Go All-Electric for Your Next Road Trip

Over the past decade, electric vehicles (EVs) have entered the mainstream. Companies like Tesla, Rivian, Ford, General Motors, and others have proven that EVs can actually outperform gas-powered vehicles and provide a vastly better experience for drivers while reducing environmental impact.

Despite the success of EVs, we are only beginning to see the electrification of the most popular vehicle segments in the U.S. – trucks and SUVs. With over 650,000 vehicles sold, the Ford F-Series was the No. 1 selling vehicle in the U.S. in 2022.

Meanwhile, recreational vehicles (RVs) have grown massively in popularity with 1 in 10 families owning an RV today. Over 90% of RVs sold are towable, and are themselves significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. To make matters worse, RVs are quite literally dragging down the progress of electrification of the vehicles that tow them – namely the trucks and SUVs that dominate vehicle sales in the U.S.

Lightship is reimagining the RV and camping experience to enable the next wave of electrification and provide a delightful outdoor travel experience for all.

Here are some reasons why you should consider an electric RV.

An electric RV can get you where you are going and save money

Ford has said that about 70% of F-150 buyers use it to tow. While new EV trucks can cover a range of 300+ miles, when they are used for towing an RV there is a significant increase in drag, which leads to a dramatic reduction in vehicle range of 50% or more. It’s important to note that this problem is not unique to electric vehicles – for gas and diesel vehicles it manifests as a massive drop in a vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg).

As gas prices reach all-time highs this is particularly troubling for RV owners. This means that legacy RV designs are expensive for owners of gas and diesel tow vehicles and, in many cases, prevent EV truck owners from going RVing at all. By designing a new type of trailer from the ground up, purpose-built for aerodynamic efficiency and combined with a large EV battery and an electric propulsion system, a near-zero-range-loss (or mpg efficiency loss) experience is possible.

All electric RV’s provide a seamless camping experience

RVs today rely on multiple fuels and systems to power the camping experience, including a noisy generator to provide electricity; propane for heating, cooking, and often times refrigeration; a 12V battery for a small amount of power backup, and an electrical hookup at an RV site if you want to be sure all of your amenities work. Compare this to the experience in your home or a vacation in an Airbnb. You arrive. Everything just works. By combining an EV powertrain with a residential-scale solar system, it's possible to streamline this camping experience and use a single reliable fuel source: electricity. And this fuel source can be generated at your campsite, by your RV from the sun.

A no-compromise battery system coupled with solar can provide days of power without charging, which brings peace of mind and provides more time to enjoy the trip.

Going electric is easier on the environment & your mind

At Lightship, we’re accelerating a shift away from fossil fuels to power travel trailers. We’re doing this not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because these fossil fuels fundamentally compromise the RVing experience. Googling the nearest tractor supply store for a propane refill as the sun sets and your heat has shut off is an activity no one needs to repeat.

An all-electric RV travel experience removes the impacts of fossil fuels on some of our most treasured natural spaces while saving thousands of dollars in fuel costs, substantially reducing towing complications, enabling longer trips, and improving the overall camping experience.