferably e bikes which are heavy so something on the back or at least a hitch to attach to. And all people that pull trailers have some type of anti sway hitch or like us we have an incredible propride hitch that is zero sway. The front has so many cowlings near the hitch that it doesn’t look like anything could be added. Maybe you have a fancy system that controls the wheels for braking along with the motor. Another plus would be a DC to DC cable to run from the tow vehicle to charge the trailer. I’m sure not all people will tow with an EV. You don’t want a limited market like that. Aerodynamics are great and overall looks and styling and materials just need some changes and you’ll get a bigger market. This seems like it’s meant to be used just on a weekend.
Sandy likes it which is great but.... More importantly, what was Sue's reaction? Inquiring minds need to know! The timing was interesting to me as earlier today I was thinking about how DOT would react to camping trailers with electric kicker motors in them to extend range of the tow vehicles along with what could be done to add such to existing pop-up/hi-low or teardrop trailers. Best!
@@alexkleine9737 Yes, an event that I missed out on. It will be interesting to see if/when suppliers such as E-Trailer start making the drive axles and controllers available for the DYI crowd.
Man, a CyberTruck towing this Lightship camper would look really cool!. And when undocked and parked at right angles to the CyberTruck, will make a real fun and suave looking camp. Great job. How much is it again ?.
I get why they chose a rain shower head, but I hate it. They use huge amounts of water and any soap you put on is rinsed straight off before you get a chance to give yourself a good scrub, defeating the entire point of having a shower in the first place. Low flow taps and shower heads are so much more efficient in terms of water usage. It might have been nice if they'd been able to incorporate a water recycling shower into the design. They will filter the water until the sensors detect that the water has become too dirty before allowing fresh water into the system.
this is appealing in a hypothetical bubble but MOST RVs spend MOST of the time in places designed for RVs meaning you need way more privacy and on nice days you want screened windows for cross flow ventilation. Additionally this suspension setup is only good for maintained roadways. There is nowhere near enough suspension travel or strength to take it to the remote places this is envisioned to go to I also don’t see an accommodation for an awning so solar gain is going to be absolutely insane. Additionally this is nowhere near 4 seasons winterized.
Nobody in the world will buy this if they don't have that option or some sort of window coverings. The RV buyer/exhibitionist segment is very small. Also, not shown was how to they build the door so that they have a window screen to keep bugs out?
@@ZoeyR86 Folks want the choice. If you are in a campground you want absolute privacy. If you are in deep wilderness or even camping on private property you want a more open experience.
All they would need is to have is some hinged hard panels to flip over from their stowed positions on the roof to cover the front windows in collapsed Road Mode.
My thought Sandy, if you could pass it along is to develop a common battery extender standard that external battery packs could plug into in which the car towing the vehicles can see the external battery as being part of the total battery for the car. This could allow hitch mounted battery extenders for long trips or trailers to augment themselves. It could also be a great use for a secondary market for used battery packs as well. Similar to how this is done ua-cam.com/video/Qb7vg08zluQ/v-deo.html&pp=ygUSdHJhaWxlciBldiBiYXR0ZXJ5
I think your problem there is going to be engineering the necessary flexibility, safety and durability of the exposed HV lines between the truck and trailer.
I think keeping it all in the trailer is going to be the move to enable safe and more interchangeable trailers. The trailers can accelerate and regen on their own thereby having longer ranges. The common trailer interconnects already have a braking signal so adding acceleration and battery level should not be too difficult to add to the standard.
Not sure that would work because you would not a plug hanging off the side of the car driving down the road. Secondly the battery cables going all the way to the tow vehicle would introduce a lot of inefficiency. This method is one of the better options providing power to the trailer.
@@mikebalentine I would imagine the trailer or accessory connection coming out the back like the trailer connector does now. It would not use the vehicles charging port.
I've worked out how to justify the huge cost of this camper. Park it next to your house when you're not out 'adventuring' and increase the number of bedrooms available in your home! You could sell it with the home to plump up the bedroom numbers in the real estate ad. Or hire it out as an AirBnB :-)
That's an interesting thought. It looks stylish enough to have on the best spot on your yard and in a power outage you could just live there instead of investing the same money into having batteries and solar panels in your house.
@@celeron55 It's a climate change lifepod ha ha. Cyclone, flood, or bush fire coming, drag your lifepod out of it's range. When you return you can live in it while you rebuild
All those windows, lowered down closer to gravel strikes. And what charging station will accomodate two vehicles, linked as a train. Looks nice. But expensive, and damn hard to recharge unless you're just moving between 50A campsites. A heartfelt good luck guys. I hope all those windows are doubleglazed for four season use.
I'm looking forward to seeing a Tesla Semi motorhome for the ultimate glamping experience with all the electrical conveniences of home. With the battery in that thing you could have a live Rock concert at any location that you can take it too.
This is doing a lot of things right. The same fundamental concept as the Stella Vita: Raising roof to minimise frontal area, big PV roof, aero shape, lightness. I like the Stella Vita more as I prefer a camper van to a caravan, but this is great as the trailer version. Nice to see someone finally doing it right and using the traction battery as the house battery and not having two. Nearly every conversion just adds a 2nd battery which is just wasting space, weight and efficiency. I dread to think how much it's going to cost, and it's too big to be much use in Europe. But this is the right direction and I look forward to some competition. I'm much closer to Sandy's age, than Ben's but pretty-much the only reason I have for owning a vehicle other than a bike is for camping.
It's all nice and dandy but I see 2 big problems. 1) Isn't this thing too long I mean that's 27 feet. 2) How do you control the speed trailer if it's somewhat self-propelled (probably it's possible with some cable attached but I doubt any EVs have those or the software)
I had been advocating for Tesla to put batteries and motors on the trailers for the Semi like the Airstream electric. After watching this it occured to me that doing the same for trailers being pulled by diesel tractors would do good things. Better mpg, better hill climbing, regeneration, better refrigeration.
- if this has a functional pusher motor, surely it regens on the back side... ?? (loadcell / or other - scale device to determine needs of accel or brake, makes sense /not hard to engineer - and this device is not cost effective at all, so no real economic concerns)
I need a hand held in the shower. Water coming down from the top is just not enough to rinse private areas. Also, what about the toilet? How big are the tanks? You can have 3,000 watts of solar but if you have to dump your tank due to it being small, all that solar defeats the purpose of boon-docking.
Cost? I found anywhere from $125k to $150k. I find that hard to believe. It needs to be in a review. Is this a paid advertisement? Please disclose. Off road capability? Efficiency in hot or cold climates? How well will it work in the north in winter?
This was obviously designed by San Francisco Bay Area boy wanting to go glamping. I live in East Texas and have been around a lot of campers and no one I have ever been around has said , I sure wish I had a dishwasher. The thing is surrounded by nothing but glass windows, which even though tinted, which cuts out some sunlight you are going to have an extremely hot camper unless running the air conditioner a lot during the day. Obviously he did not cover any shades for the windows which all campers have to block out the sun or for you or your wife not to be seen at night while the lights are on inside. All the glass is pretty when looking out but it is completely non-functional without the shades. Anyone owning this is going to be camping at campgrounds and RV parks and not going to the river bottom with nobody else around. The microwave while stowed away is overly complex and has many things to go wrong overtime, not to mention no food turntable for rotating the food while heating. As far as the overhead rain type shower head that is ridiculous. All women want a removable handheld unit and most men do also. And for the astronomical cost of this unit, there should be at least one dedicated sleep area instead of all fake beds. I have camped in many campers and also lived long term in an RV, and I'm currently living in a Motorcoach in Texas. So I do kind of know what I am talking about. And it is unbelievable how exposed everything is underneath to get yanked loose or damaged, this is obviously meant to just go down a highway.
At 125k dollars this is basically 10 times the price of a comparable sized conventional trailer. Adding the drive unit doesn’t make sense to me, no electric truck is going to need help power wise towing, it just needs the extra battery capacity. Making an electrical link between the trailer and the truck makes more sense and would be easier to fast charge at a charging station where you’ll need to plug the trailer and truck in separately
Hi Ben, I’d like to talk to you about an east coast destination I have, I would need your input on infrastructure for my mountain top area ex: additional solar for extended stay Support in design, clearing rules and regulations etc. please reply.
0:15 sharp edges and standing narrow sheet metal are not incredibly stupid and dangerous. They are insanely dumb. The floor is WAY too high. Hard pass on this under 3 minutes..
Interesting concept but not quite ready for camping. Needs curtains or blinds for privacy & cooling. No storage for clothing or camping stuff. No furnace or A/C. No screen door to keep out bugs. No air vent in top, no windows that open = inadequate ventilation.
@@dfghdfzsd Steve, I've looked at half a dozen vids of Lightship and none of them showed screens to keep out bugs. One referred to "electric heating" with no details. None show any ventilation beyond those bug-inviting open window and door. Apparently the huge windows go opaque on command so you don't necessarily cook in that giant greenhouse on a hot day (with windows opaque, no view!). But no roof fans, no A/C.
I bet there would be a market just for the battery and motor trailer without the camper part of it. I didn't know the range loss was that bad so having a powered trailer could be very useful to anyone with an EV that wants to tow something. Maybe even Uhaul might want something like this, though I'm the down side would be the crazy expense of it. Considering a 80kw battery I bet the base price would be at least $30,000 just for an empty trailer. Which for most people wouldn't be worth it since you could just get a whole truck for that price.
I love the 'tech' in this project. The design is leaving me a bit cold. In a house, we like big windows to bring the outside, in. When you're in a camper, you are literally within the environment so I see less of a need for stonking great panes of glass everywhere. I'd be more interested is some sort of frosted transparent material (giving the impression of rice paper maybe?) that let in the light, but diffused it and gave a bit more privacy. lot's of options to open these panels out to let the air in. Like other comments, I see problems with stone chips, and be careful how you park it cause windows seem to attract tree branches ha ha.
Lack of storage inside and out is the Achilles Heel of this concept and design. Sure you’ll sell a few to the Silicon Valley set who just want something mod looking to pull behind their R1Ts but the market-at-large will not embrace this product.
Lots of compromises in comfort and capacity to “electrify”. Try boon-docking for a week or two, ha ha. This is a overnight or weekend space. All those windows would be a pain to deal with at the campground. Not a whole lot of places where you’re the only one there. Form over function. Flop.
gentlemen....it is not the system of propulsion that is the RV problem. They just break down ALL the time. Gas, diesel, electric...they are all the same. they are all money pits. get a good family tent....you will be better off.
I agree, you can buy one hell of a tent and a whole lot of options to make your life easy camping for what this thing cost and just stick it in the back of your SUV or Pickup. And if you have kids then they will learn a lot more what it takes to camp and have things to do once you get to the campground. They will be proud to show off to their friends when the friends go camping with them.👍🏻😉
Wasted space, no interior privacy, to much glass / the AC will never rest, little storage. Appears created by young limited life experience designers with little RVing experiance. The price is insulting.
So 2 things i question, mainly because i live where i do. But, is there to be a screen door? Because, you know, bugs.. lll And does a single window open for fresh air? I would hate for a bad taco night before 😂
We have 4 of those fish washers. At my work. One works. Two have been swapped for another brand and two are used as drying racks. Even on the one that “works”, it cleans terribly. There is only one swing arm below. It mostly steams dishes.
Been saying it for year's that it makes more sense to have a trailer with a decent battery (2nd life) pack built in as a range extender. When not in use you plug it into your home. Charge from solar pv. Forget V2L etc. Imagine all the compact cars towing one of these trailer's when on holidays. A common standard needs to be developed.
Innovative design, well executed. Great looks. Practical AND economical. BUT - where are the doilies that should be adorning the couch back and chairs - WHAT ? ! No early American upholstery patterns depicting rodeo scenes? No fake wood trim? You're going to have a tough time marketing this - at least install an expandable, round kitchen table. No venetian blinds either. Sorry, I'm off to the next battery boosted EV camp trailer - WITH the Wild West options. Thanks for laughing along. Great idea Spidey's uncle.
All the campsites I've ever stayed in were packed. All those windows would be views to the neighbors campers. We normally pull the curtains closed on the windows.
I love the overall idea, so please don't take my comments as being negative. Windows: There are way to many windows for me. We once rented one of those rooftop hotel rooms in Mexico and felt like we were in a fish bowl. I can't help wondering what it would be like in Minnesota when it is 10 below zero. And don't forget the mosquito netting. I am hoping we can order with different molded inserts; some solid with a high R-value and some with windows. The we can choose how much open we want. Aerodynamics: If the truck had a topper of the same height as the main trailer and you made that box (over the tongue) the same height also; there would be a continuous roof line all the way from the truck cab to the back of the trailer. Wouldn't that have the best aerodynamics? Backroom sink: Should be bigger backroom sink. That one looks pretty but that weird one would be dated so fast. Would also get water all over the place. Give them a chance to wash their elbows and their socks! Canopy: Needs a canopy for shade and rain. Could be a canopy embedded in the roof edge (for aerodynamic reasons). Or add a couple nacelles ala Star Trek with running lights and have the Canopy in these. Then you will truly have a Star Ship!! 🙂 Kitchen setup: Love it, love it, love it! Wonder: 1 - how many sizes this will come in 2 - total weight? 3 - likely pricing? 4 - CATL batteries? Thanks for a great idea. Tom
it was about time somebody made this
Cool! Road mode looks like a sailplane trailer!
Bravo! Winnebago should fire everybody ASAP (for their ridiculous eRV2) and hire these guys, or buy the company, and let these guys run Winnebago! Every stupid particle board-kitchen-cabinet-handyman and off-the-shelf-module kludge in the Winnebago has been "done right" with this clean-sheet design! Very Nice , Lightship!
Yeah but this is a 100k estimated starting price.
@@MatthewLiegey compared to the $135k Winnebago?
Love the intro music. Nice!
Could always demo it at fully charged live in Vancouver and Austin this year.
Outstanding vechile.
Pretty neat but that front door is awful. Can you imagine having to go through the process of opening the hatch opening the door walking through closing the door grabbing the hatch and closing it every single time you want to go in and out of the camper? I feel like that would get old very very fast. Also are there no opening windows?
Really enjoyed the vehicle, future of camping. Would be interesting if they could swap some height, or extend height further for a top bed bunk. Also if they could use awnings with solar panels to maximise solar energy generation, to run an AC system or potentially charge the electric car?
Have not put my mind to the RV business but it have boggled my mind for some time why for example Rivian, Tesla or Ford already did not make a co-op with a trailer company that offered extended range trailers.
Bet you that is the better product here, the chassis with battery and support engine but for normal trailers 😊
As a kid 60 years ago we had a big pop up camper. That’s not my Dad’s pop up!
5:25 "...put drive unit on board...": Why do that. Why not run an extension cord from the trailer battery to the electric truck? You're not going to get much solar energy while traveling anyway...just 5 hrs per day...and 1/10th if it's cloudy. I'll bet you wouldn't use any more wire and you wouldn't have more drive than you need. The trucks got plenty of drive.
Sandy: "Let's start with the inside". Ben: "We designed it from the outside", then proceeds to re-direct Sandy to the posters and outside features first.
yep. : ) that's the youtube world … no such thing as a producer or production assistant with a worksheet of talking points and a script for getting through the material with the presenters working together … we're in a post-professional world of video publications these days. Some in the audience will vibe to the "authenticity" of the misdirections and tangents, others will be left wanting for a concise and focused video essay.
@@adamgreen911 i love it raw
How do you darken the caravan? i don't see any shutters or curtains?
The windows are coated with a film that can be made opaque or clear with the flick of a switch.
I like a lot the features, particularly that telescoping aspect and the aerodynamic form. I just wish it was smaller size. I dont want to haul a trailer that big. A 12' trailer that i could haul with my model y would be amazing...
you are absolutely not going to get a 3500lb self propelled 12’ trailer
I asked the same question when I was there on Saturday, and they told me that they have plans for a smaller version. since these are former Tesla guys, they may be following a similar path, with rolling out the deluxe models first.
If it is self propelled, the weight may not be an issue. Control is different to towing. But the EV manufacturers would have to come to the party with changing rateings and control systems that work together.
Another awesome find, Mr. Munro! I really like this channel, and i value your eye for quality + fine styling.
Thanks for watching
@@MunroLivegaslighting ⛽ gurus
From the highway stance it appeared almost Cybertruck like in profile. I’m a bit surprised there wasn’t a rendering with them paired together rather than the Rivian.
Always great to hear Sandy’s observations.
i;ve been watching van life and some RVs a few weeks ago, this design is out of touch. It is designed by an engineer who never experienced RV
8:53 No patents to worry about. They've had popup travel trailers for 100 years.
I didn't see any curtains or blinds.
With all those windows hopefully they'll be offering switchable LCD privacy glass as an option.
They have the dimmable glass.
those are old fashioned and non ergonomic -- e-frosting double glasing is more "chic" - for a better camping experience. (very tongue in cheek, the target audience will never know))
@@kadmow never heard of e-frosting. now i’m curious and need to admit i don’t know much about the progress and differences.
Very unique product and great interview Sandy. Looks perfect behind my CT
Looks great. I just wish they would reduce all the thermal gaps (windows). I'd like to know who they're polling who say they like a spacious RV. Everyone I know would rather have the walls covered with more storage space. On top of that, every RV I've ever seen had a minimal amount of polystyrene in the walls with single pane windows. I wish someone would install 3.5" of polyurethane closed cell or some vacuum insulated panels in the walls. If you build a great thermal envelope you dont need as much electrical power to keep the cabin comfortable.
It would be mandatory to have a pickup truck for all your stuff....but I don't see enough storage for food, let alone clothing. Also the air conditioning is extremely power-hungry and the thermal loss or gain will be tremendous, even considering that the solar panels on the roof will help. Not practical. And they have taken a high end RV and added $35,000 in additional complexity.
This is exactly what I did with my diy trailer. Two small windows in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. Rest is insulated walls.
Edit: but this is a collapsible trailer which is very smart for EV towing.
there is overhead storage that they didn’t show. and some storage where the propane would normally be. and under the couch area. they should make a storage accessory to install over one of the windows for extra though.
I too think good insulation is important. and most rv parks don’t provide great views. however, you can electo-dim the windows individually- so you can optimize what you see, easily. some other videos cover additional functionality not included in this video.
@@mriguy3202 - Electric HEAT pump , not a Conventional AC unit, too heavy , inefficient.
Defiantly, reduce windows to minimum. and only use Thermal windows.
Lightship , should have LESS energy requirements than Conventional RV.
ZERO combustion heating & cooking.
no longer need Dangerous GAS bottles.
another aspect i like about the starship is that it would allow you to generate electricity for your home if you park it outside. just install a generator plug/transfer switch. minimal permitting or work required. 80 kWh is a huge bank for a home.
Great idea and execution. I'd be worried about the windows being so close to the bottom in drive mode, putting them in danger of rock strikes.
testing should force them to find a solution
They will find that after-sales service is a costly problem. Buyers will take them all over where they will break. The existing infrastructure for RV repairs is pretty awful in the USA. On the other hand, quality control and manufacturer support for existing RVs is so terrible they might be able to stake out a marketing high ground.
Yeah with the service issues the "competition" has, I think Lightship stands a chance if they get funding. They're getting good test data on the raise/lower function by taking it around to shows. They see where it's wearing down. Sounds like they're camping in it sometimes too. Maybe once they have a second prototype they can haul this one down off-road trails it's not meant to go on and see what shakes loose.
Yeah, as a lifelong RVer I've learned that if you can't fix it yourself, you're just ripe for being ripped off.
A lot that I like about this, both now & the first time I saw it. The largest downside is this thing has an enormous price tag. Kinda has to, w/ that size of battery, etc. Still ... has to or not ... a helluva price tag. I do want to see more action in this arena.
Big battery, miles of glass, and a premium kitchen and bathroom installed. It looks like it costs as much as what houses used to cost.
sorry that made me kill myself - largest downside - -price, longterm economics and resource availability are things which bring the dream back to earth - in all things aviation. (jk)..
Bluesky dreams (BSD) - blue or green have yet to receive their real "stress test".
Love the chassis, not crazy about the interior layout, prefer the Porsche prototype. This market is vastly overdue for innovation. Great company, hope they continue to innovate.
Ok we spend over a 100 days a year in our airstream and I’ll give a few things I noticed. The bed is an afterthought and would be good for minimal number of days and people especially when you have to make it each day and no storage was shown for any blankets or sheets. There seemed to be minimal stowage throughout. Our classic 30 has tons of storage. People that like EV’s like tech and this didn’t even show a TV. Not even cheap small one or stereo system. They didn’t even mention heat or air and you can’t see any ducts so not sure about that. Appliance type was great but most would rather have a bigger fridge than a dishwasher. This seems for people just spending a day or two out and they won’t need to do dishes. And the fridge style won’t be easy to use. The aesthetics of the bathroom were great but that sink is a joke and needs to go. It’s built for a 3 yr old. You need a air fan for exhaust and temp control. Our airstream has radiant heat that is incredible and silent. The large shower is great. Didn’t mention size of any tanks. Outside you need a receptacle. A satellite or Starlink connection. More storage. An outside shower, awning, and you need to be able to carry bikes. Preferably e bikes which are heavy so something on the back or at least a hitch to attach to. And all people that pull trailers have some type of anti sway hitch or like us we have an incredible propride hitch that is zero sway. The front has so many cowlings near the hitch that it doesn’t look like anything could be added. Maybe you have a fancy system that controls the wheels for braking along with the motor. Another plus would be a DC to DC cable to run from the tow vehicle to charge the trailer. I’m sure not all people will tow with an EV. You don’t want a limited market like that. Aerodynamics are great and overall looks and styling and materials just need some changes and you’ll get a bigger market. This seems like it’s meant to be used just on a weekend.
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My grandparents had a Hi-Lo trailer in the 60s. When they came to visit, I got to turn the key to make it raise up.
Sandy likes it which is great but.... More importantly, what was Sue's reaction? Inquiring minds need to know!
The timing was interesting to me as earlier today I was thinking about how DOT would react to camping trailers with electric kicker motors in them to extend range of the tow vehicles along with what could be done to add such to existing pop-up/hi-low or teardrop trailers.
Best!
Airstream debuted their electric trailer concept at the Tampa show in 2022.
@@alexkleine9737 Yes, an event that I missed out on. It will be interesting to see if/when suppliers such as E-Trailer start making the drive axles and controllers available for the DYI crowd.
Man, a CyberTruck towing this Lightship camper would look really cool!. And when undocked and parked at right angles to the CyberTruck, will make a real fun and suave looking camp. Great job. How much is it again ?.
Sandy say it with me: "Fisher and Pie-kle" not pay-kle!. NZ brand, main distributor LV Martin and Sons Ltd.
I get why they chose a rain shower head, but I hate it. They use huge amounts of water and any soap you put on is rinsed straight off before you get a chance to give yourself a good scrub, defeating the entire point of having a shower in the first place. Low flow taps and shower heads are so much more efficient in terms of water usage.
It might have been nice if they'd been able to incorporate a water recycling shower into the design. They will filter the water until the sensors detect that the water has become too dirty before allowing fresh water into the system.
The BIG question that wasn't addressed is the price. $$$$$$ ??? My guess is $ 20,000 minimum.
this is appealing in a hypothetical bubble but MOST RVs spend MOST of the time in places designed for RVs meaning you need way more privacy and on nice days you want screened windows for cross flow ventilation.
Additionally this suspension setup is only good for maintained roadways. There is nowhere near enough suspension travel or strength to take it to the remote places this is envisioned to go to
I also don’t see an accommodation for an awning so solar gain is going to be absolutely insane. Additionally this is nowhere near 4 seasons winterized.
I think, adding glass that can change opacity to the windows is a must have option.
You can get window film for that.
It has contacts on 1 edge.
You get clear to black and clear to a frosted white
Nobody in the world will buy this if they don't have that option or some sort of window coverings. The RV buyer/exhibitionist segment is very small. Also, not shown was how to they build the door so that they have a window screen to keep bugs out?
That was exactly my first thought. No places to mount curtains and no LCD shades?
@@ZoeyR86 Folks want the choice. If you are in a campground you want absolute privacy. If you are in deep wilderness or even camping on private property you want a more open experience.
@patreekotime4578 the film is electronic in it's no power state it's 100% opaque with about 40-60v ac applied it's 8%
Thank you Sandy for presenting this to the public.
It looks awesome but the door design isn’t great fit for the camping. It will be difficult to keep the bugs out when going in and out.
That's one dope ass RV.
When the L1 Camper is in drive mode, the windows will be easily cracked by passing car/truck stone chips. Would need to put PPF over the windows.
You’re not paying attention.
All they would need is to have is some hinged hard panels to flip over from their stowed positions on the roof to cover the front windows in collapsed Road Mode.
My thought Sandy, if you could pass it along is to develop a common battery extender standard that external battery packs could plug into in which the car towing the vehicles can see the external battery as being part of the total battery for the car. This could allow hitch mounted battery extenders for long trips or trailers to augment themselves. It could also be a great use for a secondary market for used battery packs as well.
Similar to how this is done
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That's smart because I think a self-propelled trailer pushing on the lead vehicle would be dangerous.
I think your problem there is going to be engineering the necessary flexibility, safety and durability of the exposed HV lines between the truck and trailer.
I think keeping it all in the trailer is going to be the move to enable safe and more interchangeable trailers. The trailers can accelerate and regen on their own thereby having longer ranges. The common trailer interconnects already have a braking signal so adding acceleration and battery level should not be too difficult to add to the standard.
Not sure that would work because you would not a plug hanging off the side of the car driving down the road. Secondly the battery cables going all the way to the tow vehicle would introduce a lot of inefficiency. This method is one of the better options providing power to the trailer.
@@mikebalentine I would imagine the trailer or accessory connection coming out the back like the trailer connector does now. It would not use the vehicles charging port.
I've worked out how to justify the huge cost of this camper. Park it next to your house when you're not out 'adventuring' and increase the number of bedrooms available in your home! You could sell it with the home to plump up the bedroom numbers in the real estate ad.
Or hire it out as an AirBnB :-)
- and offset the neighbourhood grid unreliability going forwards.
That's an interesting thought. It looks stylish enough to have on the best spot on your yard and in a power outage you could just live there instead of investing the same money into having batteries and solar panels in your house.
@@celeron55 It's a climate change lifepod ha ha. Cyclone, flood, or bush fire coming, drag your lifepod out of it's range.
When you return you can live in it while you rebuild
I must say the fact they made it somewhat self propelling is great, a wonderful way to extend towing range with an EV towing it.
All those windows, lowered down closer to gravel strikes. And what charging station will accomodate two vehicles, linked as a train.
Looks nice. But expensive, and damn hard to recharge unless you're just moving between 50A campsites. A heartfelt good luck guys. I hope all those windows are doubleglazed for four season use.
And apparently no window shades for nighttime privacy.
I'm looking forward to seeing a Tesla Semi motorhome for the ultimate glamping experience with all the electrical conveniences of home. With the battery in that thing you could have a live Rock concert at any location that you can take it too.
This is doing a lot of things right. The same fundamental concept as the Stella Vita: Raising roof to minimise frontal area, big PV roof, aero shape, lightness. I like the Stella Vita more as I prefer a camper van to a caravan, but this is great as the trailer version. Nice to see someone finally doing it right and using the traction battery as the house battery and not having two. Nearly every conversion just adds a 2nd battery which is just wasting space, weight and efficiency.
I dread to think how much it's going to cost, and it's too big to be much use in Europe.
But this is the right direction and I look forward to some competition. I'm much closer to Sandy's age, than Ben's but pretty-much the only reason I have for owning a vehicle other than a bike is for camping.
It has also gotten a lot of things wrong.
@@williamscoggin1509 Would you care to expand on what things?
If it has spare solar it could be made charge the car on the fly/overnight.
Charging off solar overnight eh?
It's all nice and dandy but I see 2 big problems. 1) Isn't this thing too long I mean that's 27 feet. 2) How do you control the speed trailer if it's somewhat self-propelled (probably it's possible with some cable attached but I doubt any EVs have those or the software)
How many kW of solar panels are on the roof? Will stones thrown up from the road damage those large windows in transit?
When I was there they told me 4kw of solar.
@@WarrenBowman thank you. That's a decent amount of solar.
I had been advocating for Tesla to put batteries and motors on the trailers for the Semi like the Airstream electric. After watching this it occured to me that doing the same for trailers being pulled by diesel tractors would do good things. Better mpg, better hill climbing, regeneration, better refrigeration.
What about adding regenerative brakes that connect to the 7-pin brake controller?
- if this has a functional pusher motor, surely it regens on the back side... ?? (loadcell / or other - scale device to determine needs of accel or brake, makes sense /not hard to engineer - and this device is not cost effective at all, so no real economic concerns)
"Bringing the out side in" seems like they took the marketing pitch and styling of the ssiling catamarans that can't sail.
Does "drag efficient as a Model 3," mean Same drag COEFFICIENT as towing a model 3?
That's some slippery speech.
I need a hand held in the shower. Water coming down from the top is just not enough to rinse private areas. Also, what about the toilet? How big are the tanks? You can have 3,000 watts of solar but if you have to dump your tank due to it being small, all that solar defeats the purpose of boon-docking.
Cost? I found anywhere from $125k to $150k. I find that hard to believe. It needs to be in a review. Is this a paid advertisement? Please disclose.
Off road capability?
Efficiency in hot or cold climates?
How well will it work in the north in winter?
This was obviously designed by San Francisco Bay Area boy wanting to go glamping.
I live in East Texas and have been around a lot of campers and no one I have ever been around has said , I sure wish I had a dishwasher. The thing is surrounded by nothing but glass windows, which even though tinted, which cuts out some sunlight you are going to have an extremely hot camper unless running the air conditioner a lot during the day. Obviously he did not cover any shades for the windows which all campers have to block out the sun or for you or your wife not to be seen at night while the lights are on inside. All the glass is pretty when looking out but it is completely non-functional without the shades. Anyone owning this is going to be camping at campgrounds and RV parks and not going to the river bottom with nobody else around. The microwave while stowed away is overly complex and has many things to go wrong overtime, not to mention no food turntable for rotating the food while heating. As far as the overhead rain type shower head that is ridiculous. All women want a removable handheld unit and most men do also. And for the astronomical cost of this unit, there should be at least one dedicated sleep area instead of all fake beds. I have camped in many campers and also lived long term in an RV, and I'm currently living in a Motorcoach in Texas. So I do kind of know what I am talking about.
And it is unbelievable how exposed everything is underneath to get yanked loose or damaged, this is obviously meant to just go down a highway.
"stash the kids" 🤣 sounds like he doesn't have any yet
At 125k dollars this is basically 10 times the price of a comparable sized conventional trailer. Adding the drive unit doesn’t make sense to me, no electric truck is going to need help power wise towing, it just needs the extra battery capacity. Making an electrical link between the trailer and the truck makes more sense and would be easier to fast charge at a charging station where you’ll need to plug the trailer and truck in separately
Hi Ben, I’d like to talk to you about an east coast destination I have, I would need your input on infrastructure for my mountain top area ex: additional solar for extended stay
Support in design, clearing rules and regulations etc. please reply.
Great design & attention to detail thanks. What about privacy?
0:15 sharp edges and standing narrow sheet metal are not incredibly stupid and dangerous. They are insanely dumb. The floor is WAY too high.
Hard pass on this under 3 minutes..
How is it in the weather I’m talking about 120° in Las Vegas Nevada and 20° in Nebraska
Cool trailer but this guy showing Sandy around can't stop talking about himself and interrupting
This MUST have vehicle to grid capability, 80kw battery sitting everyday in the garage would be a waste if it cannot be utilised Daily.
V2G reduces your Battery life , = earlier Replacement .
@@markplott4820 LFP
It will be interesting to see up dates from lightship.
80khw battery unutilized most the year?! Very unsustainabile.
The surprising thing is they have a prototype and not just cad renders.
Interesting concept but not quite ready for camping. Needs curtains or blinds for privacy & cooling. No storage for clothing or camping stuff. No furnace or A/C. No screen door to keep out bugs. No air vent in top, no windows that open = inadequate ventilation.
Check out more videos of the lightship, they actually have all these things.
@@dfghdfzsd Thanks, Steve. Will do. UPDATE: found half a dozen. No time now but will follow up.
@@dfghdfzsd Steve, I've looked at half a dozen vids of Lightship and none of them showed screens to keep out bugs. One referred to "electric heating" with no details. None show any ventilation beyond those bug-inviting open window and door. Apparently the huge windows go opaque on command so you don't necessarily cook in that giant greenhouse on a hot day (with windows opaque, no view!). But no roof fans, no A/C.
@@tomgray971 Heat pump
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@@tomgray971 also check out 22:34 in the same video
Of course they had to tow it to the show with a giant F350 diesel truck because that pos weighs 20 thousand pounds.
Are there curtains? How do you block out the windows if you want privacy?
All that glass so close to the ground in transport mode -- right behind the vehicle -- concerns me.
I wanted to see it collapse down
Drawer microwaves no bueno. Bathroom sink no bowl…not good.
My ideal RV is to tow a camper/trailer with the Tesla Semi. Don't need this fancy collapsible box.
Oh yeah a 60+ T 80’ rig is going lots of places
@@mattbrew11 Tesla semi is 20ft long, plus a 30 ft 5th wheel RV with overlaping about 10ft, the total length is just 40 ft. Perfect length.
@@hawtan4536 bumper to mudflaps the tesla truck is 24’ long ive measured it myself. Good luck with your pipe dream
I bet there would be a market just for the battery and motor trailer without the camper part of it.
I didn't know the range loss was that bad so having a powered trailer could be very useful to anyone with an EV that wants to tow something. Maybe even Uhaul might want something like this, though I'm the down side would be the crazy expense of it. Considering a 80kw battery I bet the base price would be at least $30,000 just for an empty trailer. Which for most people wouldn't be worth it since you could just get a whole truck for that price.
I love the 'tech' in this project. The design is leaving me a bit cold. In a house, we like big windows to bring the outside, in. When you're in a camper, you are literally within the environment so I see less of a need for stonking great panes of glass everywhere. I'd be more interested is some sort of frosted transparent material (giving the impression of rice paper maybe?) that let in the light, but diffused it and gave a bit more privacy. lot's of options to open these panels out to let the air in.
Like other comments, I see problems with stone chips, and be careful how you park it cause windows seem to attract tree branches ha ha.
so they reinvented the hi-lo trailer. they went out of business a few years back.
Nice to see an American manufacturer competing with modern Australian RV products.
The Rivian does NOT have a camp kitchen nor do they offer it as an option.
Nice... Really enjoyed the walkthrough. Very appealing. Did you ever discus pricing? SoCalFreddy
They told me that it would be around 125k.
What about mosquitoes. That door would let too many mosquitoes in
Lack of storage inside and out is the Achilles Heel of this concept and design.
Sure you’ll sell a few to the Silicon Valley set who just want something mod looking to pull behind their R1Ts but the market-at-large will not embrace this product.
Exactly!
Lots of compromises in comfort and capacity to “electrify”. Try boon-docking for a week or two, ha ha. This is a overnight or weekend space. All those windows would be a pain to deal with at the campground. Not a whole lot of places where you’re the only one there.
Form over function.
Flop.
This is what happens when a San Francisco boy tries to design a glamping trailer. 😅
gentlemen....it is not the system of propulsion that is the RV problem. They just break down ALL the time. Gas, diesel, electric...they are all the same. they are all money pits. get a good family tent....you will be better off.
I agree, you can buy one hell of a tent and a whole lot of options to make your life easy camping for what this thing cost and just stick it in the back of your SUV or Pickup.
And if you have kids then they will learn a lot more what it takes to camp and have things to do once you get to the campground. They will be proud to show off to their friends when the friends go camping with them.👍🏻😉
Wasted space, no interior privacy, to much glass / the AC will never rest, little storage. Appears created by young limited life experience designers with little RVing experiance. The price is insulting.
Designer has probably always lived in an apartment. 😂
So 2 things i question, mainly because i live where i do. But, is there to be a screen door? Because, you know, bugs.. lll And does a single window open for fresh air? I would hate for a bad taco night before 😂
Excellent points!
We have 4 of those fish washers. At my work. One works. Two have been swapped for another brand and two are used as drying racks. Even on the one that “works”, it cleans terribly. There is only one swing arm below. It mostly steams dishes.
Been saying it for year's that it makes more sense to have a trailer with a decent battery (2nd life) pack built in as a range extender. When not in use you plug it into your home. Charge from solar pv. Forget V2L etc. Imagine all the compact cars towing one of these trailer's when on holidays. A common standard needs to be developed.
$$$expensive$$$ not worth hard labor money
🤗THANKS SANDY ,BEN …and the MUNRO TEAM …VERY COOL 😎 🤗💚💚💚
"We want to make this RVing more and more accessible to everyone" Homie thats 125k for the cheaper one lol..
💰💰💰💰
Innovative design, well executed. Great looks. Practical AND economical. BUT - where are the doilies that should be adorning the couch back and chairs - WHAT ? ! No early American upholstery patterns depicting rodeo scenes? No fake wood trim? You're going to have a tough time marketing this - at least install an expandable, round kitchen table. No venetian blinds either. Sorry, I'm off to the next battery boosted EV camp trailer - WITH the Wild West options. Thanks for laughing along. Great idea Spidey's uncle.
Not sure but about the economical part....
Nicely filmed. Shout out to me 😂😅
Nice one
Very cool trailer. I have seen that guy present it before on another channel a few months ago. Big bucks but it is a great package for sure.
Would like to see an EV that is flat towable behind a motorhome.
$125,000. I spent last winter camping in Quartzsite in my brand new $1,000 Kodiak canvas tent.
Well then you arent the target audience for ANY camper. 🙄
I have a $70 tent...
@@patreekotime4578 Exactly. I think they're a waste of time and money.
@@allencrider just like your comment then. 👍🏻
@@4literv6 My comment was important enough for you to respond! 😆
RV buyers don't want a greenhouse
Twice as expensive as it should be
Does it have a/c and heating system?
All the campsites I've ever stayed in were packed. All those windows would be views to the neighbors campers. We normally pull the curtains closed on the windows.
You will be able to make the windows opaque with the flip of a switch.
I love the overall idea, so please don't take my comments as being negative.
Windows:
There are way to many windows for me.
We once rented one of those rooftop hotel rooms in Mexico and felt like we were in a fish bowl.
I can't help wondering what it would be like in Minnesota when it is 10 below zero.
And don't forget the mosquito netting.
I am hoping we can order with different molded inserts; some solid with a high R-value and some with windows.
The we can choose how much open we want.
Aerodynamics:
If the truck had a topper of the same height as the main trailer and you made that box (over the tongue) the same height also;
there would be a continuous roof line all the way from the truck cab to the back of the trailer.
Wouldn't that have the best aerodynamics?
Backroom sink:
Should be bigger backroom sink.
That one looks pretty but that weird one would be dated so fast.
Would also get water all over the place.
Give them a chance to wash their elbows and their socks!
Canopy:
Needs a canopy for shade and rain.
Could be a canopy embedded in the roof edge (for aerodynamic reasons).
Or add a couple nacelles ala Star Trek with running lights and have the Canopy in these.
Then you will truly have a Star Ship!! 🙂
Kitchen setup:
Love it, love it, love it!
Wonder:
1 - how many sizes this will come in
2 - total weight?
3 - likely pricing?
4 - CATL batteries?
Thanks for a great idea.
Tom
Most of this info is on their website
Sandy getting underneath - that's engineering excitement!
If Tesla buys another company it should be this one next
Sandy should've brought his R1T and tow it for a while to see how it really works 😊