Lightship begins US production of flagship AE.1 travel trailer and introduces two additional trims

Lightship, a startup reimagining the recreational vehicle industry, achieved a huge milestone today: It kicked off production of its flagship electric travel trailer, the AE.1 Cosmos Edition. While the first Cosmos Editions of the AE.1 roll off Lightship’s assembly line in Colorado, we’ve gotten details of two additional variants that will follow.

If you weren’t already aware, Lightship is a startup rooted in San Francisco with operations in Broomfield, Colorado. It was founded in 2020 by Ben Parker and Toby Kraus—two industry veterans with impressive resumes that include contributions at Tesla.

The startup first caught our attention when it quietly launched in the summer of 2022 before officially stepping out of the shadows a year later. During that time, Lightship declared itself the first all-electric RV company, designing unique battery-powered trailers for the all-electric age while striving to bring fresh and, more importantly, sustainable options to a stale trailer and RV segment.

Lightship’s progress began on the wheels of its flagship electric travel trailer, originally named the L1. Its telescoping aerodynamic design caught the attention of many electric mobility enthusiasts.

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By January 2024, Lightship had secured $34 million in Series B funding to help accelerate electric trailer production in the US. By the end of last year, that milestone grew ever closer, alongside a name change. Last December, Lightship announced it had renamed the L1 the AE.1, opening up initial sales of a Cosmos Edition ahead of production in 2025.

Today, Lightship has hit the pivotal milestone every young startup strives toward, achieving the start of production of its first electric travel trailers for customers. Better yet, the company also shared details of additional versions of the AE.1 to follow.

Lightship production underway, new AE.1 models to follow

Per Lightship, production of the AE.1 Cosmos Edition is officially underway at its facility in Colorado, with initial customer deliveries set to follow by the end of summer. After opening up sales of the AE.1 Cosmos Edition late last year, Lightship has reported strong demand.

In fact, that launch edition version is completely sold out. Fear not, however, Lightship announced two additional versions alongside today’s production announcement. Joining the AE.1 Cosmos Edition is the AE.1 Atmos and AE.1 Panos – each designed to meet different traveler needs and price points.

We will let you peek at the specs above, but both Atmos and Panos feature Lightship’s proprietary TrekDrive vehicle assist. However, the battery sizes vary depending on a customer’s chosen model (77 kWh vs. 44 kWh). Each electric travel trailer’s integrated solar panel roof’s kW capabilities also vary. Lightship co-founder and CEO Toby Kraus spoke to today’s milestone:

The Cosmos Edition proved that the market is hungry for electric RVs that don’t compromise on
performance or design. Now we’re opening those doors wider. Atmos and Panos bring our vision of sustainable adventure to more families and adventurers, regardless of their camping style.

With production now underway, Lightship will immediately focus on assembling and delivering the sold-out Cosmos Edition. However, the startup expects to begin deliveries of the AE.1 Atmos in spring 2026, followed by Panos in late 2026. Those variants start at $184,000 and $151,000, respectively.

To learn more and make an AE.1 reservation of your own, visit the Lightship website.