Electric towing is hard, particularly when you’re hauling a big family-sized camper that can halve a Rivian’s range. Lightship is a startup that’s laser-focused on solving that pickle by engineering a smart trailer that not only makes itself more aerodynamic in motion, but also pulls its own weight with an e-axle and independent battery system. It’s a clever piece of tech but it also costs a pretty penny.

Max speaks with Toby Kraus, the CEO of Lightship, on what it’s like building EV hardware in Colorado and how he and the team are dealing with challenges like an unpredictable tariff policy. He also hints at some future developments that might drive down the price tag much as EVs themselves have gotten cheaper and more accessible.

Max and Toby also get into the culture that the team at Lightship is building—it’s a mix of talent from places like Tesla, Rivian, the legacy auto industry, and the RV/homebuilding industry. They’ve built a beautifully engineered product but the challenge is scaling and getting it to market.

If you’re at all interested in the EV startup environment, this episode gives a great firsthand look into what it’s like running a company amidst Trump chaos! Toby of course does not get political, he knows his lane, but Max gets at how he and the team are handling the policy onslaught against the IRA and incentives that would make his life, and his customer’s lives, a lot easier.

Mentioned Links:
Lightship’s Product Page for AE.1

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