The solar panels on the rooftop will also charge the high-voltage batteries while camping or on the road to operate everything from the air-conditioning to the all-electric appliances and drive-assist motors in the wheels.
The solar panels on the rooftop will also charge the high-voltage batteries while camping or on the road to operate everything from the air-conditioning to the all-electric appliances and drive-assist motors in the wheels.

April 6, 2022

Words: Nicholas Tamarin

Photography: Courtesy of Airstream

Go Off-Grid With Airstream Solar-Powered Electric Travel Trailer

The riveted aluminum Airstream, originally designed in the 1930’s by Hawley Bowlus, creator of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, was famously used by NASA to house Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Now it’s is charging into the next frontier: a solar-powered electric travel trailer.

It’s eStream concept is tricked out with aerodynamic improvements and a high-voltage chassis featuring battery-powered electric drivetrain and control systems. Remote-controlled mobility features will allow owners to operate and park Silver Bullets from their Smart phone. But most importantly, a roof covered in solar panels and a bank of high-voltage lithium batteries provide users with enough power to go off-grid with many of the comforts of home for up to two weeks.

“Airstreams have achieved iconic status because they’re the ultimate expression of form follows function,” Airstream CEO Bob Wheeler explains. “Luckily, the demands of our EV-towed future align perfectly with what we’re best at: lightweight and aerodynamic travel trailers.”

Airstream’s eStream concept incorporates three methods for charging battery systems that are compatible with much of the U.S. electric vehicle infrastructure, and a separate input for existing RV campground hookups.
Airstream’s eStream concept incorporates three methods for charging battery systems that are compatible with much of the U.S. electric vehicle infrastructure, and a separate input for existing RV campground hookups.
The solar panels on the rooftop will also charge the high-voltage batteries while camping or on the road to operate everything from the air-conditioning to the all-electric appliances and drive-assist motors in the wheels.
The solar panels on the rooftop will also charge the high-voltage batteries while camping or on the road to operate everything from the air-conditioning to the all-electric appliances and drive-assist motors in the wheels.

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