3,254 kilometers with the KIA EV9 and Airstream Bambi 22 through Denmark and Sweden
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Introduction:
Airstreams have been built since 1931 and have seen many generations of towing vehicles with different types of drive - including petrol, diesel, LPG, natural gas, hybrid and, more recently, electric. It is important to us that our customers can choose the towing vehicle that suits them best. In order to be able to provide our customers with sound advice, we have been testing various towing vehicles for years - whether in everyday use or on special test drives, such as the recent Kia EV9, to check the driving characteristics.
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Due to the complex issues involved in using an electric car in combination with an Airstream caravan, we decided on a practical, realistic test: a real trip with the Airstream, without a net and double bottom, to find out whether it is possible and what to look out for. To start with: It was much less spectacular and less stressful than we had expected.
Image: Summary of the on-board computer for the entire road trip
Data of the route:
- Total distance: 3,254 kilometers
- Driving lessons: 66.57 hours
- Average consumption: 35.8 kWh/100 km
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KIA EV9
- Battery capacity / battery capacity (gross): 99.8 kWh
- Performance: 283 kW (385 hp)
- Torque: max. 700 Nm
- Max. Permissible trailer load: 2500KG
- Max. Permissible drawbar load: 125KG
Airstream Bambi 22
- Unladen weight. 2000KG
- Permissible total weight 2500KG
- Effective weight on this trip 2300KG
- Piece load 120KG
- Length: 7.00 meters / Width: 2.5 Meter
What have we learned?
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- It's the car itself that counts!
Regardless of the type of drive, the question is: How does the vehicle drive? How comfortable is it? What equipment features does it offer and how much space is there? The Kia EV9 convinces us in all disciplines. Power and torque are beyond reproach, the seats are incredibly comfortable, and the amount of space in a car just over 5 meters long is impressive.
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- Electric is just one type of drive.
Once you get used to the technology and gain confidence in the range, you quickly forget that an electric motor is at work. The only thing you really notice is the powerful torque and the lack of background noise.
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- The car does not miscalculate and does not simply stop.
You can easily run the battery down to a few percent without having to worry about stopping. On our first stage, we still had 4% range remaining. The battery level does not suddenly drop from 20 % to 0 %, and the car can still tow the trailer with less than 5 % remaining range without any problems.
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- With the right app, it also works with the trailer.
With the right app, you don't have to uncouple the trailer. We used "A Better Route Planner" on the iPhone via Wireless CarPlay. In combination with an OBD2 plug and real-time connection between the app and the vehicle, you can plan your journey very precisely. The app suggests charging stations that match your preferences for breaks and routes. If you select the "Drive with trailer" option, only charging stations that are suitable for trailers are displayed. We didn't have to disconnect once during the entire trip - even though it wouldn't have been a major problem.
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Image: ABR app in use. Top right of image - battery status - remaining charge on arrival - utilization of next charging stop
. - Loading is often quicker than ordering food.
At many stops, the store was closed faster than we got and ate our food. Fast food isn't what it used to be either 😉
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- Speed has the greatest influence on consumption.
Although our Airstreams are around 20 % more aerodynamic than box-shaped trailers, the influence of speed is clearly noticeable. At a speed of 80 km/h on the straight, consumption is around 32-34 kWh/100 km, and at 100 km/h it is 42-44 kWh. Interestingly, the consumption on our first stage over the Kassel mountains was only 34.7 kWh/100 km at a speed of 80 km/h. It seems that high speeds are more important than driving through mountainous terrain. When crossing the Alps to the south, you certainly have to expect significantly higher consumption.
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- The range can always be greater - but it is sufficient.
No matter how big the battery is - it could always be bigger. With the Kia EV9, you have a usable range of around 250 km with a full battery and the Bambi 22, with a reserve of 30-40 km. After a typical 80% charge, you have a range of around 200 km. This was sufficient for us in practice. There were stretches where we were looking forward to the next charging break after 2.5 hours of driving, but sometimes it would have been nice to drive for another hour. Overall, however, our typical way of traveling with the Airstream corresponds to the break structure dictated by the type of drive.
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- There are more (free) charging stations than you might think - but not on the German highway.
Overall, we never had any problems finding a charging station. However, you should always plan for enough remaining range. A charging station or the payment system can sometimes be faulty - then you need a plan B! As a general rule, you should avoid German highway service stations. The charging stations there are not designed for trailers and you usually have the problem of finding a parking space with a trailer in the first place. Motorway service areas are much more relaxed. Everything was very relaxed in Denmark and Sweden 😊.
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Image: Aral Pulse charging station with trailer/truck charging lanes
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- Electromobility with the Airstream can be fun.
Overall, the journey with the Kia EV9 was super relaxed. This is mainly due to the great driving characteristics as a towing vehicle and the driving comfort that the car offers. But we also liked the V2L function, which allows you to supply the trailer with 230 volts on the road and, thanks to the large vehicle battery, leads to almost limitless power self-sufficiency on the road - without any additional investment in the Airstream.
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Picture: Operation of the Airstream including electric grill on the beach in Denmark via V2L power supply from the KIA EV9
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- The most important thing at the end!
If you don't want to drive an electric car in everyday life, you certainly shouldn't drive an electric towing vehicle!
Nobody is forcing you to drive an electric car. If the electric drive is not the right choice for your everyday life, then it is certainly not the right choice for towing a trailer. The "ban on combustion engines" will not come into force until 2035 at the earliest. Until then, there will still be plenty of new combustion-powered towing vehicles and a large number of used ones. So you have plenty of time to find out which drive type is right for you. But if you are already interested in an electric vehicle, you now know the conditions under which you can also tow an Airstream caravan. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.