Camping in the wilderness is not easy for electric vehicle (EV) owners. Drivers must be vigilant about mileage range, charging stations, and whether public chargers are available near campsites. A portable battery is the best way to reduce the risk of being stranded in the woods. Colorado Teardrops offers an alternative: a trailer that can give range back to an EV.
In September 2022, Colorado Teardrops announced it completed a prototype of its new camper trailer. The 12-foot-long model, called the Boulder, comes standard with 75 kilowatts of batteries in the lower frame. Once hitched to the back of an EV like the Tesla Model Y or the Volkswagen ID.4, it can return range to the towing car.
Teardrops also plans to build a larger trailer that will carry 200 kilowatts of batteries. It’s all designed to reduce the towing strain. Since it requires a great deal of energy, EVs risk losing more range, and when out in the wilderness, that is cause for concern. The Boulder aims to alleviate these worries.
According to the company, the Boulder can support Level 3 in both directions and only take about 10 minutes to return about 100 miles of range to the towing vehicle.
While drivers will have to pull over to do so, that adds 100 miles of driving.
However, these are only estimates by Teardrops. It predicts that getting to just 80% capacity will take over an hour, somewhere around 80 minutes. When the trailer battery runs out of power, customers can plug it into any EV charger. This feature will make road trips and overnight stays on the road much easier.
The Boulder lives up to its namesake in that it is rugged and unphased by even the toughest weather conditions. Teardrops affirm that the trailer can withstand heat waves, snowstorms, icy conditions, pouring rain, and dust storms. A driver can comfortably shelter while riding out a blizzard, for example.
The sleek interior offers some impressive comfort features. For those familiar with the term “glamping,” the Boulder takes that to a new level. It can sleep a family of four, fit a queen-sized mattress and bunk beds, and has a quaint dining area, couches for lounging, a hot-water shower, and a fold-out kitchen galley complete with an induction cooktop.
There is plenty of storage space in the galley, cabin, and integrated tongue box. Cabinets and shelves also come standard. All camping supplies can travel with drivers as they enjoy a polished design and ergonomically friendly interior.
While other EV camper trailer options are available, Teardrops stands out from the rest of the pack based on price. To order a Boulder, a buyer can put down $1,000 but must pay the full cost of $55,000. If they are willing to put down $10,000, they will get a starting price of $45,000. Reservations for the Boulder started last year, with delivery expected in early 2023.
In previous articles, we covered how larger trailers like the Bowlus Volterra give energy back to EVs, but they are much pricier than the Boulder. While the Bowlus has a solar-paneled roof for mobile charging, the Boulder is more compact and can be powered by Level 2 or 3 charging cords.
Teardrops’ design aims to provide an elevated camping experience while avoiding charging issues. Nature enthusiasts with a new Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra Electric, Tesla Model Y, Volkswagen ID.4, or Rivian R1T may want to consider the Boulder.
