Grounded RVs made big news last month when it presented what looks to be America's first affordable all-electric camper van. The Detroit startup has no intention of being strictly a camper van or motorhome brand, though, and also has a camping trailer in its plans. The impressive caravan will rely on a swoopy, low-riding design for efficient towing, rising at camp into a standing-room wilderness cabin with four walls of uninterrupted windows serving up the best views possible. A modular interior will allow customers more personalization in building their perfect camping space.
More than just a future product, the Grounded trailer, referred to simply as Aerodynamic Towable (AT) at this stage, is the next piece of Grounded's manufacturing masterplan. The company will use a series of modular components to manufacture highly customized products at scale, and using those components across products and segments will help it achieve that goal. So the AT trailer will share modules and floor plan possibilities with the G1 camper van.
Things will look very different between van and trailer around the perimeter of those floor plans, though, as Grounded's first trailer design replaces tall, solid walls with a retractable roof that drops low for towing. Couple that with a sleek, curvaceous design optimized for aerodynamic performance, and the trailer should make towing as efficient as possible. Grounded plans to use advanced composites in the trailer's construction, ensuring a low weight for better compatibility with electric vehicles and smaller cars and crossovers.
The Grounded AT's mix of streamlined towing and pop-up living space reminds us of the Udo iCamp trailer we looked at following the 2018 Düsseldorf Caravan Salon. However, instead of fabric walls with roll-up windows, it uses a more impressive design with hard window panels around all four walls. We envision it working like a 3D version of a power car window, with the windows rising and lowering at the push of a button. The rear-end of the trailer serves as a swinging entry door, and the design includes a matching swing-open window to create full-height door space.
Not only does the 360-degree window array deliver views in every direction, it helps push the ceiling height to 6.5 feet (198 cm), allowing all but the tallest campers to stand comfortably.
While the modular ecosystem will mean that one Grounded AT trailer will vary from the next, the company has listed a number of planned specs, including up to 1,500 watts of top-mounted solar, a smart electronics control system, a queen bed and a dry-flush toilet.
The AT trailer is still in the early development stages, and plans call for a 2025 launch. Before then, Grounded plans to show its second modular electric camper van, the 250-mile (402-km) G2, later this year.
Source: Grounded