Electrified Bivouacking
MOVEMENT: TRACKING NOTABLE MOVEMENTS IN MOBILITY
Lightship and Jayco are making breakthroughs with electric power to allow for sustained, off-the-grid enjoyment of the great outdoors.
Originally published: March 31, 2023
Lightship Debuts Flagship L1 Electric RV
Live off-grid for a week without a second thought. That is the value proposition put forward by Lightship—the L1 ushers in a new electrified era of bivouacking in electrified comfort.
True Power in the Great Outdoors
Lightship has publicly debuted the L1 electric RV, offering a next-generation fully electrified recreational vehicle. With a battery capacity of 40kWh or 80kWh as an option and up to 3kW of extensive solar paneling atop the L1, the L1 has enough onboard power to support bivouacking in comfort. Lightship says camp-side power can be supplied for up to 7 days.
Electric Tow-Assist
While towing, the L1’s streamlined shape and lowered configuration maximize towing efficiency. The trailer’s electric drivetrain assists with all-electric towing for up to 300 miles. This innovation should make longer-distance electrified towing possible. Up to now, towing with electric vehicles like the GMC’s Hummer EV or Ford’s F-150 Lightning has been a challenge due to the towing’s impact on the range, which can be up to two-thirds less in some cases. It is great to see multiple companies, including large automotive manufacturers and startups, progressing electric mobility in complementary ways like this.
The L1’s purpose-built EV backbone is far more streamlined and well thought out than current RV industry offerings that often seem cobbled together. Power can assist in towing, extending time out in the great outdoors, or as a backup power source during power outages at home.
Bringing the Outdoors In
A flexible yet minimalist interior design and the extensive use of glass on the L1’s upper section enhance the open feeling of the interior. The L1 includes a full private wet bath or what Lightship refers to as a “relaxing spa bathroom.” There are accommodations for cooking outdoors via a slide-out kitchen table and induction cooktop, allowing L1 owners to bring the indoors outside should they choose to.
With no noisy gas-powered generator needed, the peace of the outdoors can be thoroughly enjoyed. Pop-out siding provides shaded areas and maximizes solar panel efficiency while bringing the outdoors in. The thoughtful layout can accommodate up to 4-6 people with sleeping arrangements depending upon the configuration chosen.
Scheduled production begins in late 2024. Lightship expects to sell the L1 electric RV trailer at a starting price of $125,000. According to Lightship, the L1 is positioned well to appeal to those in the market for an Airstream trailer or similar offering.
Jayco Empowers Class B RV Segment
Jayco takes on the segment-leading Winnebago Revel with the new Terrain featuring a huge 48 Volt 10 amp hour lithium battery providing 10KW hours of power.
The Power To Bivouac Longer
Winnebago has been leading the Class-B adventure van segment for some time now with its impressive Revel. Known for listening to its customers and continually improving its products, the bivouac recently sent a few feature suggestions to a leading Winnebago dealer. It was a pleasant surprise to hear from the company that they appreciated the tips and would consider including them in future vehicles. This happened despite not having purchased a car from the company. Good on Winnebago!
Fast forward a few years and many of those suggested features manifest in the Jayco Terrain. It seems that Jayco has taken a page from Apple’s playbook. Rather than being first to market, they have been learning from the competition and now are offering a compelling product with several improvements over the Revel. Two key features that the bivouac recommended are currently shipping in the Terrain.
Best Seats in the House
The first suggestion was to improve Winnebago’s rear bench seating, which only has one three-point safety belt. The second seating position is a lap belt only. Jayco’s Terrain offers properly crash-tested rear seating for two adults. Both seats have three-point safety belts. Jayco cleverly accommodates side-by-side independent seating in the constrained class B coach space using a sliding system. While in transit, the rear seats can slide apart, opening up shoulder and elbow room. Once at a bivouac site, the seats can be slid back close to one another, opening up crucial center walkway space.
The Terrain’s seats include a tilting feature, enhancing rear passenger comfort. One minor suggestion to Jayco would be to match the seating material quality and color of the front seats provided by Mercedes-Benz to unify the front section and seating overall.
Proper Onboard Power
A second suggestion to Winnebago was to enhance Revel’s onboard power. While Winnebago has modestly improved the Revel’s battery capacity since going electric a couple of years ago, Jayco now offers far more off-grid power. Jayco’s 48-volt power solution is specified as follows:
48V - 210 amp hour intelligent lithium battery providing 10KW hours of power
3,500W inverter
2nd 48V alternator is dedicated to a lithium battery
30 amp electrical service with detachable power cord
200W of roof-mounted solar panels
Slow-charge solar panel for chassis battery
Supplying this much onboard power inside the coach marks a change in in-coach battery capability. This approach preserves the Terrain’s ground clearance, which is essential to take on rougher trails. Batteries inside the vehicle’s rear gear garage provide more protection from cold temperatures that can harm battery systems. The added power can run the Terrain’s rear air conditioner for extended periods, which has only been possible with larger systems like the Volta system until now. The 3,500-watt inverter is significantly more helpful than the 2000-watt inverter found in the Revel, allowing more powered essentials to run simultaneously. Planning the day can now focus on which trailhead to hit first rather than which appliance to use first.
Additional Features and Attention to the Details
Jayco has been sweating details on the new Terrain. The vehicle has an exterior port to accommodate additional solar panels. The Revel has this feature, too, but the connection port is paradoxically located inside the coach. Jayco provides an exterior 110-volt power outlet, which Winnebago removed. The Terrain has a sound system with interior and external speakers. Revel owners have cited Revel’s sound system as a weak point. The Terrain’s roof-mounted led bar will likely prove helpful on trails at night.
Further design refinements are present in the powered rear side window. Unlike in the Revel, the Terrain’s wet bath door is just wide enough to serve as a privacy divider between the front and rear of the vehicle when opened. This can be helpful if one person is up early or late while another sleeps in the back of the Terrain. It also helps protect the rear sleeping area from light coming in from the front of the coach. The placement of lighting above the exterior toilet access port shows an excellent user-centered design. A larger refrigerator and a residential-style faucet, which makes cleaning dishes easier, are welcomed additions to the kitchen area, as are two clever extending countertop surfaces.
Jayco’s JAYCOMMAND touch panels powered by Firefly reduce internal wiring. An onboard air compressor is also provided, something that Revel owners have to add to air-up tires after dropping their pressure to maximize traction and make trail travel smoother. Jayco’s JRIDE® suspension seems a step up in quality from the Revel and offers Koni® shocks and a heavy-duty rear stabilizer. The Terrain also comes better equipped from Mercedes-Benz with fully powered front seats. Finally, except for the exterior wrap package, which is fortunately optional, the aesthetics of the Terrain are far more upscale than the Revel.
At first glance, the Jayco Terrain may seem like a Revel clone. However, it has benefitted from the Revel being on the market for a few years. Jayco designers have made several meaningful improvements to the Terrain. Overall, seeing this kind of competition moving the highly competitive adventure van segment forward is welcome. Incremental advances in safety, power, comfort, and convenience come with each passing year, but the 2023 Terrain marks a significant advancement in all these areas.
Prices remain high with the 2023 Winnebago Revel listing for $210,292 and the 2023 Jayco Terrain listing for $212,250, respectively, although actual pricing seems less than listing prices. Seeing how the #Vanlife trend evolves as we exit the pandemic will be interesting. Regardless, the Terrain is another excellent option for getting out there to find your next bivouac spot.
MORE ELECTRIFIED BIVOUACKING
Electric Reconnaissance
So once you’ve made it to that perfect camping spot to bivouac for a day or two…or seven if you have a Lightship L1…what is the best way to check out the surroundings? Well, chances are it will be hard to beat a Surron Light Bee. With a range of around 25 miles, depending on terrain and your riding style, this lightweight cross between a mountain bike and dirt bike is the perfect way to recon in silence. The Surron weighs around 130 lbs and has a frame with solid welding and design geometry. With plenty of power, the Surron is quite capable out of the box, providing quick and agile jump on it and go electric conveyance.
You can pick up a Surron from Lunacycle, Surron’s North American distributor. Current pricing has now dropped from $4,350 to $4,200. Need more range or power? Well, there are plenty of emerging aftermarket options to provide expanded battery offerings, more robust wheels, and more.
Have you pushed your stock Surron as far as it can go? Two great American companies are out there to help with power and wheel upgrade needs. These include Chi Battery Systems and Woody’s Wheel Works.
Image & Video Credits: Lightship, Jayco, Surron