(Credit: Lightship)
What do you get when you add an electric powertrain to an RV? A more efficient way to get outside, Lightship argues.
Its first model goes on sale in mid-2025 for next summer's adventures. The vehicle, dubbed the AE.1 Cosmos Edition, is a tow-behind trailer that propels itself down the highway, resulting in "near-zero range loss" if the vehicle towing it is an EV. For gas drivers, the tank doesn't drain nearly as fast.
“With the limited-edition Lightship AE.1 Cosmos, we’re delivering a dream travel experience for sustainable travelers, tech lovers and EV enthusiasts,” says Ben Parker, Lightship co-founder and chief product officer. “Our mission is to bring RVs into the electric age with the AE.1."
(Credit: Lightship)In 2023, we were one of the first publications to cover and take a tour of Lightship's initial prototype, known at the time as the Lightship L1. We thought it was a smart way to adapt passenger vehicle electrification technology and make RVs more efficient. At the time, it was slated to start around $125,000.
Now, it's out of the prototype phase and hitting the market with a new name, the AE.1. Also new is a much higher price tag of $250,000 for an exclusive first run of 50 RVs. It can be typical for EVs to come on the market at their most premium trims, which is what Tesla did for the Cybertruck and General Motors for the Chevy Blazer EV, for example.
"The team has spent the last year refining the L1 prototype that you’ve seen, so while it will still very much be a Lightship, both the exterior and the interior have been refined," Lightship tells us. "The AE.1 Cosmos Edition is a limited-run, full-tilt expression of the previous L1 Long Range ($151,500) with expanded features."
(Credit: Lightship)The Cosmos sleeps four and comes "fully loaded with every upgrade Lightship offers," including an ultra premium interior with a new lounge, improved front sleeping area, full kitchen with dishwasher, and custom storage system. It even has an automotive-grade HVAC system.
On the tech side, it offers a Wi-Fi-enabled sound system large, high-voltage battery system, automatic RV leveling for uneven ground, and an automated wastewater system. It powers the interior with its battery, as well as a solar roof that keeps the power flowing when you're parked at a campsite. This could eliminate the need to run a noisy generator or pack propane tanks.
More affordable trims are on the way. Following the AE.1 Cosmos Edition's summer 2025 release, Lightship will introduce the Atmos, Panos, and Terros trims in 2026. The Terros trim will drop the price back down to the original $125,000, though it probably won't include luxuries litke the dishwasher and automated waste system.
The AE.1 Cosmos Edition will first be offered to early reservation holders before opening up to all customers. Lightship is also taking refundable reservations on the three future trims at lightshiprv.com.
A competing electric RV, the Pebble Flow, was slated to go on sale this year at $109,000 with autonomous driving assists and pre-wiring for Starlink, though it appears to still be only available for preorder.