Lightship unveils production-ready AE.1 aero-electric travel trailer and begins initial sales
Electric RV specialist Lightship is officially entering the recreation vehicle segment with a renamed version of its all-electric travel trailer, formerly known as the L1. Today, the company unveiled the Lightship AE.1—the production-ready version of its predecessor. It is now on sale as a limited “Cosmo Edition,” of which only a limited supply will be built and sold.
As we’ve detailed in the past, Lightship is a startup rooted in San Francisco with operations in Broomfield, Colorado. It was founded in 2020 by Ben Parker and Toby Kraus—two industry veterans with impressive resumes that include notable contributions at Tesla.
The young company first caught our attention when it quietly launched in the summer of 2022 before officially stepping out of the shadows a year later. During that time, Lightship declared itself the first all-electric RV company, designing unique battery-powered trailers for the all-electric age while striving to bring fresh and, more importantly, sustainable options to a stale trailer and RV segment.
Lightship’s progress began on the wheels of its flagship electric travel trailer, the L1, whose telescoping aerodynamic design caught the attention of many electric mobility enthusiasts. Last December, we spoke to the startup’s founders, who walked us through the design process of this one-of-a-kind, aerodynamic electric trailer.
By January of 2024, capitalists had also caught wind of the design feats Lightship had accomplished with the L1 and opened their checkbooks to commit $34 million in Series B funding to help the startup accelerate electric trailer production.
Eleven months later, Lightship has a production-ready version of the L1 it has now renamed, and today begins accepting initial orders as it gears up to start mass producing them.
Lightship’s electric trailer renamed “AE.1” ahead of sales
Today, Lightship officially unveiled the final design of its flagship electric travel trailer, which is now called the AE.1. The vehicle launch begins with a special Cosmos Edition which will see a limited production run of 50 units, all developed and assembled at the company’s facilities in Colorado. Lightship co-founder and chief product officer Ben Parker elaborated:
With the limited-edition Lightship AE.1 Cosmos, we’re delivering a dream travel experience for
sustainable travelers, tech lovers and EV enthusiasts. Our mission is to bring RVs into the electric age with the AE.1. The Cosmos Edition is the first premium realization, and we have other trims to fit travelers’ needs
coming quickly down the road.
The AE.1, built by “America’s first all-electric recreational manufacturer” features the same modular, telescoping, aerodynamic design showcased in the L1 as well as a “TrekDrive” power system that uses an electric motor to deliver near-zero range loss for EV drivers and less miles-per-gallon drain for gas vehicles towing it
The premium-level Cosmos Edition of the AE.1 features a plush interior focused on sustainability, function, and space. Its roof features an integrated, full-solar design that enables an all-electric camping experience without the annoying noise of a gas generator or the hazards of having combustible propane tanks onboard.
The AE.1 offers room to sleep four and comes complete with an automotive-grade HVAC system, a fully outfitted bathroom, and a Galley Kitchen with all the luxuries of comfortable off-grid living, including a dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, convection oven, and induction cooktop.
The 50 planned builds of the AE.1 Cosmo Edition electric travel trailer will be available in two unique colorways and are expected to begin production in the summer of 2025. Each Cosmo Edition costs $250,000 and will be sold to early reservation holders first before being made available to other interested parties.
Following deliveries of the Cosmo Edition, Lightship shared plans for three additional trims of its electric travel trailer. They are called Atmos, Panos, and Terros and will “serve travelers’ needs with distinct feature sets and price points.” The company said it will continue to accept refundable reservations for the three future trim levels, but its immediate focus is on getting the premium version of the electric travel trailer out to those interested customers.
You can learn more here and place a reservation if you’d like.
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T1 Energy (NYSE: TE), formerly FREYR Battery, kicks off preparations for its new solar cell factory, set to be one of the largest in the US.
T1 Energy has chosen Yates Construction as the contractor for preconstruction services and site preparations for its planned $850 million, G2_Austin 5 GW Solar Cell Facility.
The G2_Austin site is in Milam County, Texas, in the Advanced Manufacturing and Logistix Campus at Sandow Lakes.
It’s expected to create up to 1,800 new direct US advanced manufacturing jobs. Construction is on track to kick off in mid-2025, and the facility is expected to begin producing cells by the end of 2026. There are currently far fewer solar cell manufacturing sites in the US than solar module factories, according to the SEIA.
On December 24, FREYR announced that it had closed its acquisition of China-headquartered Trina Solar’s 5-gigawatt (GW), 1.35 million-square-foot solar panel factory in Wilmer, Texas. The company renamed the factory G1_Dallas, which employs more than 1,000 people and is now fully online.
Daniel Barcelo, T1’s chairman of the board and CEO, said, “Our facilities will manufacture solar cells and modules to invigorate our economy with abundant energy. We’re excited to work with Yates and Milam County to bring American advanced manufacturing to the heart of Texas and to unlock our most scalable energy resources.”
T1 Energy says it anticipates finalizing commercial terms with Yates Construction as General Contractor.
Read more: FREYR rebrands after killing its $2.6B Georgia battery factory plans
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![Kia's affordable EV2 may be small, but it looks bigger in person [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/05/Kia-EV2-closer-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 is set to arrive as Kia’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle next year. With its official debut coming up, the electric SUV was spotted driving on public roads. The electric SUV may be small, but it looks bigger in person.
Kia’s new EV2 is an affordable, small electric SUV
Kia has yet to say precisely how big the EV2 will be, but it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″), or slightly smaller than the EV3 at 4,300 mm (169.3″). That’s even more compact than the outgoing Chevy Bolt EV (163.2″).
During its EV Day event in April, Kia unveiled the Concept EV2, a preview of the entry-level EV that will sit below the EV3.
Although it’s the brand’s smallest EV, Kia promises that it will feel larger when you’re inside. The EV2 sits higher than you’d expect with a wide front end, giving it a bigger presence on the road, similar to the three-row EV9.
We got a sneak peek at Kia’s affordable EV last month after it was spotted testing on public roads in Korea, but the latest sighting gives us a closer look at the EV2 in its production form. The new video from HealerTV reveals a few details that could look a little different from the concept.
The footage shows what appears to be different daytime running lights (DRLs). When Kia unveiled the Concept EV2 in April, it featured a unique split vertical headlight design.
The EV2 spotted driving still has the split design, but both the inner and outer lights appear to be angled more inwards. It’s not a huge difference, but given most of Kia’s new EVs look almost identical to the concepts, this could be something to keep an eye on.
Prices, specs, and more
Despite being an entry-level model, the EV2 is still equipped with advanced technology and features, including vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, which allows it to power a campsite, home appliances, and other electronics. With OTA updates, it will only get smarter and more advanced over time.
The interior will feature Kia’s new ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit), which features dual 12.3″ driver cluster and touchscreen navigation screens in a panoramic display.
Like its other new EV models, it’s also expected to include a 5″ climate control display for nearly 30″ of screen space.
Kia plans to launch the EV2 next year in Europe and “other global regions.” For those in the US, sorry to disappoint, but it’s not expected to make the trip overseas. We do have the EV4, Kia’s first electric sedan, to look forward to.
We will learn prices and final specs closer to launch, but given it will sit below the EV3, it will likely be cheaper than that.
The EV3 starts at £32,995 ($44,800) in the UK and €35,990 ($41,600) in Europe. Kia’s CEO, Ho-Sung Song, told Autocar in 2023 that the company aims to launch the EV2 at around £25,000 ($32,000) in the UK. With new battery technology and other advancements, it could be even more affordable when it arrives next year.
Kia isn’t the only automaker gearing up to launch a new entry-level EV. Last week, we got a glimpse of the upcoming Volkswagen ID.2 after it was spotted in public testing.
Should Kia bring the EV2 to the US? Would you buy one for around $30,000 or even slightly less? Drop us a comment below and let us know.
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