LightShip L1 RV trailer
 

There's video about this all over the Internet, and I've posted a link at the Fossil-Fuel Free Forum.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------LightShip has provided some exterior dimensions, and I estimated the rest for a first pass on the math. Please excuse the US units of measure ( Americans need to understand aerodynamics more than any other folks ):p
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Length- 324-inches
Width- 102-inches
Height ( overall during transit )-81-inches
'Box' height- 69-inches
Ground clearance - approximately 12-inches
Tire width- approx. 285mm
Projected frontal area- approx. 50.745-square-feet
GVWR = 7,500- pounds
@ 15% on the tongue, trailer weight on tires = 6,375-pounds
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* The high-end model has a 80-kWh pack ( 2.373-gallons-e )
* The trailer's range, @ an estimated 55-mph, is 300-miles.
* 126.4-mpg-e
* If so, energy consumption = 266.67 Wh/mi.
* 14,666.67 Watts/hour
* 19.6683- bhp-e
* @ 95% efficiency, Road Load horsepower is 18.6849-hp
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* Estimating a 'traction/braking' tire of 0.007 coefficient of power absorption, and loading of 6,375-pounds yields a rolling-resistance power requirement of 6.5449-hp.
* Subtracting this R-R power from the Road Load leaves a aerodynamic power remainder of 12.1399-hp
* Using the aerodynamic power equation, and solving for CdA, yields 10.698-square -feet.
* Dividing CdA by 50.745-square feet estimated frontal area leaves an estimated Cd 0.2108.
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Using the power-cubed relationship for aero, and arithmetric power relationship for rolling-resistance, I've estimated the following ranges:
55-mph = 300-miles
60-mph = 267-miles
65-mph = 238.5-miles
70-mph = 213.8-miles
75-mph = 193.5-miles
80-mph = 173.9-miles
87-mph = 151.8-miles
So, to suffer the 50% range loss of a mean-average RV trailer, at 55-mph, one would have to pull the LightShip L1 at between 87-and 88-mph.
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Any BEV pickup or BEV SUV would suffer zero mpg loss pulling the LightShip at up to 300-miles.
Any gasoline, or Diesel-powered pickup or SUV would actually see over-unity, in spite of the 1,125-pound weight penalty on the tongue.
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Without the trailer's powertrain assist, the aerodynamics of the trailer alone, would be good for a 50% range increase.
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This is for a 'double-frontal area' combination ( double-hump ).

All that's doing is showing how ridiculous and stupid the idea is. Obviously a diesel generator would be a far better option in every way.
There's no way pulling that trailer without the power assist is going to increase range.

#2 (permalink)
 

Prima facie evidence supporting my comment that Americans don't understand aerodynamics.

There's no way a trailer that's wider and taller than the tow vehicle is going to increase range when going the same speed with vs without.
I'll believe it when in see it.
If you understand it so well and it's obviously so easy, then care to demonstrate with a model?
I would take anything that even slightly resembles the described setup, sitting on its own axle.
It's one of those thing we read about, but never actually see happening or have proof it happened.
It's a Bigfoot hunt.

#4 ( permalink )
 

'what' happens when members don't actually visit the websites and learn what aerodynamic engineers actually 'measured' during R & D of LightShip.
It performs as advertised.
One only needs to comprehend the caveats that were clearly spelled out by the makers.
Or dig out AeroStealth's past You-Tubes, dedicated to range-invisible and range-increasing trailer technology, with graphics.

Lab, measurements, website < Reality

Words without pictures? I confuse easily.

www.autoevolution.com: "America's First All-Electric RV Company" Gets $23M to Build Its Next-Level Travel Trailer
https://external-content.duckduckgo....98f&ipo=images

It's not a range extender, it's a towable residential-scale microgrid.

Obvs, the perpetrators are knowledgeable about the aerodynamics of the cybertruck aeroform.

It's enormous. How much does it weigh?

I see that and it looks like range cut at least in half, best case scenario.

Worst case maybe.
As you yourself say.

'measurements'
 

Perhaps you missed the on-road, ground-truthed, towing tests conducted with Rivian and F-150 LIGHTNING tow vehicles, and then gasoline and diesel-powered pickups.