I Visited Lightship’s AE.1 EV Travel Trailer, and Now I Want to Take an Off-the-Grid Road Trip

I recently had the opportunity to explore a Lightship AE.1 EV travel trailer, and it has ignited my desire for an off-the-grid road trip. As someone approaching retirement age, I'm drawn to the idea of breaking free from yard work, home repairs, and geographic permanence, opting instead for a life of outdoor adventure and freedom.

Lightship, a Colorado-based company, specializes in making electric vehicle (EV) trailers designed for RV enthusiasts. Their flagship model, the AE.1, or Aero-Electric 1, caught my attention during a visit to the company's pop-up exhibit outside a Yeti outdoor-recreation store in Austin, Texas. The AE.1 trailer's sleek, air-conditioned interior immediately impressed visitors, who included some who were surprised by its modern design.

The trailer boasts a cushioned lounge area, various appliances such as a dishwasher, microwave, full sink, and stovetop, a complete bathroom and shower area, and ample storage space. It can accommodate up to six people. What sets the AE.1 apart from most RVs and trailers is its highly customizable design, featuring thoughtful touches and an electric-powered motor called TrekDrive.

This motor activates when the trailer is in motion, reducing the load on the vehicle pulling the trailer and potentially extending its range between charges.

Ben Parker, Lightship's co-founder and chief product officer, is a former Tesla employee who became inspired by traveling in an RV during the pandemic. Parker and his co-founder, Toby Krauss, both former Tesla employees, aimed to offer customers a more diverse range of camper RV options, catering to those who value customization, comfort, and independence.

The AE.1's standout feature is its ability to compress from a 10-foot-tall Camp Mode with numerous windows and headroom to a Road Mode, where the roof lowers to under 7 feet, increasing aerodynamics.

Most of the trailer's features, from lighting to extras like an auto-leveling system and a motorized awning, can be controlled via an app. A solar array on the AE.1's roof helps maintain power, and with proper management of A/C usage and power consumption, the trailer can last approximately a week off the grid before needing additional charging. The trailer also supports EV charging and 220-volt hookups commonly found at RV parks, allowing for connections to external devices with vehicle-to-load power capabilities.

Some notable option features include a pull-down bed attached to the trailer's ceiling and a setup for a 4K video projector with a pull-down screen inside the trailer. Parker emphasizes that Lightship's goal is to captivate customers with their high-quality product, solving real customer pain points and delivering an experience that people can immediately appreciate once they see and use it.

The company is expanding its manufacturing center in Broomfield, Colorado, to accommodate additional trailer production, as well as producing a carriage-minus-trailer product called PowerSled for businesses like movie productions requiring mobile platforms with electric power.

Lightship's strategy differs from that of another EV trailer maker, Pebble, primarily in material sourcing. Lightship prioritizes domestic materials, with about 75% of the AE.1's components sourced domestically, and all assembly done in-house. While Pebble offers a lower-priced base model, Lightship has shifted to a single standard base price with various add-ons and upgrades.

For someone like me, unfamiliar with RVs, the AE.1 feels design-forward and includes features that appeal to my desire for modern technology, energy independence, and an improved towing experience in a single product.