Airstream, the company that defined American camping, has finally received an electrifying makeover to bring it into the 21st century. Thor Industries, the parent company of Airstream, has unveiled a new battery-powered trailer called the eStream that’s designed for emissions-free camping. It can also park itself!
Airstream customers will be happy to know that the eStream camper retains the charming retro style that Airstream is known for. However, the tech inside is at the cutting edge.
Built on Airstream’s towable platform, the eStream is powered with an electric drivetrain made up of two motors that each power one of the trailer’s wheels. This setup, which produces 242 hp and 132 ft lbs of torque, pushes the camper forward to greatly relieve the burden from the tow vehicle. Since the tow car is no longer lugging a heavy camper, it’ll use less fuel (or energy, if it’s an EV).
The eStream has an 80 kWh battery pack and an integrated fuel cell. That should give the ecamper a range of about 300 miles. The camper is also fitted with solar panels that feed up to 900 watts of clean energy to the batteries to power the onboard amenities. Thor says this will allow you to live off the grid for up to two weeks.
Control of the eStream can be done remotely via an app on your smartphone or tablet. You can use the app to back the eStream into a campsite without the tow vehicle even being involved. The app also monitors battery levels and suggests the nearest and most convenient charging stations.
The interior of the eStream features a bedroom, living room and kitchen, along with a TV, microwave and fridge. You can also expect all the fancy gadgets and smart home technologies, like voice-activated climate controls and lighting.
The Airstream eStream is officially a concept camper at this point. However, it seems like an idea that should go into production. It’s not the only one pursuing this rapidly expanding sector, though. Winnebago unveiled its first all-electric camping concept van a while ago and Mercedes-Benz has also debuted a zero-emission RV.
A mass-market eStream would most likely have a higher price than a normal camper of this size, but the model’s trick EV powertrain and large capacity batteries offer peace of mind that should be worth the surchage.
