For many Broomfield families, some of the fondest childhood memories come from camping. Speaking of fond childhood memories, learning about the L1 by Lightship, I couldn’t help waxing nostalgic about a favorite movie from my own childhood—Back to the Future. Many of you will recognize these classic one-liners from the 1985 flick, and I hope this brings a smile to your face as you explore the future of the family road trip!
“Great Scott!”
One could easily be forgiven for reacting this way when first seeing the L1. With its sleek, modern look, glassy appearance, and wildly innovative technology, it is striking, elegant, and breathtaking. Wow-factor much? Great Scott indeed!
Best of all, the L1 is purpose-built to make the experience of enjoying the outdoors infinitely better for the entire family. If you ever want to test the strength of your marriage, try working with your spouse to park a trailer. A huge drawback to a traditional RV is the time-consuming hassle of parking, setup, and teardown. With L1 those hassles are a thing of the past, and enjoying more quality family time is a thing of the present. Many of the features and functions of the L1 are controlled by a tablet. Parking, hitching, and leveling are assisted by sensors and cameras. Converting from Road Mode to Camp Mode happens at the tip of your fingers.
“If you’re gonna build a (self-propelled RV of the future), why not do it with some style?”
Of course in the movie, Doc Brown was referring to his beloved DeLorean, and as he pointed out, style matters! The L1 is a beautiful representation of functional style. The sleek design isn’t just for looks. This passive efficiency is a major contributor to the overall towability, fuel economy, and ability of the L1 to get where you want to go—away.
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”
Ok. We definitely need roads where we’re going, but the L1 is designed to make them less of a factor, and far more enjoyable. Tight curves? The L1 has a low profile and low center of gravity, making it extremely stable. Steep grades? The smart drive system senses acceleration and deceleration, keeping you in control at all times.
“…The Flux Capacitor!”
Thankfully, no Flux Capacitor (or plutonium) is required! L1 is powered by batteries and an array of solar panels. “We’ve eliminated the need for multiple, costly, and dangerous fuel systems,” said Toby Kraus, Co-Founder and President of Lightship. “We’re a bunch of EV nerds on a mission to make an RV that we believe is just better. One where you don’t have to deal with all the different fuel sources. Everything just works from a single, clean, renewable source. With the propulsion system, we’re saving people money at the gas station. We’re making an RV life experience that’s cost-efficient, easier, safer, and less intimidating.”
“1.21 Gigawatts!”
Since we’re not exactly time-traveling, and there is no Flux Capacitor, 1.21 gigawatts is far, far beyond what’s needed to power the L1. That being said, you may FEEL like you’re time-traveling! After all, they say time flies when you’re having fun. Thankfully, we’re still well within the realm of kilowatts. Battery capacity comes in 40kWh and 80kWh options, with solar generation capacity up to 3kW.
“Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth’s gravitational pull?”
When it comes to weight, the L1 is anything but heavy. There’s also nothing wrong with the Earth’s gravitational pull, although we feel it a lot more coming down steep grades in the mountains. The L1 was designed to minimize weight and bulk. Keeping it as streamlined and light as possible means less battery drain and maximum range and efficiency.
“When this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you’re going to see some serious_______”
If you’ve ever driven over a mountain pass, especially while towing, you’ll understand the benefit of speed control and reduced stopping distance. The engineers at Lightship have made (arguably) the most intimidating experience of camping as safe as possible. Imagine going down a steep grade on I-70. The integrated braking system enables the L1 to slow itself down, helping the driver maintain control. Additionally, the “smart” tow hitch includes a force sensor that provides input to a computer and will automatically decelerate or accelerate to closely match the speed of the L1 to the speed of the tow vehicle. Brilliant!
“You won’t get back to the future…”
Nope. The L1 experience is certainly “futuristic,” but the point is to leverage innovative technology to bring people together and enjoy living in the present.
About Lightship
Founded in 2020, Lightship is America’s first all-electric RV company on a mission to reimagine the recreational vehicle experience by designing and producing aerodynamic, battery-powered trailers for the electric age. Based in San Francisco and Broomfield, Colorado, Lightship sells its products direct to U.S. consumers on the company’s website at lightshiprv.com.
With its sleek, modern look, glassy appearance, and wildly innovative technology, it is striking, elegant, and breathtaking.
We’re a bunch of EV nerds on a mission to make an RV that we believe is just better... that’s cost-efficient, easier, safer, and less intimidating.