Electric RV specialist Lightship is officially entering the recreation vehicle segment with a renamed version of its all-electric travel trailer, formerly known as the L1. Today, the company unveiled the Lightship AE.1—the production-ready version of its predecessor. It is now on sale as a limited “Cosmo Edition,” of which only a limited supply will be built and sold.
As we’ve detailed in the past, Lightship is a startup rooted in San Francisco with operations in Broomfield, Colorado. It was founded in 2020 by Ben Parker and Toby Kraus—two industry veterans with impressive resumes that include notable contributions at Tesla.
The young company first caught our attention when it quietly launched in the summer of 2022 before officially stepping out of the shadows a year later. During that time, Lightship declared itself the first all-electric RV company, designing unique battery-powered trailers for the all-electric age while striving to bring fresh and, more importantly, sustainable options to a stale trailer and RV segment.
Lightship’s progress began on the wheels of its flagship electric travel trailer, the L1, whose telescoping aerodynamic design caught the attention of many electric mobility enthusiasts. Last December, we spoke to the startup’s founders, who walked us through the design process of this one-of-a-kind, aerodynamic electric trailer.
By January of 2024, capitalists had also caught wind of the design feats Lightship had accomplished with the L1 and opened their checkbooks to commit $34 million in Series B funding to help the startup accelerate electric trailer production.
Eleven months later, Lightship has a production-ready version of the L1 it has now renamed, and today begins accepting initial orders as it gears up to start mass producing them.
Lightship’s electric trailer renamed “AE.1” ahead of sales
Today, Lightship officially unveiled the final design of its flagship electric travel trailer, which is now called the AE.1. The vehicle launch begins with a special Cosmos Edition which will see a limited production run of 50 units, all developed and assembled at the company’s facilities in Colorado. Lightship co-founder and chief product officer Ben Parker elaborated:
With the limited-edition Lightship AE.1 Cosmos, we’re delivering a dream travel experience for
sustainable travelers, tech lovers and EV enthusiasts. Our mission is to bring RVs into the electric age with the AE.1. The Cosmos Edition is the first premium realization, and we have other trims to fit travelers’ needs
coming quickly down the road.
The AE.1, built by “America’s first all-electric recreational manufacturer” features the same modular, telescoping, aerodynamic design showcased in the L1 as well as a “TrekDrive” power system that uses an electric motor to deliver near-zero range loss for EV drivers and less miles-per-gallon drain for gas vehicles towing it
The premium-level Cosmos Edition of the AE.1 features a plush interior focused on sustainability, function, and space. Its roof features an integrated, full-solar design that enables an all-electric camping experience without the annoying noise of a gas generator or the hazards of having combustible propane tanks onboard.
The AE.1 offers room to sleep four and comes complete with an automotive-grade HVAC system, a fully outfitted bathroom, and a Galley Kitchen with all the luxuries of comfortable off-grid living, including a dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, convection oven, and induction cooktop.
The 50 planned builds of the AE.1 Cosmo Edition electric travel trailer will be available in two unique colorways and are expected to begin production in the summer of 2025. Each Cosmo Edition costs $250,000 and will be sold to early reservation holders first before being made available to other interested parties.
Following deliveries of the Cosmo Edition, Lightship shared plans for three additional trims of its electric travel trailer. They are called Atmos, Panos, and Terros and will “serve travelers’ needs with distinct feature sets and price points.” The company said it will continue to accept refundable reservations for the three future trim levels, but its immediate focus is on getting the premium version of the electric travel trailer out to those interested customers.
You can learn more here and place a reservation if you’d like.
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