BLOG: Lightship’s quarter-million all-electric RV offers innovation but lacks important features

[Neal]

https://www.rvtravel.com/lightships-quarter-million-all-electric-rv-offers-innovation-but-lacks-important-features/

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Good article!

My fifth has much the same GVWR, and my 1/2 ton truck needs heavy duty springs for the pin weight. So what EV are you planning to pull the thing with?

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

This is an entrepreneurial opportunity for a Californian dealership.

 

[turbopilot]

Here is a complete walkthrough of the production version of the LightShip AE.1 Cosmos. The posted article really jumped the gun so here are all the facts.

Remember this vehicle is self propelled so most of the issues involved in pulling an old fashion trailer go away. The automated system propels the "trailer" to closely follow the tow vehicle with just enough force on the ball for stability. So as long as the LightShip is under it's own power issues of TV GVWR become moot. The tow vehicle needs just enough payload to carry the tongue weight of the LightShip.

Here is the complete walkthrough.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

So your/they are saying 800 pounds tung weight isn't an issue when the vehicle fails to have the load capacity to support it?

Very enteresting!

Guys! Your argument for buy a big enough tow vehicle (load capacity) just got proven wrong by a handful of dreaming techies!

I'm going looking for a larger fifth because tung weight is not important anymore!!!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

There may be another reason they aren't looking for certs!

 

[turbopilot]

So your/they are saying 800 pounds tung weight isn't an issue when the vehicle fails to have the load capacity to support it?

Very enteresting!

Guys! Your argument for buy a big enough tow vehicle (load capacity) just got proven wrong by a handful of dreaming techies!

I'm going looking for a larger fifth because tung weight is not important anymore!!!

I think I was pretty clear. As long as the TV can accept the hitch weight within the GVWR of the TV things like the CGWR become meaningless with a powered trailer attached. However the TV still needs to be able to handle the CGWR of a powered trailer to handle those situations when the powered trailer is out of charge or has a problem with the traction motor system.

 

[Voyageurs]

I think I was pretty clear. As long as the TV can accept the hitch weight within the GVWR of the TV things like the CGWR become meaningless with a powered trailer attached. However the TV still needs to be able to handle the CGWR of a powered trailer to handle those situations when the powered trailer is out of charge or has a problem with the traction motor system.

Yah. I did like his explanation on what happens when the LFP battery is empty. A set of contacts open and it just becomes a normal towed trailer.

Wish EV makers would do this with their vehicles to make them more compatible as toads for towing behind motorhomes.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I think I was pretty clear. As long as the TV can accept the hitch weight within the GVWR of the TV things like the CGWR become meaningless with a powered trailer attached. However the TV still needs to be able to handle the CGWR of a powered trailer to handle those situations when the powered trailer is out of charge or has a problem with the traction motor system.

So! The founder in your video did a good job of stating his goal. In a nut shell, he saw the need for a range extender!

Back in the day EV enthusiasts chopped a front wheel gasser to trailer behind for trips. I think that is why hybrids were made.

An engineer worth his salt studies all aspects of a project before he starts the development stages!

Looks like only a few EVs are really up to the task based on tongue weight. The pendulum effect known for centuries precludes any workaround.

A Camper’s Guide to Electric Vehicle Towing Capacity | TAXA

Do you have an electric vehicle that can tow a trailer? If so, what are your options for a fifth wheel? Find out how to get the right camper for your EV.

taxaoutdoors.com

Like everything else, people find it hard to cut their losses, when they see through the lie!

I don't see this product having any resale value within a year of release!

Of course, that is my opinion.

 

[Voyageurs]

So! The founder in your video did a good job of stating his goal. In a nut shell, he saw the need for a range extender!

Back in the day EV enthusiasts chopped a front wheel gasser to trailer behind for trips. I think that is why hybrids were made.

An engineer worth his salt studies all aspects of a project before he starts the development stages!

Looks like only a few EVs are really up to the task based on tongue weight. The pendulum effect known for centuries precludes any workaround.

A Camper’s Guide to Electric Vehicle Towing Capacity | TAXA

Do you have an electric vehicle that can tow a trailer? If so, what are your options for a fifth wheel? Find out how to get the right camper for your EV.

taxaoutdoors.com

Like everything else, people find it hard to cut their losses, when they see through the lie!

I don't see this product having any resale value within a year of release!

Of course, that is my opinion.

I would think all the half ton EV’s on the market are capable of handling this unit.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

"
Yah. I did like his explanation on what happens when the LFP battery is empty. A set of contacts open and it just becomes a normal towed trailer.

Wish EV makers would do this with their vehicles to make them more compatible as toads for towing behind motorhomes."



And I was thinking hauling one of those EVs behind a pusher you would be well off to rig a way to hold the throttle down to start the regen action.

 

[turbopilot]

Yah. I did like his explanation on what happens when the LFP battery is empty. A set of contacts open and it just becomes a normal towed trailer.

Wish EV makers would do this with their vehicles to make them more compatible as toads for towing behind motorhomes.

Given the current EV charging infrastructure that is a very smart move. While this version of LightShip has a 70 kW twin battery pack there will be times you might make a choice to turn off the traction motors going into a remote area with trailer to preserve the batteries for extended stationary use. Arriving with a full battery back supplemented by 4 kW of solar on the roof could yield a significant duration time off grid without the need for a generator.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I would think all the half ton EV’s on the market are capable of handling this unit.

Nope! By the specs, Rivian.

Spose a farm trailer setup would increase the playing field!

 

[Voyageurs]

Given the current EV charging infrastructure that is a very smart move. While this version of LightShip has a 70 kW twin battery pack there will be times you might make a choice to turn off the traction motors going into a remote area with trailer to preserve the batteries for extended stationary use. Arriving with a full battery back supplemented by 4 kW of solar on the roof could yield a significant duration time off grid without the need for a generator.

I wonder if one can do that. Turn off the drive motor. That would be a neat feature.

 

[turbopilot]

I wonder if one can do that. Turn off the drive motor. That would be a neat feature.

Pretty sure the answer is yes. I think it was covered in the section of the video dealing with the iPad app that controls all the trailer modules. Ben in the video made it clear if you are driving along and the batteries become depleted the traction motors simply disengage reverting to a normally towed vehicle. But rather than really disengage I think the traction motors just revert to energy recovery and braking. Propulsion resumes once the batteries get above a certain SOC. That is how the traction motor works in the Ford F-150 PowerBoost hybrid.

Not covered in the video the iPad app will also allow the trailer to move around under it's own power when not attached to a TV for parking or repositioning after it is disconnected from the TV.

 

[Voyageurs]

Nope! By the specs, Rivian.

Spose a farm trailer setup would increase the playing field!

I’m not sure I follow. Tesla cybertruck has a pretty big payload for a half ton. Over 1000 kg (2200 pounds ish) if I remember correctly.

Not sure what the Silverado and Lightning are for payload . But I would be surprised if they can’t handle a 900 pound tongue weight. We certainly see them hauling that amount now.

 

[turbopilot]

I’m not sure I follow. Tesla cybertruck has a pretty big payload for a half ton. Over 1000 kg (2200 pounds ish) if I remember correctly.

Not sure what the Silverado and Lightning are for payload . But I would be surprised if they can’t handle a 900 pound tongue weight. We certainly see them hauling that amount now.

I don't think that poster watched the video. Hard to have an intelligent interchange when one party has the facts.

The AE.1 has a GW of around 8,350 lbs and empty weight of around 7,300 lbs with a tongue weight of 850 lbs. That will easily fit the towing requirements of any F-150 with the trailer towing package. In this use case tongue weight is the only real issue depending on trim level of the truck.

 

[Voyageurs]

I don't think that poster watched the video. Hard to have an intelligent interchange when one party has the facts.

The AE.1 has a GW of around 8,350 lbs and empty weight of around 7,300 lbs with a tongue weight of 850 lbs. That will easily fit the towing requirements of any F-150 with the trailer towing package. In this use case tongue weight is the only real issue depending on trim level of the truck.

We went to the presentation in Colorado at the “charged up rally”. (Annual EV RV rally held somewhere in the US). Same gentleman did the presentation. The eventual plan (down the road) is to make a similar smaller trailer for the EV SUV crowd like us. But it’s way down the road. Something around 20 feet would be cool. Until then we’ll stick with our little EV RV combo.

 

[turbopilot]

We went to the presentation in Colorado at the “charged up rally”. (Annual EV RV rally held somewhere in the US). Same gentleman did the presentation. The eventual plan (down the road) is to make a similar smaller trailer for the EV SUV crowd like us. But it’s way down the road. Something around 20 feet would be cool. Until then we’ll stick with our little EV RV combo.

At 20' I don't think it makes any economic sense to self propel the trailer. In the video they talk about a 2026 version of the 26' LightShip with only one battery pack (35 kWH) and no drive system for around $150,000. No reason they could not scale that model to a single axle 20' model in time keeping the other subsystems the same.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

$150,000 for a 26' trailer, is that for real?