Full off-grid EV-friendly caravans coming
Full off-grid camper to be joined by full-size caravan with massive 200kWh battery packAmerican RV manufacturer Colorado Teardrops has unveiled a prototype of its innovative new teardrop camper trailer that's designed specifically for owners of electric vehicles (EVs).
The Boulder, Colorado-based business said the first stage of product development, using Level 2 charging, is now complete, with DC-to-DC Level 3 fast charging between the camper trailer and the tow vehicle in progress.
Revealed last year, the Boulder EV adventure trailer is aimed at owners of smaller, battery-powered tow vehicles like the Tesla Model 3, and combines a lightweight, aerodynamic teardrop camper design with a built-in battery bank that provides back-up power for the battery-powered tow vehicle when off the grid.
"Purchase agreements for battery systems are in the works, and Colorado Teardrops has partnered with a major automotive manufacturer to advance technology directly relevant to The Boulder," Colorado Teardrops founder Dean Wiltshire said.
"With the electrification of the auto industry, solutions such as The Boulder are needed to enable the mass adoption of electric tow vehicles."
Fitted with a 75kWh lithium-ion battery pack (the same size as a Tesla Model 3 Long Range), the unique off-grid camper is designed to be used as a mobile charging station for the EV tow vehicle and, with the aid of DC-DC Level 3 fast-charging, will add up to 160km of driving range in 10 minutes, or recharge 80 per cent of the tow vehicle's batteries in around 80 minutes.
"If an EV with a 300-mile range was towing The Boulder, its towing range would be expected to be greater than its original 300-mile range capacity due to the auxiliary onboard battery supply provided by The Boulder," Wiltshire said.
Using similar technology, Colorado Teardrops is also working on two EV-friendly full-size luxury caravans: the 17ft 'Golden' and 27ft 'Denver' models.
"These two new towable RV travel trailers are specifically designed for owners of electric cars and trucks and positioned to directly compete with the luxury RV travel-trailer industry," he said.
Like the Boulder camper, the two caravans will boast slippery shapes to minimise air resistance and maximise the EV's towing range, with "hardshell tops that retract into a low aerodynamic profile when towing, and fully extend to provide 6ft 6in of standing headroom when in camping mode".
The futuristic pop-top caravans will also be available with bigger lithium battery packs up to 200kWh.
"These luxury RV travel-trailer models will feature indoor kitchen galleys, bathrooms with showers, premium exterior and interior finishes, and will maintain Colorado Teardrops' promise of quality craftsmanship," he said.
Delivery of the first Boulder camper trailers has been pushed back to the first half of 2023, with prices starting from around US$45,000 (AUD$62,000).
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