Setting Up A Dirt Cheap All-Electric RV – CleanTechnica

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Gandhi supposedly said (but most likely didn’t): “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” I’ve been seeing a similar trend happen with electric RVing.

First, they said it was impossible. An electric RV would NEVER happen! The cost of batteries is too high. The charging stations aren’t there. You’d need 2 million dollars just to make it work in a half-assed way! EVs that size can only operate in cities with dedicated charging networks (electric buses). Fuggheddaboutit!

But, after years of it being impossible, it became possible. But it’s a clown show. “Electric trucks can’t tow!” they said. “The range is simply too short, and you spend way too much time charging!” Multiple tests towing trailers with early Rivians and F-150 Lightnings showed that it was possible, but not very practical. With an RV, you should be able to drive hundreds of miles, pump some diesel in, and then drive hundreds more.

Now, we’re starting to reach the point where anti-EV people are fighting electric trucks, because they’re a serious threat to the remaining bastions of fossil fuel dominance. The first real crack in the wall came when the Silverado EV was shown to be a reasonably good tow vehicle. In the most extreme testing, it was able to drive from Denver to Grand Junction (over the famed Rocky Mountains) without charging! Being able to tow 200–300 miles between stops and then pull in 350 kW to replenish the pack puts it in striking distance.

Now, we’re seeing other manufacturers offer big batteries. Rivian has an option for over 400 miles of range, which would be competitive with the Silverado. Other manufacturers are certainly going to be introducing their own big battery options in the coming months. It’s unclear whether or when Tesla plans to offer supplementary batteries to go in the bed of the Cybertruck, but that’s certainly a viable option.

The big thing keeping people from jumping in now is price, but you don’t need millions of dollars for a vehicle with sufficient battery. Cheaper work truck variants of the Silverado EV can be had in the $60,000s, and $70,000s now, while more lux trims are going for around $100,000. Rivian offers a 410-mile rated R1S starting at $90,000, and similar R1T (pickup) models can be had starting in the $80,000s.

Don’t get me wrong, that’s still a lot of money, but when you look at the RV market, it’s really not that bad. When you add the price of one of these trucks to the price of a nicer large camper they can pull, you end up with a price that’s comparable to the more entry-level Class A (bus-like) RVs. But, unlike the RV, you don’t need to pay through the nose for gas or diesel, you don’t need to run a generator to get air conditioning (the truck can power the camper with its huge battery), and you can unhook the truck to go explore after you set up camp. It’s pretty obvious what the better deal is!

It’s Possible To Go Cheaper, & Quality Is Improving At The Bottom

While I’d love to pick up a Silverado EV and a larger camper (Chevrolet, if you guys are reading this, you have my number), the cost of doing that would mean selling my house. I’d be fine with living in a trailer pulled by an EV, but other members of my family aren’t comfortable with the idea. It’s honestly a situation that has been depressing me, because I have a more nomadic personality.

But, there are cheaper options now that many people can afford a lot easier than a $150,000 electric truck plus lux camper setup. I’ll start at the very bottom and work my way up!

If you’re willing to put up with some compromises, you could get into electric RVing for $20,000–$25,000 today. Start with a Chevy Bolt EUV, as its shape is a lot more aerodynamically compatible with trailers than the slightly smaller Bolt EV. You can find these for sale under $20,000 all the time, but used rentals from Hertz can go for as low as $15,000 sometimes. If you add a Torklift EcoHitch to the vehicle, you can safely pull 1500-2000 lb. Then, get a small trailer, like a teardrop, a cargo trailer to haul glamping gear, or a pop-up camper for a few thousand dollars used.

The big drawback is that the range drops to around 120 miles and charging is slow on the Bolt EUV, but you can carry all of the comforts of home along and even have electricity at campsites if you wire an inverter to the 12V battery (and keep the car running so it doesn’t go dead). I used the car on my trips to charge a Jackery power station, which powers a kitchen and even HVAC for my Shiftpods!

If you have more money or can afford more payment, there are some better options than what I currently use. A Tesla Model Y can tow up to 3500 pounds, comes with a bigger battery, and charges a lot faster than the bargain basement used Bolt EUV. So, it’s even better with a small trailer, or can handle something a little bigger and more comfortable.

Moving up into the higher segments, you can now find a number of okay tow vehicles. They won’t pull a big trailer 200 miles like the Silverado EV or the Rivian with the largest pack, but if you pull a more modest mid-sized trailer or a larger pop-up camper (aero is the biggest factor for towing range), vehicles like the Kia EV9, the F-150 Lightning with the smaller battery option, the Tesla Model X, and others can still be great performers. A whole setup in this range can be had in the $50,000–$80,000 range, depending on what you buy.

All in all, it’s about finding the EV you can afford and then finding a suitable used trailer or DIYing something together that works well with it.

But, if you can afford the big guns (Silverado EV and Rivian Max Pack), you’ll still have a much better experience!

Featured image by Jennifer Sensiba.