LightShip 4 Now Starting Customer Evaluation

[turbopilot]

Yesterday was the first day I had a chance to pull the LightShip around without troubleshooting other issues. I am not a fan of these chain and bar weight distribution hitches. What a pain. Since the LightShip tongue weight is so low I am running it at the "5 chain link" setting which is a low bar deflection. (So archaic compared to the B&W Continuum Hydraulic WDH system I am used to with the Airstream). I think the B&W Continuum would work on the LightShip and not materially interfere with the hitch force sensors but right now I don't want to be a test pilot for that application. To many other things to fiddle with.

Bars and chains aside the F-150 PowerBoost and LightShip tow very well. The only factor I noticed with the bars and chains of the Curt WDH is the porpoising oscillation dampening going over peaks and valleys in the pavement surface. The Continuum will dampen in one oscillation with the composite bars. I saw the same thing when I ran the Blue Ox bar system WDH on my Airstream. Takes longer to dampen with both the Blue OX and Curt system bars.

And while the LightShip is exactly 1,000 lbs heavier than my Airstream, I really did not notice any difference in responsiveness with the PoweBoost towing the LightShip. At highway speeds I think the much reduced aerodynamic profile of the LightShip more than offsets the additional weight of the LightShip in terms of driving feel and responsiveness of the tow vehicle.

I did notice the LightShip requires an "8" gain setting on the PowerBoost trailer brake settings versus a "5" setting for the Airstream. This may reflect the additional weight of the LightShip.

I have not done extensive long distance towing yet. But looking at instant MPG data for the PowerBoost via two sources, I am consistently seeing about 17 MPG towing the LightShip at 62 MPH TrekDrive OFF and 22 MPG towing the LightShip with TrekDrive ON. Contrast this to 12 MPG towing the Airstream with the same tow vehicle.

There are also additional constraints to using Trek Drive in Road Mode. You can charge the LightShip in motion with the inverter generator in either "Storage" Mode or "Camp" Mode. But to use Trek Drive you must switch to "Road" mode. You can only switch to "Road" mode standing still. And when you pull over to make the switch to "Road" mode Atlas throws and error telling you to unhook the NACS connector from the LightShip. In short the current firmware will not allow "Road" mode to be active if the NACS connector is plugged into the LightShip.

Much more testing to do but nothing has changed my bias going into this experience, that I will have little need for TrekDrive towing the LightShip with the PowerBoost, especially when the PowerBoost and LightShip are linked with a NACS umbilical in motion. With this combination, I will have tow vehicle and LightShip combination capable of a 500 mile range (without TrekDrive active) and a certainty that I will arrive at my destination with a 100% SOC on the 77 kW LightShip battery, plus the ability to convert the remaining gasoline into electricity up to 240 kW depending on the fuel remaining in the PowerBoost tank on arrival at the destination. For this tow vehicle and LightShip combination the only argument to retain TrekDrive could be the ability to use the TrekDrive system to do in motion "fast charging" via regenerative braking. But that capability has not yet been implemented for the LightShip TrekDrive system.

For the future I think a less expensive Atmos LightShip model, without TrekDrive, is going to be a perfect, more affordable and lighter LightShip for anyone using a hybrid tow vehicle or a future EREV tow vehicle, providing those vehicle have an on board 240 volt inverter generator.

 

[Blackstone]

Thanks for sharing @turbopilot ! I suspect the firmware requiring the NACS to be unplugged in “Road” mode is to prevent inadvertent damage to chargers while trying to leave a charger after forgetting to unplug. My truck does this today when charging and we’ve all seen people rip out gas station nozzles by accident

 

[turbopilot]

Thanks for sharing @turbopilot ! I suspect the firmware requiring the NACS to be unplugged in “Road” mode is to prevent inadvertent damage to chargers while trying to leave a charger after forgetting to unplug. My truck does this today when charging and we’ve all seen people rip out gas station nozzles by accident

But there is no such warning for Storage or Camp Mode. I simply plug in the NACS connector and drive away. I remember talking about this with Ben Parker. I think there is some issue in the high voltage switching box where having the high voltage coming in at the same time TrekDrive is active creates a conflict.

This will also apply to Lightning, Cybertruck and GMC EV tow vehicles who can also tanker electricity to the LightShip either in motion or fixed. I saw a Pebble owner with a Cybertruck doing a NACS fast charge with his truck while simultaneously charging the Pebble out of the the bed mounted NEMA 14-50 plug.

 

[Blackstone]

But there is no such warning for Storage or Camp Mode. I simply plug in the NACS connector and drive away. I remember talking about this with Ben Parker. I think there is some issue in the high voltage switching box where having the high voltage coming in at the same time TrekDrive is active creates a conflict.

This will also apply to Lightning, Cybertruck and GMC EV tow vehicles who can also tanker electricity to the LightShip either in motion or fixed. I saw a Pebble owner with a Cybertruck doing a NACS fast charge with his truck while simultaneously charging the Pebble out of the the bed mounted NEMA 14-50 plug.

Interesting, that makes sense. Although uncommon , I suppose you could try to move it in any “mode”

Yea, I intend to daisy chain charging the trailer through the truck from time to time.

@Rory (Lightship Team) I’m hoping you guys will have some settings for trailer brakes, etc for Cybertruck based on your teams testing

 

[turbopilot]

Yea, I intend to daisy chain charging the trailer through the truck from time to time.

It appears the new RAM EREV is going to use a bidirectional charge plug rather than a separate NACS connector and NEMA 14-15. That is bad news for both in motion charging and daisy chain charging, since they are going to put the bidirectional charging plug on the front left fender. I sure hope the new Lightning EREV does not do this.

 

[Blackstone]

Sounds shortsighted , considering EREVs value proposition is related to trailering

 

[Rory (Lightship Team)]

Interesting, that makes sense. Although uncommon , I suppose you could try to move it in any “mode”

Yea, I intend to daisy chain charging the trailer through the truck from time to time.

@Rory (Lightship Team) I’m hoping you guys will have some settings for trailer brakes, etc for Cybertruck based on your teams testing

We've done lots of cybertruck testing so yes! can provide lots of recommendations.

 

[turbopilot]

@Rory (Lightship Team) I’m hoping you guys will have some settings for trailer brakes, etc for Cybertruck based on your teams testing

This is not hard to set up. I typically set gain to a number that will bring both the tow vehicle and trailer to a stop from 25 MPH in 50 feet or so, using the brake controller alone at the full setting, without any lock up of the trailer tires. For the LightShip and PowerBoost this was around 7 or 8. Right now I am running 8 but I may set it a little lower with experience on several surfaces. For sure my old setting of 5 for the LightShip was not enough on any kind of surface.

 

[turbopilot]

The LightShip was never designed for in motion NACS charging. During the prototype phase I campaigned hard to have a dedicated, in motion, charging plug or at least to move the NACS connector port to front of the Aero Hub. The inverter generator plug is in the bed of the PowerBoost, Lightning and the CyberTruck, so it is a short run to the Aero Hub. It would have been perfect on the front of the Aero Hub.

But current production Lightships have the NACS connector on the driver's side of the Aero Hub. Not perfect (and far better than Pebble where it is located at the rear of the RV) but serviceable with modifications. Fortunately the NACS plug has a latch that retains the plug in the socket. That plug is even retained in the socket when all power is lost in the Lightship. If the 12 volt circuit goes down you can't get the NACS plug out of the Aero Hub. That is an excellent safety factor for in motion charging.

So today I made the first (of many to come) modification of my LightShip by installing a stainless steel ring on the front of the Aero Hub. This will allow me to anchor the NACS cable coming out of the PowerBoost bed. I also found out that fitting is very helpful to remove and install the bulky Aero Hub. The Aero Hub is a bear to take on and off if you are alone. It really needs some handles (other modification is coming). Ideally it would be better if it were made of carbon fiber. I am fabricating a carbon fiber door to replace the painted door covering the NACS port and NEMA 14-50 plug. That new door will have a round hole to accommodate the NACS connector insertion without opening the door.

 

[Neal]

I would think solar would be an ideal way to keep batteries topped off or charging while underway. I'm not sure if the LS roof is conducive to solar panels, even if the flexible type.

 

[turbopilot]

I'm not sure if the LS roof is conducive to solar panels, even if the flexible type.

Actually the entire roof of the LightShip is nothing but solar panels, 1.8 kW in total. The solar array services both the 12 volt and 400 volt electrical system. Current firmware version of the bidirectional DC/DC charger only supports 12 volt charging. 400 volt charging will come with a future firmware update. 400 volt charging has been working in the prototypes but LightShip says the current firmware build for 400 volt charging is not yet ready for release.

When fully implemented solar charging is for long term battery charging, nothing close to Level 2 or Level 3 charging needed to support the LightShip systems especially TrekDrive and both cooling systems.

 

[Rory (Lightship Team)]

Actually the entire roof of the LightShip is nothing but solar panels, 1.8 kW in total. The solar array services both the 12 volt and 400 volt electrical system. Current firmware version of the bidirectional DC/DC charger only supports 12 volt charging. 400 volt charging will come with a future firmware update. 400 volt charging has been working in the prototypes but LightShip says the current firmware build for 400 volt charging is not yet ready for release.

When fully implemented solar charging is for long term battery charging, nothing close to Level 2 or Level 3 charging needed to support the LightShip systems especially TrekDrive and both cooling systems.

View attachment 31330

Nice looking ship @turbopilot !!

We'd contest that in the sun you'd get some kWh of energy that meaningfully supports camping (aside from trekdrive and high HVAC use).

However, we're hard at work finalizing the firmware that charges the HV battery charging off solar... then we'll want you to test it and prove us right or wrong!

 

[turbopilot]

We'd contest that in the sun you'd get some kWh of energy that meaningfully supports camping (aside from trekdrive and high HVAC use).

No contest, I agree. My remarks are in the context of gathering enough solar energy in a short period of time to plus up battery depletion on the way to go camping. Once camped, in the Summer, I would guess you could plan on at least 10 kW day, if it was clear and you were not parked under a tree. If you are running 12 volt sources and HVAC on the way to camp, solar may cover most of those losses on sunny days. However solar is a long term support source of power. Given base demands of the LightShip systems, it is unlikely to add SOC overtime, but just reduce the rate of decline of a fully charged HV battery. That is why most any plan to camp without ground power requires a strategy to arrive at a campsite with the highest possible SOC on the HV battery, then let solar reduce the rate of SOC decline.

 

[Rory (Lightship Team)]

No contest, I agree. My remarks are in the context of gathering enough solar energy in a short period of time to plus up battery depletion on the way to go camping. Once camped, in the Summer, I would guess you could plan on at least 10 kW day, if it was clear and you were not parked under a tree. If you are running 12 volt sources and HVAC on the way to camp, solar may cover most of those losses on sunny days. However solar is a long term support source of power. Given base demands of the LightShip systems, it is unlikely to add SOC overtime, but just reduce the rate of decline of a fully charged HV battery. That is why most any plan to camp without ground power requires a strategy to arrive at a campsite with the highest possible SOC on the HV battery, then let solar reduce the rate of SOC decline.

Yes this feels right! We also know some customers are investigating auxiliary ground deploy systems that would boost the Lightship through the NACS while boondocking, further supplementing roof solar.

 

[turbopilot]

The LightShip HVAC system is simply amazing. Watch the video.