Hauling a travel trailer is a rapid way to drain the battery of an electric vehicle. Even the heftiest EVs, cargo-focused – the new Hummer, Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian’s R1T – will lose two-thirds of their usual range when hauling the average mid-sized caravan.
California-based Polydrops doesn't believe in big trailers. The company specialises in contemporary versions of the classic ‘teardrop’, micro caravans, with space for a double bed and an outdoor kitchen and very little else.
Its newest model, the P17A1, is explicitly designed to be hauled by mid-sized EVs, with onboard batteries and solar panels to boost its off-grid abilities.
The new trailer might be compact, but it has all mod cons, including a battery-powered climate control system, buoyed by a hefty amount of insulation to keep the interior snug in low temperatures.
Up on top, there’s a coating of solar panels that not only powers the climate system, but also the rear-mounted kitchen, which has a fridge, stove and sink. Pull-out work surfaces create space to cook.
Teardrops aren’t exactly renowned for their spacious interiors, but the faceted form of the P17A1 has been shaped for maximum storage and headroom, with a generous skylight above the bed.
Aerodynamics were also an essential element of the design. The company used Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 as a test vehicle, spending two years honing the form of the trailer to ensure it was as slippery as possible.
Polydrops quotes a range of 215 miles at a speed of 65mph, noting that the Ioniq 5 only loses 15 per cent of its quoted range when hauling the tiny trailer. This impressive result required the addition of spoilers, vortex generators and a flat underbody to the trailer.
Strong, silent, and stealthy, the P17A1 points to a future of off-grid living with zero-emissions.
Polydrops P17A1 All Electric, price information from Polydrops.
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