Track Tvan trailers are some of the toughest towable micro campers on the planet. Now, Track has improved the off-grid capability of the series by multiplying lithium battery capacity and solar charging to create the all-new Tvan Lightning. The aggressively sized new saloon leaves the LPG tank behind and powers cooking and camping amenities with the beating sun that is more than abundant in the hot, dry Outback.
At the same time, Track Trailer announced its push in the US market, he was preparing his most advanced Tvan to date. It debuted the Tvan Lightning in mid-February and showed it off again at the most recent Victorian Camping, Caravan and Touring Supershow 2023. The new flagship Tvan model seeks to give off-road adventurers more autonomy to power their own off-grid base camps.
Tracked trailer
Leaving LPG tanks in the past and going all electric has been a trend among Australian trailer builders in general, but we’ve noticed it before mainly on large caravans with the space and payload to accommodate oversized power systems. Track cuts it down to the size of a teardrop, more than tripling the Lightning’s battery capacity over other Tvan models by hardwired into a 500 Ah dual lithium battery system. It also triples the solar power to keep that battery going, installing a 200W panel on the roof and a removable 160W panel on the rear hatch. The batteries also charge from the tow vehicle when driving on the road or on the trail.
Track increases the size of its inverter from 300 watts to 2,000 watts, ensuring the Tvan Lightning can run built-in appliances and power its 240V outlets for accessories such as coffee machines and hair dryers. Redarc’s RedVision Total Vehicle Management System centralizes electrical control through an in-trailer display and mobile app.
Tracked trailer
The Lightning comes with the premium kitchen option found on other Tvan models, but replaces a Safiery two-plate induction cooktop in place of the gas range. The sleek cooktop includes an 1800W griddle and 1500W griddle (limited to 2000W combined), plus features like touch controls and child lock. The galley also has two 240V outlets for appliances and accessories and is completed with a stainless steel worktop, pull-out sink, storage drawers and a retractable wrap-around wind deflector.
The Lightning’s standard front locker includes a lower refrigerator slide and an upper slide-out storage bin. After reconfiguring the electrical equipment, Track also redesigned the under-bed storage drawers in the cabin. Box-shaped drawers pull out for loading, then slide and lock into place under the double bed.
Tracked trailer
Track’s latest trailer features its jaw-shaped tailgate design that splits into a hard floor and roof sandwiching the fabric auxiliary tent. The 30 Second Track Setup feature added to the fifth generation tv allows campers to bypass the full tent setup, leaving the tent stowed while jumping straight into bed. This way, campers can quickly stay overnight or escape bad weather without having to spend time on superfluous setup.
Tracked trailer
Track doesn’t go completely fossil fuel free with the Lightning, as it still installs a diesel heater for cabin heat and hot water. The new trailer has a dry weight of approximately 2,645 lbs (1,200 kg) and offers up to 1,322 lbs (600 kg) of payload, leaving approximately 1,085 lbs (492 kg) of payload capacity after filling the 108 liter water tank.
The Tvan Lightning is available to order in Australia now, and the online motorhome market and news site Camping Caravan Sales reports that it starts at AU$101,800 (about US$67,100). No word on the potential for an American model, but the electrical system that underpins the Lightning is set to be completely reworked around American standards, so we don’t expect it to join the Tvan Zenith at Xgrid Campers immediately’ Las Vegas Showroom.
Track provides a quick overview of the new features of the Tvan Lightning in the four minute video below.
Follow Tvan’s Lightning
Source: Tracked trailer