Evotrex PG5: The First Power-Generating RV Trailer

Most RVs store energy. The Evotrex PG5, unveiled at CES 2026, is built to make it. This towable trailer packs a 43 kWh battery, 1.5 kW of solar and an onboard generator into a single self-replenishing power system that Evotrex says delivers more than 270 kWh of usable energy per cycle — and it can even push power back into an electric tow vehicle. Here is what the PG5 actually does, how its numbers stack up against a normal camper, what it costs, and whether "a trailer that generates its own power" lives up to the headline.

1. What the Evotrex PG5 is

Evotrex is a California-based company that launched at CES 2026 with a single, ambitious product: the PG5, one of the first travel trailers designed to generate its own electricity rather than simply carry a battery to be recharged at a campground. Founder and CEO Alex Xiao frames the goal as travel "without compromise" — enough onboard power for heating, cooling, appliances and comfort, wherever you park, without hunting for a hook-up.

In practice the PG5 is a luxury towable that bundles a large integrated energy system with residential-grade living space: a queen bed, a convertible dinette, a dry bathroom with a full shower, and a kitchen with an induction cooktop and convection microwave. The headline, though, is the electrical architecture.

2. The power ecosystem: 43 kWh, solar and Horizon

The PG5's energy system is the reason it exists. Three sources feed one intelligently managed battery bank:

The key idea is that the 43 kWh battery is not the whole story. Because solar, regenerative towing and the Horizon generator continuously refill it, Evotrex quotes total usable energy per cycle at over 270 kWh — six times the raw battery capacity. An intelligent energy management system juggles those inputs against loads like HVAC and appliances, and an onboard off-grid calculator estimates how long you can stay unplugged based on weather and usage.

3. RangeBoost, V2L and V2H: power that flows both ways

Where the PG5 goes beyond a big battery box is bidirectional power. Its energy can leave the trailer in three ways:

• RangeBoost (V2V). Controlled, bidirectional transfer from the trailer to an electric tow vehicle. Towing a trailer normally slashes an EV's range; the PG5 instead feeds the EV to stabilise its charge and extend usable range on the road.
• V2L (vehicle-to-load). Standard power export to run tools, cooking gear and campsite equipment directly from the trailer.
• V2H (vehicle-to-home). The trailer can act as a home backup during outages, using its battery and generator for extended, resilient power.

An "Active Power Assist" system adds a hitch force sensor and an electric drive motor that helps propel the trailer while towing — reducing drag and strain — and enables remote self-maneuvering for parking once unhitched.

4. Towing, suspension and the motorized terrace

The chassis is built for mixed terrain: automotive-grade adjustable air suspension that raises for clearance off-road or lowers for stability and aerodynamics on the highway, a reinforced double-axle frame and all-terrain tires. Living space extends outdoors through a motorized 43-square-foot (about 4 m²) patio deck that folds down at the press of a button and can reconfigure into a loading ramp for bikes and boards. A tablet-based command center controls lighting, climate, tanks and power distribution, with exterior cameras for maneuvering.

5. How it compares to a DIY campervan setup

The PG5 sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from a typical self-build van, but the comparison is useful for understanding just how much energy it carries.

The takeaway is not that everyone should buy a six-figure trailer — it is that the PG5 productizes principles most vanlifers already juggle by hand: size storage to your real loads, add enough generation to refill it, and manage the balance actively. Whether you run a 43 kWh trailer or a 200Ah van battery, the maths is the same: your autonomy is usable energy divided by daily consumption, minus whatever solar and driving put back.

6. Price, availability and who it is for

Preorders are open now, with production targeted for the end of 2026 and deliveries shortly after, initially in the United States.

This is unambiguously a premium product aimed at long-duration off-grid travelers, EV owners who want to tow without killing their range, and buyers who value self-sufficiency and residential comfort over budget. For the majority of van and camper owners it is aspirational rather than practical — but as a signpost for where RV energy systems are heading, it is one of the most interesting launches of 2026.

7. Verdict

The Evotrex PG5 earns its "power-generating" billing on paper: an integrated 43 kWh battery, meaningful solar, a fuel-efficient generator and genuine bidirectional power (to an EV, to loads and to a home) add up to a level of energy independence no mainstream trailer offers today. The caveats are equally clear — it is not yet in production, the price starts at $119,990, weight and towing figures are still unconfirmed, and initial availability is US-only. If it ships as specified, the PG5 is less a camper than a mobile power plant with a bedroom attached. For everyone else, its real value is the reminder that off-grid comfort comes down to one equation: generate at least as much as you use.