As you have seen in our previous articles, transporting a trailer using an electric vehicle has a price. This price is a reduction of almost half the autonomy of the vehicle. This reality therefore requires preparation, vigilance and unparalleled organization to ensure optimal and safe travel. Impossible to ignore that this can sometimes be a real headache. Good news, the arrival of electric trailers on the market is now upon us! Let’s see how this will impact us.

German RV manufacturer Dethleffs tested a potential new solution by designing the E.Home trailer. A trailer with two electric motors and its own batteries to assist the towing vehicle. The E.Home uses its two electric motors to accelerate in symbiosis with the towing vehicle. Under the trailer there are two 40 kW batteries and two motors each with a maximum power of 90 kW (121 horsepower) and a continuous power of 30 kW (40 horsepower).

Last month, Dethleffs put his E.Home trailer to the test by driving a 390 km route, using an Audi E-Tron Sportback SUV, through the Alps. A route very popular with European caravan owners. According to the EPA, the Audi E-Tron has a range of 330 km. Result? The Audi vehicle towed the trailer without reloading it for the entire trip, which lasted more than 6 hours at normal speed. The system is designed to provide acceleration equivalent to what the car alone would normally provide. The configuration is calibrated in order to improve the stability of the vehicle and the trailer.

We are talking with E.Home about a future proof of concept, since the latter is not yet legal in Europe. However, several pilot projects held by German trailer companies are underway and supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, thus leading us to believe that their arrival on the European notes is coming soon!

For America, Dethleffs has not confirmed anything regarding his presence. Luckily for us, American trailer company Airstream announced plans to design electric trailers earlier this year. Airstream says it is experimenting with attaching an electric motor to the trailer’s axle to provide additional driving force, while refining the aerodynamics to make the trailers lighter and sleeker. This two-pronged approach promises to reduce fuel consumption and improve driving dynamics so drivers no longer have to haul a heavy, bulky trailer.

Another model that has the market buzzing is the “Boulder” by Colorado Teardrops. It has a bank of batteries integrated into the frame of the trailer, which allows the electric vehicle to be charged at full autonomy. The difference with the models above is that this one is already on presale at a cost of 55,000 USD.

Visit our website regularly so you don’t miss a thing!

References :

1. https://www.aveq.ca/actualiteacutes/pour-remorquer-avec-un-ve-devrions-nous-utiliser-une-remorque-electrique?fbclid=IwAR0_VqupYCS-0F_Jci2Q3_cj_7qK4klFTd2gBkbnWjfYEdks74QrK_ycNgg
2. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1133124_towing-with-an-ev-are-electric-trailers-the-future 
3. https://newatlas.com/automotive/boulder-range-electric-camping-trailer/ 
4. https://jalopnik.com/this-camper-has-a-clever-solution-to-the-problem-of-tow-1847481623 
5. https://insideevs.com/news/488302/airstream-to-make-electric-assisted-camper/ 
6. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2021/08/this-teardrop-trailer-could-be-perfect-for-electric-vehicle-camping/ 
7. https://www.fr24news.com/fr/a/2021/08/cette-remorque-en-forme-de-larme-pourrait-etre-parfaite-pour-le-camping-en-vehicule-electrique.html 
8. https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/airstream-developing-new-electric-drivetrain-details-2898375/ 

L’article Where are we with electric trailers? est apparu en premier sur RV for EV.

This is the most practical method. Quite simply, because the vehicle recharges during the night, which allows us to have a full electrical charge for the next day. We currently have a FLO station with a J772 connection. Before, we had a Nissan Leaf car and we decided not to change our terminal, since the Tesla comes with an adapter to convert the J772 connector into a Tesla connector.

For the use, it is very simple. Just plug the connector into the Tesla socket. It is possible to set in the Tesla, the maximum load desired as 50% or a number of KM. For our part, we set the charge to 50%, because this is more than enough for our needs. However, when we plan to transport the trailer, we will program a charge between 90% and 100% in order to make a considerable journey.

2. Portable terminal

We use the 110V portable charging station included with the Tesla. With the connection for 240V, the terminal becomes quite powerful and will almost reach the charging speed of the FLO terminal. It is also possible to order a set of connections compatible with the Tesla. The connector we are interested in is the TT-30 which could allow us to connect directly to a trailer terminal when we are camping. However, the trailer terminals can have 30 amps, 50 amps, etc.. We therefore recommend that you adjust the amperage according to the terminal and maybe even below in order to be careful.

3. Tesla Supercharger

There are many of them in Quebec, but some regions are more advantaged than others. Today, we went to Quartier DIX30, in Brossard. The charging station is located in an underground parking lot, so it is not very practical, if not impossible, to get there with your trailer. To charge, you just have to unhook the charging gun, press the little button to open the door protecting the plug and then plug in. The terminal is activated and indicates the time remaining to complete the charge. You should always avoid exceeding 80% of charge in order not to wear out your battery prematurely. Ideally, we advise you to charge only what you use. The charging station recognizes our vehicle and our account as soon as we plug it in, which allows us to use it without a card, since the cost will be charged directly to the credit card linked to the account. Please note that only Tesla vehicles can use these charging stations.

4. CHAdeMO connector and electrical circuit terminal

The first step is to connect the adapter to the CHAdeMO connector on the electrical circuit. The second step is to authenticate using the power circuit card. We have a fund of $50 on our circuit board account for some time now. Normally, each charge costs us about $5 to $10. We then open the door to the outlet, connect, and press the green button to start charging.

Why a CHAdeMO adapter when Tesla supercharge stations are quite widespread in Quebec?

Simply because there are still some areas that are not covered and some of the campsites we want to visit are among them.

We hope that this article has inspired you to tow your trailer with your electric vehicle. Visit our website regularly to read our latest articles!

L’article 4 ways to charge your Tesla and tow your trailer est apparu en premier sur RV for EV.

Arrivée au camping

À l’arrivée, nous sommes à 62% de batterie. Le niveau de consommation électrique est très intéressant, soit 292WH par KM. En considérant que le réservoir d’eau est plein et que nous sommes remplis de bagages, c’est très bon! 

Nous allons nous promener au camping. Le comité des loisirs organise plusieurs activités pour tous les âges, aujourd’hui, c’est la poule aux œufs d’or! 

Rencontre avec Patrick Perron, organisateur des activités au camping Oasis

Quelles sont les activités offertes cette année aux loisirs?

On retrouve deux types d’activités : les activités régulières pétanque, fer, etc. Puis les activités spéciales, comme la poule aux œufs d’or. Étant un camping familial, nous prenons soin de toujours organiser la version enfant. Cette année, la plus grosse activité prévue est la Fête de la St-Jean Baptiste qui tombe pile avec les mesures de déconfinement ou il sera possible de tenir de plus gros rassemblement.

Comment les activités sont-elles financées?

Si on prend l’exemple de la poule aux œufs d’or, cette activité à un penchant levée de fonds permettant ainsi de financer d’autres activités. La façon d’organiser ces activités gratuites pour les jeunes est donc de faire des activités payantes. Un autre exemple est la collecte officielle des canettes chaque dimanche qui permet d’amasser plusieurs milliers de dollars.

La situation avec la COVID-19 nous oblige à être créatifs. Par exemple, la poule aux œufs d’or se fait normalement dans une salle. Pour qu’elle puisse avoir lieu, nous avons fait une version mobile afin d’éviter les rassemblements. Surprise! Cette formule a permis de toucher plus de personnes. Certaines des activités conserveront donc cette formule même lors du retour à la normale. Pour être au courant de toutes les activités, visitez la page Facebook du camping oasis.

Petit arrêt à la boucherie St-Paul pour le souper, au menu steaks Tomahawk!

Recharge au camping

Ce qui est génial au camping oasis, c’est qu’il y a une borne de recharge électrique. Si comme nous, vous souhaitez vivre une expérience de camping branché, nous avons listé ici, sur notre site, tous les campings qui sont munis de bornes électriques.

Ajustement pour la deuxième nuit

Pour la deuxième nuit, nous laisserons dormir les filles dans la roulotte et nous testerons le confort de la Tesla et de son mode camping en dormant sur un matelas soufflé à la belle étoile du toit panoramique.

Bilan du premier weekend

Nous avons eu toutes les températures possibles: vent, pluie, chaleur, soleil, mais tout s’est très bien déroulé, même notre nuit dans la Tesla. Nous sommes très satisfaits de notre roulotte, elle nous permet de tout faire et nous sommes contents de vivre davantage l’expérience du vrai camping.

Suivez-nous nos aventures dans d’autres campings dans nos prochains articles!

L’article Camping Oasis en Tesla : Notre 1er weekend en camping! est apparu en premier sur RV for EV.

Choosing the new refrigerator

The old refrigerator, as mentioned, runs on propane, via a 12 V battery and 110 V power. It is a refrigerator that runs on ammonia. It is therefore heating elements that make it work, consuming an average of 8 to 9 amps. 8 amps on 12 V still results in several watts, thus eating into the battery’s autonomy. On a more functional level, Marie-Pier found the size of the refrigerator too small! So we bought a standard bar fridge that we modified. This way, our consumption will be reduced to 2.5 amps, which is about half or even a quarter of the consumption of an ammonia refrigerator.

Before opting for this option, we evaluated several alternatives such as truck, trailer and RV refrigerators. Initially, our choice was a Nova Kool R3800 refrigerator, which was the perfect size for our countertop. The problem? The expected delivery date was about 7 months, with no guaranteed date. In the past, there have been delays, so we made the decision to modify a bar fridge that we will receive next week. It will take about one more week for the modification of this one. The company TSI Refrigeration is in charge of modifying the refrigerator so that it works on the 12 V.

1. Removal of the propane

First, the propane tanks located at the front of the trailer must be removed in order to safely remove the burner and the refrigerator.

2. Preparing the Docking Area

It is now time to remove the burner, countertop, sink and refrigerator to prepare the space for the new refrigerator. Since the new refrigerator is larger, it will be necessary to adjust the space under the counter by cutting the area from the bottom up.

3. Preparing the wiring

Safety first! Before any manipulation, the electricity must first be cut off. While waiting to redo all the wiring, we temporarily insulate the wires with swabs and insulating tape. Now it’s time to disconnect the propane. Our motto is to be careful and attentive when removing it, since keeping it intact will allow us to get some money!

4. Removing the old refrigerator

The old refrigerator is now ready to be removed to make room for the new one!

5. Installing the new refrigerator

Pro tip, always remember to measure the dimensions of the refrigerator to make sure it fits through the trailer door! Relief! The refrigerator fits on the width direction, yikes! It’s time to prepare the countertop. In order for the refrigerator to fit, the entire front must be cut to fit the dimensions of the new refrigerator, otherwise the countertop will have to be mounted. Note to yourself, take note of the dimensions! All that’s left to do is plug it in.

Mission accomplished, the new refrigerator is installed!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr1P-IfGhkc[/embedyt]

L’article Convert your traditional trailer into a 100% electric trailer in 5 steps est apparu en premier sur RV for EV.