Tesla Model S Modified as an All-Electric RV
Author and adventurer Travis Rabenberg, the host of a Twitch TV channel dubbed “Travis Travels,” has unveiled his latest brainchild: the Tesla Roamer motorhome, a Tesla Model S that has been modified as an RV camper.
Set to launch at the Michigan Energy Office’s EV Ride & Drive event on April 17, the Roamer will feature a bed, sink, and toilet, as well as a 350-watt solar array. It weighs about 550 pounds more than the Model S 70D it’s built on, bringing total curb weight to over 5,000 pounds.
Rabenberg says the Roamer will have a top speed of 150 mph and a range of over 200 miles, and hopes to use the Roamer to break the Guinness World Land Speed Record for an electric motorhome. He plans to drive the Roamer from England to Dubai, where he’ll lead a parade of EVs into the World Expo 2020.
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The Roamer is far from Rabenberg’s first strange vehicle conversion. Past camper conversions include a 2008 GMC 3500 HD V8 diesel ambulance and a 2003 Ford E350 V10 van, both of which he drove from Michigan to far-out destinations, like Alaska and Chile.
This time around, Rabenberg’s ambition is to show off a more environmentally-friendly solution and “encourage more kids to travel in a sustainable way.” Though the standard Model S would likely balk at off-road driving conditions, the Roamer uses a raised suspension, non-factory wheels and tires, and rooftop running lights to enhance its capability off the asphalt.
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