These Trailers Charge Your Electric Vehicle: Colorado Teardrops ‘EV Adventure’ Line
There’s a pretty big overlap between people who like camping and those who love EVs — with not much in the industry designed for where the two meet. Colorado Teardrops is looking to bridge that gap with The Boulder teardrop EV trailer and two other new electrified models.
These forthcoming Colorado Teardrops trailers offer a built-in range-extending battery and are designed specifically to be towed by EVs.
Colorado Teardrops EV Trailers
Colorado Teardrops has just finished Phase 1 in the development of The Boulder. Now that the prototype is done, the company has announced there will be two larger production models in addition to the original: The Golden, 17 feet, and The Denver, 27 feet.
We’ll get back to the camping features, but let’s first start with the battery.
Battery Pack Up to 200 kWh
Yes, a battery. Because The Boulder will get a 75kWH bank of lithium-ion batteries that comes with you on every trip. Step up to The Denver and you can get up to 200kWH — more than double the pack most electric vehicles offer.
The big pack can be used to power the trailer’s internals, like lighting, refrigeration, and other small appliances. There will be 110V household plugs onboard as well, for your domestic power needs.
The Boulder’s Level 3 Charging, In or Out
That battery pack can also be used to recharge your EV at speeds quicker than you’ll find at a lot of charging stations on the road. The Boulder supports Level 3 DC fast charging using the CCS1 port. Charging your EV, CO Teardrops says, it can add up to 100 miles in just 10 minutes. Then it takes 80 minutes for an 80% charge.
The Boulder will charge up at Level 3 as well, so it can fill the pack back up in a similarly short time, perfect for use at charge stations on the road. You can also take advantage of slower charging with 240V outlets at serviced campsites. Adapters and configurations for Tesla Supercharging will be offered.
No, you can’t charge your EV as you drive using the trailer’s battery, though that’s more a limitation of the EV than the trailer.
With the right connections, you can power your home. The battery should be enough to run a home for several days if the main power is out, though that depends greatly on your household use.
EV Tires, Careful Aerodynamics
Other touches that make the Boulder better for EV towing, make it better behind gas vehicles, too. These include low-rolling-resistance tires from Continental to make the trailer glide along using less power to pull.
The aerodynamic shape helps cut through the wind, using aircraft-grade aluminum in the structure for strength and lighter weight, with the 17-foot model coming in at just 2,200 pounds dry weight. For strength, the Boulder sits on a powder-coated steel frame and a 3,500-pound capacity axle.
There is extensive storage in the cabin and galley, with an integrated tongue storage box and more space in the fenders. The standard galley has a 37-inch by 60-inch countertop and easy-open pistons, and you can pick from multiple galley configurations to fit your cooking and storage needs.
Optional upgrades include heating and AC, mattresses, and on-demand hot water using propane. Solar panels can be fitted to help you — slowly — charge back up when you’re off-grid. If you don’t want to use gas for cooking, induction stove options are planned to use electricity instead.
Larger Models Get Tall Toppers
The Boulder is a teardrop shape, but the larger Golden and Denver will have hardshell toppers that retract when you’re driving. Fully extended, they’ll have 6 feet, 6 inches of headroom. The two luxury models get an indoor kitchen, shower, and bathroom.
The list price for The Boulder starts from $55,000, and deliveries of the first models of The Boulder are expected this month. The bigger models will follow, with pricing for those still to be determined.
