LightShip Serial Production Factory Tour

[turbopilot]

This thread has been active for several years. In that time we have watched the evolution of this new RV technology. There has been a lot of analysis and a fair amount of skepticism. All that is expected with a new to the world product.

Below is a YouTube video with a complete factory walk through as serial production has began. For all of you who have taken the time to comment on this thread please find a time and watch this one hour and 10 minute video to completion. In the video so many questions are answered. We are now getting enough information to move from speculation to educated analysis. But most importantly look carefully at the workmanship, quality, materials and finish of this new RV. No "rats nests". Just high quality automotive/aerospace manufacturing. Not your typical RV.

 

[redbaron]

Turbopilot - I appreciate your continued posts on this topic. I am definitely interested in the future product, and will most likely become an owner of one in a few years.

 

[Holdmybeer]

I watched the entire promo, interesting concept. I'm skeptical, from the looks of the facility they're anywhere close to being able to turn put 40 units a month. Let Thor get more than a foot in the door and their MBA's will fix that for them.

 

[turbopilot]

I watched the entire promo, interesting concept. I'm skeptical, from the looks of the facility they're anywhere close to being able to turn put 40 units a month. Let Thor get more than a foot in the door and their MBA's will fix that for them.

I have been to the production facility twice. They do little component fabrication. Major subsystems are delivered JIT. What is actually going on in the plant you see is final assembly.

They can easily do 40 per month. They are housed in a large, new, warehouse complex in Broomfield, CO with vacant space available in the complex. The major constraint I see in the present facility is room to store components. That can simply be solved by renting more warehouse capacity in the same complex.

LightShip currently has 100 employees by contrast Airstream has 500. But if you look at the Airstream production floor there is a lot of component fabrication going on. Not so at LightShip.

 

[Holdmybeer]

Whatever, I hope they succeed. Not sure if there's a large enough market share out there for a ~$200,000 EV travel trailer pulled by a ~$100,000 EV tow vehicle, but that remains to be seen

 

[redbaron]

Whatever, I hope they succeed. Not sure if there's a large enough market share out there for a ~$200,000 EV travel trailer pulled by a ~$100,000 EV tow vehicle, but that remains to be seen

Check out the airstream sales…those aren’t cheap. Something to be said for a high quality functional trailer.

 

[turbopilot]

Check out the airstream sales…those aren’t cheap. Something to be said for a high quality functional trailer.

I think the starting point to compare the LightShip to the Airstream is the LightShip Panos. The Panos starts at $151,000. The Panos has 15 times the battery storage, 3 times the solar capacity, a hitch mounted HVAC system and an electric drive motor not found in an Airstream.

At $151,000 the LightShip Panos offers far more functionality than any 25' to 28' Airstream model in the same price range.

 

[Holdmybeer]

I think the starting point to compare the LightShip to the Airstream is the LightShip Panos. The Panos starts at $151,000. The Panos has 15 times the battery storage, 3 times the solar capacity, a hitch mounted HVAC system and an electric drive motor not found in an Airstream.

At $151,000 the LightShip Panos offers far more functionality than any 25' to 28' Airstream model in the same price range.

If you’re looking for an EV travel trailer, the one that’s built to be an EV travel trailer would apparently offer more functionality. If you’re looking for one that will be functional 10-20 years from now, we’ll see. My money would be on the brand that’s walked the walk.

 

[Holdmybeer]

Check out the airstream sales…those aren’t cheap. Something to be said for a high quality functional trailer.

If I were about to shell out Airstream type money it certainly wouldn’t be on a Lightship, it would be on the one with the track record.

 

[redbaron]

Innovation has been called for in the Rv industry for a very long time. Finally a product is being made with proven American quality parts, using engineered designs, with repair planned into the design.

The lightship is expensive. The R&D going into this is one reason.

At least it’s not another conversion, but rather a purpose built product.

 

[Holdmybeer]

Innovation has been called for in the Rv industry for a very long time. Finally a product is being made with proven American quality parts, using engineered designs, with repair planned into the design.

The lightship is expensive. The R&D going into this is one reason.

At least it’s not another conversion, but rather a purpose built product.

Not sure if any concept has ever been marketed as not the new best thing. Time, not talk, will tell.

 

[turbopilot]

I am responding to two active threads on LightShip, this one and a two year thread over on the Airstream Forum asking many of the same questions here.

Here is a link to the Airstream Forum, LightShip thread.

 

[redbaron]

Not sure if any concept has ever been marketed as not the new best thing. Time, not talk, will tell.

Not sure what your point is.

They are using automotive can bus wiring. Engineered panels, automotive materials….the list goes on and on.

This is not a slapped together from foreign materials to make a cheap trailer design like all other products. This is true innovation.

You may not like the product, may not buy one, but anyone should be able to discern the difference between marketing hype and real innovation.

 

[Holdmybeer]

Not sure what your point is.

I don’t either like or dislike the product, but the point is, time, not talk, will tell. We’ve heard all this before. We’ll see.

 

[redbaron]

I don’t either like or dislike the product, but the point is, time, not talk, will tell. We’ve heard all this before. We’ll see.

What will time tell exactly? I guess I’m at a loss as to this reference.

 

[turbopilot]

What will time tell exactly? I guess I’m at a loss as to this reference.

I am seeing the same silliness over on the Airstream Forum. A guy keeps repeating the same meme that he does not like the product because it reminds him of a coffin. Here is the link.

In the end many of these empty criticisms relate to individual affordability.

 

[redbaron]

I am seeing the same silliness over on the Airstream Forum. A guy keeps repeating the same meme that he does not like the product because it reminds him of a coffin. Here is the link.

In the end many of these empty criticisms relate to individual affordability.

If it’s about market demand, I don’t know the answer. Airstream has a cult following and those that sacrifice space for efficiency are largely already airstream owners. Converting an airstream cultist will be impossible.

There are airstream owners that are buying due to deep pockets and minimalist lifestyle. Those would be the target market in the airstream crowd.

Then there are people like me. I own several RVs. I have 2 different bumper pulls and a 5th wheel. All are for different types of camping situation.

Towing with the jeep, sleeping lots of people, or setting up a base camp to support events. What I don’t have today is a small comfortable luxury accommodation for my wife and I to go to a park last minute for a few days. I have considered an airstream for that purpose. Now I have another choice.

 

[turbopilot]

If it’s about market demand, I don’t know the answer. Airstream has a cult following and those that sacrifice space for efficiency are largely already airstream owners. Converting an airstream cultist will be impossible.

There are airstream owners that are buying due to deep pockets and minimalist lifestyle. Those would be the target market in the airstream crowd.

Then there are people like me. I own several RVs. I have 2 different bumper pulls and a 5th wheel. All are for different types of camping situation.

Towing with the jeep, sleeping lots of people, or setting up a base camp to support events. What I don’t have today is a small comfortable luxury accommodation for my wife and I to go to a park last minute for a few days. I have considered an airstream for that purpose. Now I have another choice.

The Airstream owners are a cult. It is a great tradition. Wally Byam was in his 30's when founded the company during the depression. The brand has endured.

The founders of LightShip think their audience for the higher trim levels will be coming from the disgruntled Class A crowd who are aging and downsizing. The other smaller demographic are the owners of EV pickups who need the range assist of aerodynamics and TrekDrive.

 

[redbaron]

While I am a disgruntled class an owner, I will maintain a driving Rv in some fashion for a long time. For long distance or long duration trips, the thought of a travel trailer is not comforting.

We spend 90-100 days in a class A travel. We do about 40-50 total days in other rvs for various reasons. That’s the time I would utilize a lightship or similar.

I am also hoping that this type of innovation will translate to a driving unit. Maybe not by this team, but others that see that engineering and manufacturing a quality product will bring market demand.

I digress…

 

[turbopilot]

While I am a disgruntled class an owner, I will maintain a driving Rv in some fashion for a long time. For long distance or long duration trips, the thought of a travel trailer is not comforting.

We spend 90-100 days in a class A travel. We do about 40-50 total days in other rvs for various reasons. That’s the time I would utilize a lightship or similar.

I am also hoping that this type of innovation will translate to a driving unit. Maybe not by this team, but others that see that engineering and manufacturing a quality product will bring market demand.

I digress…

Not really a digression. Like you I was a disgruntled Class A owner. Then I discovered the flexibility of a light trailer and a good tow vehicle to enjoy the world. There are just two of us moving around but with the 25' trailer and a good truck we can go anywhere and stay most anywhere.

The only downside to my current setup is the miserable range towing a high profile trailer. Unlike taking the Class A into the diesel lanes at Flying J, for me every 200 or so miles I need to navigate a 50' rig into a gas station somewhere. A real pain. There are some Flying J and Loves with RV lanes but they are not too common.

The LightShip will increase my range by 40% without using the LightShip battery, much more if I use the battery. But the Easter egg I still need to hatch is that (based on my test drive with the prototype LightShip) the LightShip in the 7' Drive Mode can be towed at passenger car speed limits safely. I also think this can be done on the hitch without a weight distribution/anti sway device.

Because of the very low center of gravity with canopy down and those heavy batteries in the chassis the LightShip is very, very stable in tow. LightShip is promising an 820 lb hitch weight (9.8% of gross weight) before loading cargo and water. So weight distribution may not be so critical depending on tow vehicle.

In any event the ability to move about the country at 75 MPH to 80 MPH safely will completely change the trailer towing experience.

I am scheduled to pick up LightShip in October so many of the questions I hope will be answered within a week of getting the product.