Industries like Winnebago and newer players like Lightship and Pebble Mobility have been adapting to the electric vehicle market by not only electrifying their systems, but by also reinventing the traditional vehicle model. As the American population shifts towards electric cars, the trailer sector must advance due to the fact that towing consumes energy quickly. Pebble, a California-based startup, has innovated a battery-powered, autonomous, and remotely-controlled trailer.
The travel trailer industry, worth $50 billion, is joining the electric vehicle market. Established names like Winnebago, plus newcomers such as Lightship and Pebble Mobility, are transitioning from traditional systems to electric power, and even restructuring the vehicle itself. This is a response to the battery drain experienced when towing a travel trailer with an EV over long distances. Pebble Mobility, a California-based firm, are launching a new self-propelled, self-powered, remote-controlled trailer that is capable of sleeping four people. The trailer runs on its own electric motor and is equipped with an EV battery, plus a roof-mounted solar array, allowing it to run entirely on renewable energy. Bingrui Yang, Pebble's CEO and former Apple staffer, has incorporated features from the iPhone to make the RV experience easier, such as automated hitching, parking, towing and camping setup. UpHonest Capital, a venture investor, has seen a shift in the RV market from baby boomers to millennials, who are more tech-savvy and interested in a superior experience. Pebble has received financial backing from Lightspeed and Vision Plus and has raised $13.6 million. The trailer can be bought for $109,000 without the self-propelling motor, and $125,000 with the motor, which is comparable to other RVs. Thanks to its solar and battery power, it can function off the grid without the need for extra gas or generators, and is expected to be released in 2024. Lisa Rizzolo of CNBC also contributed to this story.
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