Looks like airstream is hooking up with a German company to make an EV trailer.

[Viajeros]

For all the other EV RV nerds out there. Looks like Thor is teaming up with a German company to develop a self propelled EV trailer. Probably mostly for the European market as pick-ups are relatively uncommon there. Kinda cool.

Airstream parent company Thor signs MOU with ZF to build electric RV

Airstream parent company Thor signs MOU with German supplier ZF giving it exclusive rights to build electrified EV travel trailers.

electrek.co

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

ZF demo'd this electric power assist trailer axle over a year ago but it didn't get much attention is the USA, where powerful tow vehicles are readily available. Good to see that Thor is looking forward to when buyers may want more energy efficient vehicles but still want to take their RV on the road.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Boy, a zillion challenges, barriers and trade offs come to mind. But I am sure they will figure out if the cost, complexity and payload implications makes this commercially viable.

Surprised they aren't touting brake/battery recovery system from the get go. It would seem totally logical to harvest energy on deceleration like most EVs do.

I agree with Gary that for the US market where we enjoy big vehicles and still relatively cheap petroleum products it will be harder to get traction.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Surprised they aren't touting brake/battery recovery system from the get go. It would seem totally logical to harvest energy on deceleration like most EVs do.

Less important when the E-drive is on a vehicle that routinely gets plugged in and/or has its own automatic charging system onboard. When the trailer reaches a campground, it auto-magically gets recharged overnight for the next travel day. If the overnight is boondocking, though, would want to have a generator to power the onboard charger.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Right, it takes a visit to another country to appreciate the size, power and price point of the vehicles we have, and the width of the roads we have to drive them on. The "commoners" abroad are driving what we would consider "econo-boxes" and that's all they'll probably ever be able to have. So having an enabling technology like a power-assist trailer may offer an opportunity some folks would otherwise never get.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[opentheroad]

Right, it takes a visit to another country to appreciate the size, power and price point of the vehicles we have, and the width of the roads we have to drive them on. The "commoners" abroad are driving what we would consider "econo-boxes" and that's all they'll probably ever be able to have. So having an enabling technology like a power-assist trailer may offer an opportunity some folks would otherwise never get.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Interesting point. I read that when towns were being laid out in the 1800's in the USA, the planners specifically made the roads super wide (by the standards of the time). I guess it's mostly that we have a big country with lots of space, compared to Europe - those cities with the narrow streets can be cramped.

 

[Tom]

Interesting point. I read that when towns were being laid out in the 1800's in the USA, the planners specifically made the roads super wide (by the standards of the time). I guess it's mostly that we have a big country with lots of space, compared to Europe - those cities with the narrow streets can be cramped.

Aye, I'm not sure I'd want to drive a car down this street in the olde country. Photo taken on a Sunday morning walk in the community known as "The Mumbles".

 

[Old_Crow]

Aye, I'm not sure I'd want to drive a car down this street in the olde country. Photo taken on a Sunday morning walk in the community known as "The Mumbles".

Pshaw! James Bond makes it look easy.

I'll tell you a town in the states I didn't like driving my rig through...Taos, NM. That main drag is narrow and crowded.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

My rite of passage were roads in the Cotswolds in a rented range rover, a large SUV by English standards. After the first day the left (passenger) side was all scraped up from driving against hedgerows while making room on narrow roads for cars coming from the other direction. Often our mirrors cleared by inches. My driving skill insecurity was mitigated after seeing cars in the parking lot of a grocery store that all had scrape marks on the passenger side. It's just what you do when you meet an oncoming car on a 10 foot wide road with hedgerows or stone walls on both sides. The other disconcerting situation is you place a lot of faith on other drivers to not pull out onto busy, fast, narrow, curvy roads. This while lorries are coming at you at speed that barely fit in the lane. Different than driving in American cities though where you have to pay attention to people speeding, cutting you off, running red lights.



Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Oldgator73]

those cities with the narrow streets can be cramped.

But they still manage to operate 18 wheelers and big buses on those cramped streets (both Japan and the UK where spent 4&5 years). In Japan if you have drivers license you are considered a professional driver. If you are involved in an accident, no matter the situation, you are somewhat at fault.

 

[opentheroad]

But they still manage to operate 18 wheelers and big buses on those cramped streets (both Japan and the UK where spent 4&5 years). In Japan if you have drivers license you are considered a professional driver. If you are involved in an accident, no matter the situation, you are somewhat at fault.

Japan really is on a different level sometimes!