Most of us already know that adding weight to an EV drops its driving range. Towing a camper significantly drops the range even more. But what if a camper was specifically designed for an EV? A travel trailer company from Glendale, CA just did that.
Polydrop has been designing travel trailers since 2017 and revealed their first one designed for the EV market this year. It’s called the P17A and sports neat gull-wing style doors.
Gallery: Polydrops Camper For EVs
To help with aerodynamics, the company installed an aero underbody and a large tongue cover was added to reduce the vacuum effect created between the towing vehicle and trailer. But, that’s just the beginning.
The P17A also comes standard with a floor-mounted 2.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can be upgraded to a 4.8 or a large 12 kWh battery pack. In addition, you have the option of 260- or 520-watt solar panels.
Running off the battery pack is a full HVAC system, LED interior lighting, optional Bluetooth speakers, a 12-volt outlet, 2 USB charging ports, and a 110-volt outlet. If you opt for the Kitchenette Module, the fridge and stove are also powered by the battery pack.
With the optional large 12 kWh battery pack, the company claims you can have climate-controlled camping for 6 days. When the battery level gets low and needs charging, there is a 110-volt inlet charging port.
All of that sounds great, but how does it affect range? According to the company, towing its camper using a 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range (RWD) would still give you 245 miles of range out of its 310-mile driving range. A 2021 Model 3 Long Range would have a 268-mile driving range with the camper, according to the company. That’s about a 20-25 percent reduction in range.
EV Towing Stories
If you're interested, the camper starts at $24,990 with the standard 2.4 kWh battery pack and 260-watt solar panels. The 4.8 kWh pack will cost you an extra $2,000 and the large 12 kWh pack is an extra $8,000. The upgraded 520-watt solar panels is another $600. Bluetooth speakers are $500 and if you want the kitchenette module that comes with a fridge, induction stove, sink, water tanks, storage boxes, and an aluminum countertop, that will run you another $1,850.
Source: Polydrops