Pebble Flow Electric RV Trailer - My First Journey Towing With R1T

[HaveBlue]

Looks nice. 1.7 is about the best you can hope for towing a trailer and that's a big one.

Sponsored

 

[JamuJoe]

So… it seems like the big advantages (plus combining one of these with a vehicle with a charge port in front):
1. Great aerodynamics
2. Regen on hills means more efficiency on hilly roads
3. Can use the trailer battery to extend range
4. Being able to pull in and plug in tow vehicle, disconnect and move the trailer autonomously to keep from blocking the parking lot (or move it to charge it), then hook back up when almost done charging

I agree with you about towing at 55. The greater efficiency and safety is significant. We make every effort to travel on ‘Blue Highways’ at 55 mph, but trying to get home before the snow had us on I40 where 55 in a 75 or faster pack would just not be safe.

 

[Anna Kelly]

Great write-up! Thank you! I've been eyeing the Pebble for a couple of years now, and this is encouraging. I have been towing my 16' Airstream Caravel with my 2025 R1S, including a 7200 mile trip end of last summer. I also averaged 1.1 mi/ kWh and stressed quite a bit about range, especially through WY, so the tow-assist would be a huge improvement. I also wondered about charging the Pebble along the way. Hadn't thought about unhitching and self-maneuvering to another charging station. Thanks for answering that. By the way, I LOVE the Pebble lay-out (although I travel by myself...and make my bed obsessively every day) For those who are not fans, there is the option of the Lightship, which has the queen bed in the front. Thanks for a very thorough report!

 

[strykerwsu]

Thanks for the right up. Waiting to see if company makes it and the resale values in a couple of years. Love that they really pushed boundaries, but just think needs to be a double axle.

 

[Cogentfire]

great to hear! Is the warranty solid?

 

[DaveA]

great to hear! Is the warranty solid?

And 3 yrs roadside

 

[JamuJoe]

Great write-up! Thank you! I've been eyeing the Pebble for a couple of years now, and this is encouraging. I have been towing my 16' Airstream Caravel with my 2025 R1S, including a 7200 mile trip end of last summer. I also averaged 1.1 mi/ kWh and stressed quite a bit about range, especially through WY, so the tow-assist would be a huge improvement. I also wondered about charging the Pebble along the way. Hadn't thought about unhitching and self-maneuvering to another charging station. Thanks for answering that. By the way, I LOVE the Pebble lay-out (although I travel by myself...and make my bed obsessively every day) For those who are not fans, there is the option of the Lightship, which has the queen bed in the front. Thanks for a very thorough report!

And 3 yrs roadside

Lifetime roadside for Founders Edition original buyers.

 

[RPG]

Thanks for this write-up. I am currently towing a 28' Airstream with my R1T, but have been seriously considering the Pebble or Lightship.

You said you tow without a weight distribution hitch. That would certainly simplify hitching and unhitching. But the R1T manual states that you can only tow up to 5,000 lbs with a standard hitch, and the Pebble is 6,800 lbs. Is it safe to tow that load without WDH, and does it affect the truck's warranty?

 

[DaveA]

Thanks for this write-up. I am currently towing a 28' Airstream with my R1T, but have been seriously considering the Pebble or Lightship.

You said you tow without a weight distribution hitch. That would certainly simplify hitching and unhitching. But the R1T manual states that you can only tow up to 5,000 lbs with a standard hitch, and the Pebble is 6,800 lbs. Is it safe to tow that load without WDH, and does it affect the truck's warranty?

Good questions. Workaround is that with Tow Assist, its only registering as 5,000 lbs by the R1T.

 

[SwampNut]

Is it safe to tow that load without WDH

Everything is safe until it's not. WDH provides a margin or spectrum of added control and therefore safety. You will always be safer with WDH than without unless the trailer is extremely light. I ran one with my 3500# trailer on my Jeeps, since they had super soft suspension and short wheelbase. I don't on the Rivian. With the Pebble, I would 100% use one.

and does it affect the truck's warranty?

Almost nothing does, they'd have to prove that the weight caused an issue. And WDH has nothing to do with pulled weight, it's purely about tongue weight.

Workaround is that with Tow Assist, its only registering as 5,000 lbs by the R1T.

I hope that really is just a joke, since the problem isn't the pull, it's the downward force on the hitch.

I wonder if this is someone on this forum (road to Kingman from Vegas)?




I need to clean my cameras I think.

 

[JamuJoe]

WDH often stimulates spirited discussion. I was comfortable following Pebble‘s recommendation regarding no WDH. They provided a Weigh Safe hitch with my trailer to help me ensure that tongue weight is near the recommended 650 lbs. Note that a WDH does not always improve safety. Equalizer, for example, recommends releasing their load bars in conditions of reduced traction, poor road conditions, driveway break overs etc. Never use it off-pavement. I used an Equalizer with both of our Airstreams and am frankly happy to retire it. I experienced no handling issues on this 1200 mile trip, but will be open minded on the issue of WDH and want to hear from others with actual experience towing a Pebble specifically. The Pebble A frame would present a challenge to mounting WDH brackets.

 

[Tucker74]

It’s too bad Airstream didn’t move forward with production of the eStream, the layout is a no go for me as well. For those of you who have never lived with a bed w/o side access, your partner is fully awake whenever the other one gets in or out (think bathroom in the middle of the night). Interested in your take after a few trips, sure is a neat concept. Keeping my Airstream for now, who knows what future layouts/changes may come though

 

[solaskaze]

I'm too lazy to do the math here but I wonder if it really is more efficient than a regular trailer or just offloading some of the losses to the trailer battery.

Appears so. If you troll this forum w.r.t. trailer weights, and efficiency, the OP is already at a disadvantage comparing tows @ 65 MPH. But eyeballing weight vs. tow, one would expect more like 1.1 Miles per kWh for a trailer this size (1.2 was the rumor long ago @ 55 no Tow Assist), not 1.7 he got (1.8 @ 55 most likely).

Tangent: Anyone want to split ownership on a preorder ($5k discount) due before Dec 14?

 

[mkhuffman]

Appears so. If you troll this forum w.r.t. trailer weights, and efficiency, the OP is already at a disadvantage comparing tows @ 65 MPH. But eyeballing weight vs. tow, one would expect more like 1.1 Miles per kWh for a trailer this size (1.2 was the rumor long ago @ 55 no Tow Assist), not 1.7 he got (1.8 @ 55 most likely).

Tangent: Anyone want to split ownership on a preorder ($5k discount) due before Dec 14?

Since you are over 3000 miles from me I don't think a split ownership arrangement will work.

 

[SwampNut]

For those of you who have never lived with a bed w/o side access, your partner is fully awake whenever the other one gets in or out (think bathroom in the middle of the night).

Nope, never an issue for us at all. People are different. I would much rather save the wasted space. We've had multiple RVs and boats with single-entry sleeping areas. One boat was even a cave sleeper, it was fine.

Sponsored