Where are we with electric trailers?
As you have seen in our previous articles, transporting a trailer using an electric vehicle has a price. This price is a reduction of almost half the autonomy of the vehicle. This reality therefore requires preparation, vigilance and unparalleled organization to ensure optimal and safe travel. Impossible to ignore that this can sometimes be a real headache. Good news, the arrival of electric trailers on the market is now upon us! Let’s see how this will impact us.
German RV manufacturer Dethleffs tested a potential new solution by designing the E.Home trailer. A trailer with two electric motors and its own batteries to assist the towing vehicle. The E.Home uses its two electric motors to accelerate in symbiosis with the towing vehicle. Under the trailer there are two 40 kW batteries and two motors each with a maximum power of 90 kW (121 horsepower) and a continuous power of 30 kW (40 horsepower).
Last month, Dethleffs put his E.Home trailer to the test by driving a 390 km route, using an Audi E-Tron Sportback SUV, through the Alps. A route very popular with European caravan owners. According to the EPA, the Audi E-Tron has a range of 330 km. Result? The Audi vehicle towed the trailer without reloading it for the entire trip, which lasted more than 6 hours at normal speed. The system is designed to provide acceleration equivalent to what the car alone would normally provide. The configuration is calibrated in order to improve the stability of the vehicle and the trailer.
We are talking with E.Home about a future proof of concept, since the latter is not yet legal in Europe. However, several pilot projects held by German trailer companies are underway and supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, thus leading us to believe that their arrival on the European notes is coming soon!
For America, Dethleffs has not confirmed anything regarding his presence. Luckily for us, American trailer company Airstream announced plans to design electric trailers earlier this year. Airstream says it is experimenting with attaching an electric motor to the trailer’s axle to provide additional driving force, while refining the aerodynamics to make the trailers lighter and sleeker. This two-pronged approach promises to reduce fuel consumption and improve driving dynamics so drivers no longer have to haul a heavy, bulky trailer.
Another model that has the market buzzing is the “Boulder” by Colorado Teardrops. It has a bank of batteries integrated into the frame of the trailer, which allows the electric vehicle to be charged at full autonomy. The difference with the models above is that this one is already on presale at a cost of 55,000 USD.
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References :
- https://www.aveq.ca/actualiteacutes/pour-remorquer-avec-un-ve-devrions-nous-utiliser-une-remorque-electrique?fbclid=IwAR0_VqupYCS-0F_Jci2Q3_cj_7qK4klFTd2gBkbnWjfYEdks74QrK_ycNgg
- https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1133124_towing-with-an-ev-are-electric-trailers-the-future
- https://newatlas.com/automotive/boulder-range-electric-camping-trailer/
- https://jalopnik.com/this-camper-has-a-clever-solution-to-the-problem-of-tow-1847481623
- https://insideevs.com/news/488302/airstream-to-make-electric-assisted-camper/
- https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/08/this-teardrop-trailer-could-be-perfect-for-electric-vehicle-camping/
- https://www.fr24news.com/fr/a/2021/08/cette-remorque-en-forme-de-larme-pourrait-etre-parfaite-pour-le-camping-en-vehicule-electrique.html
- https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/airstream-developing-new-electric-drivetrain-details-2898375/