New Bowlus trailer model with 17kWh pack that can provide some EV charging

[ecarfan]

Bowlus has launched a new version called the Volterra with an integrated 17kWh battery pack to power the trailer and if needed, charge an EV. Their website show it being towed by a Model X and a Rivian truck, so it’s clear what the target market is for the Volterra.

It includes the capability for OTA updates of the trailer software, probably a first for an RV but obviously old news to Tesla owners. I like the 2-burner induction cooktop, the 50 gal freshwater tank, and the 20A external outlets to give an EV tow vehicle a few miles in emergency situations.

Bowlus marketing amuses and irritates me:

AeroSolar charges as you drive and while you camp, with no need for set up or activation. It is the ultimate user experience.

Many RVs have been able to do that for years now. It’s hardly an innovation.

Volterra is the first travel trailer that is high-speed satellite internet-ready.

What does “ready” mean in this context? Every RV is “ready” for Starlink; plug the router into a 110V outlet and it just works. I did not need to make my Safari Condo Alto trailer “ready” for Starlink.

What the Bowlus Volterra does not do is use the battery pack to power an electric motor to power the trailer wheels. The pack is a bit small to assist the tow vehicle and extend towing range, but electrically driven wheels would be useful for backing the trailer up after unhitching and positioning it in a tight campsite.

The next step in trailer design is to power the wheels to extend the range of the tow vehicle. This would be a real help for those towing with an EV. And there are at least three companies developing such a trailer; Dethleff’s (Germany), Airstream, and Lightspeed, a startup in San Francisco.

 

[shingles]

It’s just so expensive… another level of RV for sure.

 

[ecarfan]

The Volterra model starts at $310,000. The base Bowlus model is $235,000.

These are mind boggling prices. But the design and craftsmanship is impressive.

 

[gglockner]

Hi, Bowlus Terra Firma owner here with a few comments:

1. I agree 100% with @ecarfan about hyperbole in Bowlus marketing. 'nuff said.
2. EV charging just means that it has a 120V/20A outlet, for about 4 miles of range per hour of charge. That's seldom useful.
3. I see pros and cons with the idea of using the RV battery to power the RV. The parking trick of the Airstream eStream will be very handy. Once you get beyond that, using the RV battery to power the RV has a serious downside when you need to charge it enroute: now you have to charge both the tow vehicle and trailer. And if the tow vehicle is a Tesla Model X, you have separate standards (Supercharger vs CCS) - and even if you get a Tesla CCS adapter, most CCS charging stations I see have far fewer chargers than Superchargers.

Nevertheless, I like the innovation I'm seeing for EV RV'ing, and I'm enjoying the journey myself.

 

[gglockner]

And if the tow vehicle is a Tesla Model X, you have separate standards (Supercharger vs CCS) - and even if you get a Tesla CCS adapter, most CCS charging stations I see have far fewer chargers than Superchargers.

And I shudder to think about the hassle of parking a trailer at a charger, unhitching, parking the tow vehicle at another charger, waiting for a charge, then move and hitch again afterwards. Even with the very handy untethered maneuvering capability of the eStream.

When I charge with my Bowlus, I disconnect the trailer somewhere convenient (usually elsewhere in the parking lot) and move the car to the charger. Much easier.

 

[gglockner]

When I charge with my Bowlus, I disconnect the trailer somewhere convenient (usually elsewhere in the parking lot) and move the car to the charger. Much easier.

Over the holidays, we drove the Bowlus to Death Valley. Ar most superchargers, we were able to pull in and charge without disconnecting. That’s even easier yet.

 

[nothingisreal]

You could buy a 100K 2500 diesel, top of the line 40' 5th wheel, and a model 3 to tow as well for less than that thing. INSANE!

 

[gglockner]

You could buy a 100K 2500 diesel, top of the line 40' 5th wheel, and a model 3 to tow as well for less than that thing. INSANE!

And you could buy a hamburger and a DVD player for the cost of a steak dinner. No need to harsh someone else’s mellow.