Colorado factory creates one of the first electric RVs in America

This Labor Day weekend, many Colorado families may be hooking up their RVs and heading out on an adventure, but now there's an electric camper option in Broomfield.

A Colorado startup has created one of America's first all-electric recreational vehicles. Founded by alumni from Tesla, Rivian and Nike, Lightship is manufacturing one of the country's first self-propelled towable RVs in Broomfield.

The first customers will be receiving those vehicles in the coming weeks.

Lightship CEO and co-founder Toby Kraus thinks RVs are as American as apple pie.

"It's part of Americana. One in 10 American families owns an RV," Kraus said.

After growing up in Boulder and then working at Tesla, Kraus partnered with another Tesla alumnus to create Lightship, one of the first all-electric RVs in the U.S.

"We really are developing what I would consider a new class of vehicle," Kraus said. "We do something that's a little bit wild, which is we actually put a motor in the vehicle. So even though it's towed, it's also self-propelling. It's supporting its own drag and its own mass."

The RV can be towed by electric or gas-powered cars.

"We are trying to bring sustainable technology to a new group of people and really get it into the mainstream," Kraus said.

The RV runs on a battery and is equipped with solar panels, an electric heat pump, and water tanks.

Kraus says it can last a week or more between charges. It has a taller "camp mode" and compresses into a more aerodynamic "road mode" when driving.

"It's very efficient. It saves you fuel economy, saves you range if you have an electric vehicle. And then when you're inside, it's nice and open," Kraus said.

It's all controlled by a tablet.

"This is where you can kind of control everything, lights, climate, door, and window status. This is how you level a vehicle. Check your water levels, check your energy status," Kraus explained.

Inside the Atmos edition of the RV, you'll find up to three beds, a seating area, a kitchen, and a dry bathroom.

"Over here, we have the kitchen sink, induction cooktop, refrigerator, freezer, and microwave. Something that people love is that we have a dishwasher," Kraus said.

Every RV is made in Lightship's Broomfield factory, which employs 70 people.

"What they're installing right now is one of our high-voltage battery packs," Kraus said, while gesturing to some of his employees at work.

The company has a small office and a second showroom in California. Kraus says Lightship is focused on building in America for America and hopes to be a guiding light to a sustainable future for an American pastime.

"We build in the United States, here in Colorado. We also have a supply chain that we set up that is around 80% U.S. domestic content," Kraus said.

Lightship's Founders model is already sold out, but their Atmos and Panos models are available at their Colorado showroom and online. The Atmos model starts at $184,000, while the Panos model starts at $151,000.