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This Sleek, Expendable RV Is the Perfect Towable for Your EV

As much as we like to talk about the automotive future being electric, it’s clear by now that adjustments have to be made to include towables. Right now, few of the EVs in production have the ability to tow an RV in a satisfactory mode – which, for regular travelers, means as efficiently as an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle would.
The Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweight 8 photos
Photo: Grounded (Composite)
The Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweightThe Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweightThe Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweightThe Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweightThe Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweightThe Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweightThe Grounded Towable is tailor-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweight
A trailer drains the battery of the EV considerably, so the heavier it is, the less range you get. If the plan is to head out into the great outdoors, this is the last thing you’d want, even assuming you’d go somewhere with a decent charger network. To counter this, certain makers have already started working on EV-made trailers, designing them to be lighter and more aerodynamic.

Of the bunch, Grounded’s proposal is perhaps the most ambitious. The Grounded Towable might not have the most memorable name out there – it doesn’t, who are we kidding – but it does have the most memorable silhouette, if only in CGI form for the time being.

Introduced earlier this month, the Towable proposes a concept that’s not exactly new, though it is a bit less frequent on today’s market: a compact trailer that expands only in camp mode, retaining a slimmed-down form during travel for improved aerodynamics. Obviously, such an approach means certain compromises as regards functionality or even comfort, but at least you wouldn’t be dreading you won’t make it in time to a charger. And look how awesome it looks!

The Grounded Towable is tailor\-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweight
Photo: Grounded
Before you get over-enthusiastic, there’s a caveat that you must’ve anticipated: the Towable doesn’t exist. As of the time of press, it’s only a concept with a handful of renders, but it comes with the promise that it’ll go into production either in late 2024 or early 2025. Perhaps the biggest “if” here comes from the fact that Grounded is still a fledging startup striving to complete their flagship electric campervan, the G1.

Grounded is based in Detroit and comprised of a group of self-titled “SpaceX and Tesla engineering nerds committed to the modernization and electrification of the RV industry,” working out of the Ford and Newlab manufacturing space. The G1 is based on the Ford E-Transit platform, with a modular interior, more tech, and certain off-grid capabilities, and it’s currently in construction.

That is to say, the team is working on the first two units, while exploring the possibility of building the Towable, as well. This makes even the early 2025 delivery timeline for the Towable a difficult pill to swallow.

The Grounded Towable is tailor\-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweight
Photo: Grounded
The two have in common the modular interior, which, in this particular case doesn’t imply multi-functional units, but refers to the owner’s ability to choose from several modules and arrange them according to their needs. The Towable is decidedly more futuristic-looking than the G1 could ever look, even with all the upgrades in the world, and that’s because of the low profile that makes it more aerodynamic.

In camp mode, the entire upper part of the Towable slides upwards, so you get standing height inside. You also get “luxury” amenities, according to Grounded, and the promise of spectacular 360-degree views. The plan is to pack the trailer with all the comforts of home, including a queen-size bed, a kitchen with fridge and stove, a pull-up table with a bench, and a dry-flush toilet. The final layout would be up to each owner, who could opt out of certain modules because of budget or if they didn’t need them. The roof is covered in 1,500 W of solar panels, and all electronics and appliances would be remotely controlled for maximum efficiency and ease of use.

To ensure minimal drag on the battery, the Towable is made with composite materials to keep its weight low but without compromise to durability. On paper at least, this also gives it a very futuristic look, but in reality, it will probably also drive up the price point.

The Grounded Towable is tailor\-made for EVs, with a low profile and very lightweight
Photo: Grounded
We’ve seen expanding towables over the years, all of them developed on the premise of a lower weight and the ability to tow them with a less powerful vehicle. With all of them, the compromise is always in functionality and the overall toughness of the finished product, which is to be expected when you use canvas or lightweight sheets for walls.

There’s no point in speculating whether the same will happen to the Towable. This is only a concept – and not even a very developed one, even though you could reserve one for just $100 today. If you’re feeling particularly confident or flush with cash. The mere fact that the Grounded Towable exists is proof that the industry is looking towards towables tailor-made for electric vehicles, if proof of that was still needed. And it makes for a very fancy dream of the future of RV-ing.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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