Tern has just unveiled a new pair of electric bikes in collaboration with Airstream, and they might be the most “on-brand” accessories an RV owner could dream of.

The two-bike collection includes special edition versions of Tern’s Vektron S10 and HSD P5I e-bikes. Those two models are already well-loved e-bikes in the urban mobility world, known for their bulletproof designs and rugged everyday rider build quality. But now they come wrapped in Airstream’s signature polished aluminum aesthetic and are purpose-built for life on the road… or more accurately, life off the road.

The new Vektron S10 Airstream by Tern is a premium folding electric bike that combines compact stowability with full-size performance. It folds down in seconds and tucks neatly into an Airstream trailer or tow vehicle.

And it’s not just a pretty new face, either. This is still a Bosch-powered, cargo-capable workhorse that can haul groceries or even a kiddo on the rear rack.

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The second model, the HSD P5I Airstream by Tern, is a compact electric cargo bike that’s essentially a small pickup truck disguised as a bike. You get serious utility in a short, nimble package. It’s ideal for campsite errands, runs into town, or cruising around a rally site.

Both models use Bosch’s Performance line drive system with pedal assist up to 20 mph (32 km/h), and they tap into Tern’s impressively deep accessory ecosystem so you can spec them out with front racks, passenger seats, panniers, and more. The Vektron S10 Airstream is priced at $3,699, while the HSD P5I Airstream rolls out at $5,099.

According to Steve Boyd, Tern’s GM for North America, “folding e-bikes and compact e-cargo bikes make the perfect addition to the RV lifestyle.” And frankly, it’s hard to disagree. When you’re parked for the night, your trailer isn’t going anywhere, but your e-bike sure can. Whether you’re headed to the nearest trailhead, grocery store, or lakeside picnic spot, these e-bikes let you leave the truck behind and ride in style.

I’m always hearing from RV owners about how an e-bike – or usually a pair of them – completely changed the game for them by giving them easy mobility beyond where they can reach with their rig.

Airstream’s CMO Mollie Hansen says the company wanted to give owners a better way to explore and make memories, and this partnership with Tern fits right into that mission. The idea is to extend the sense of freedom you get from your trailer onto two wheels, and maybe even spark a little envy from the folks camped next to you.

The design of the bikes was led by The Show Design Co., and the team had plenty of direct contact with real Airstream owners during testing, including a visit to the Airstream International Rally in Sedalia, Missouri. According to company president Mike Milo, the bikes proved to be a hit. And now they’re heading to their official debut at this year’s Airstream Club International Rally in York, Pennsylvania (August 23–28), where owners will get free demos.

Electrek’s Take

This collaboration makes a lot of sense to me, and it’s almost surprising it didn’t happen sooner. Airstream and Tern are both brands with serious design chops and practical roots. Folding e-bikes and cargo e-bikes already dominate the RV world because of how easy they are to transport and how useful they are once you’re parked. Add in some Airstream polish and now you’ve got the official e-bike of campfire coffee runs and last-minute beer missions.

Of course, these aren’t budget bikes by any means, but they’re built to last. When someone tells me they want a bike that is built to haul and they don’t mind paying a bit extra for something higher quality, I always tell them to go to Tern. These bikes are just built to a higher standard, literally. I say that if you want a bike that looks like it’s built tough, get one of those ridiculous Hummer fat tire e-bikes. If you want something that’s actually built tough, you get a Tern.

Now, if they could just also build one that looks like a mini aluminum trailer for e-bikes, we’d really be in business. They’re close… Tern already has a bicycle tow kit!

Ok… now, after spending time making AI generate that image, I really want to build that thing!

Ceasefire on the line

The storm hit. The power’s out. With all the damage around you, it looks like you might be without power for a few days (at least). But you planned for this. You have a home backup battery. What happens now?

If you’re considering a home backup battery, or you already have one and haven’t needed it yet, you might be wondering what you’re supposed to do when the inevitable happens. The good news is: you probably won’t have to do much at all.

Whether you’ve got an industry standard like the Tesla Powerwall, one of the new GM Energy Storage Bundles, or any of the other excellent home battery systems on the market, from your point of view they’ll function in pretty much the same way.

Step 1: do nothing

Modern home batteries are paired with an automatic transfer switch. That’s a switch, usually installed near your home’s electrical panel, that allows you to go from grid power, to battery, and back. And, because it’s automatic, you don’t have to do anything at all.

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The instant the grid goes down, the automatic transfer switch recognizes the loss of power and automagically disconnects your house from the grid, seamlessly connecting it to your backup battery instead. Your lights stay on, the refrigerator keeps humming, and whatever else you’ve chosen to back up just keeps on keeping on. In some cases, the transition to battery power happens so smoothly that you might not even realize the neighborhood’s lost power, not noticing the neighbors’ dark windows until you step outside.

When the power comes back, that side of the switch gets energized, and it does its thing again, only in reverse – switching you back from battery to grid power and intelligently re-charging the battery in anticipation for the next blackout.

How long will my battery last?

Unfortunately, this is one of those questions that doesn’t have an easy answer. In the simplest terms, if you have a small battery and try to keep the AC running, you might run out of juice in a few hours. On the other hand, if you have great big battery and save its electrons for just the barest essentials (a few lights, a laptop, and a phone or radio, for example) you might never run out of power.

To put some numbers to that, a 31 cu. ft. Samsung RF32CG5400SRAA stainless steel refrigerator is rated at 785 kWh/year. That works out to about 2.15 kWh/day. Factor in 20-40% higher energy needs for warmer temperatures, a few daily door openings, defrost cycles, inverter losses, etc. and you’re looking at 18-22 kWh of usable battery capacity to keep that thing running for a full week on battery power. Now do that same math for every appliance you deem a “must have,” then do the “nice to haves,” and on down the line.

That doesn’t even address the other form of “last,” and whether you’re looking for a ten- or twenty- year battery solution.

What you need to do, in other words, is talk to the experts. Let them know what appliances you need to keep running, how long you want to prepare for, and let them do the math to help determine which battery solution is right for you.

I’ve included a video that covers the process of picking a solar battery from EnergySage (a trusted affiliate partner), below, and invite you to share some of your own backup battery-picking experiences in the comments.

How to pick a solar battery

Original content from Electrek.

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