The popular RV peer-to-peer rental platform, RVshare, has announced a partnership with Lightyear RV that gives its users priority access to reserve its recently announced L1. The L1 is an all-electric, self-propelled travel trailer that goes on sale in 2024. Lightship itself is accepting pre-orders directly for $500 apiece, but RVshare users who begin the process on its website will move to the front of the line.
The L1’s selling proposition is that it’s self-propelled, which means it effectively reduces the range-hit an electric vehicle would experience while towing it to nothing. The company says this means “a 300-mile range electric vehicle (EV) used to tow it remains a 300-mile range EV, and a 25-mpg gas truck remains a 25-mpg gas truck.” Test after test has shown that EV range falls dramatically, usually over 50 percent, while towing heavy loads like trailers; Lightship’s solution neutralizes this disadvantage and makes EV towing a practical, if not expensive, reality.
The L1 comes with a large 80 kWh battery pack and electric powertrain. It’s 27-feet long and its height goes from 6 feet, 9 inches tall in Road Mode to 10 feet tall in Camp Mode. It weighs around 7,500 pounds fully loaded, which isn’t bad considering its size and the big battery on board. The roof and dual awnings are also covered with solar panels to help keep that battery charged and powering the trailer’s many electric appliances.
Some in the comments have balked at the L1’s starting price of $125,000, especially for an RV you may only use for a short time each year. That’s true, though there are plenty RVers who travel the majority of the year and have the disposable income to put towards an L1.
There could also be other uses for the L1 while it’s parked near your home. Lightship says the L1 can charge your electric vehicle, which means it includes some form of bi-directional charging. With the right software, it could even power your house during an outage or act like a bank of Tesla Powerwalls that stores solar energy for your home to use throughout the day.
If all this speculation has you eager to secure a spot for the L1, click here to start the priority reservation process through RVshare.
