Grounded Announces G2 Electric Camper Van with 250-Mile Range

When Detroit-based EV startup Grounded announced its G1 electric camper van in March of this year, company CEO Sam Shapiro hinted that a next-generation model with a longer range was already in the works. Today, he made good on that promise by introducing the G2, an all-electric RV with a range of up to 250 miles on a single charge.

Because the G1 was built on the Ford e-Transit platform, it came with a few constraints. Most notably, the electric version of the Transit only has a range of a little over 100 miles. Unsurprisingly, this caused some range anxiety with potential buyers who saw themselves spending as much time at a charging station as they did at the campsite.

Photo Credit: Grounded

The G2 avoids those concerns by riding on an entirely different—and somewhat unexpected—platform. Grounded’s latest model utilizes the BrightDrop Zevo 600 chassis, which brings some exciting upgrades over the G1. Those include 615 square feet of living space and a 165kWh battery pack that gives the van its extended range.

For those unfamiliar with BrightDrop, it is a subsidiary of General Motors that, until now, has mainly focused on disrupting the delivery space. The company’s vans use a combination of EV technology and enterprise-level logistical software to streamline package deliveries. But as we’ve seen with vans from Ford, Mercedes, and Dodge, those same vehicle platforms should make excellent camper vans.

Photo Credit: Grounded

Grounded brings the same modular approach it used with the G1 to build out the G2’s interior. The company offers a selection of pre-fab furnishing and appliances that can be combined in nearly infinite ways to create a unique living space. Better still, those pieces can be added and removed as needed, giving owners a more flexible approach to how they use their vehicles. This approach also allows the RV manufacturer to complete the customization process in a faster, more efficient timeframe, getting its Class B vans into the hands of buyers more quickly.

“The G2 is radically different from any other offering on the market,” says Shapiro via a press release. “It’s a profound step toward a future of fully electrified motorhomes, and makes sustainable travel truly achievable. We’ve designed the G2 to be as flexible as possible, and our truly modular interior delivers on the promise of a continually upgradable RV interior. Over time, as your life changes and your use cases change, the vehicle can change with you. Customers can replace the modules themselves by removing some fasteners, taking out one module, and inserting a new one.”

Photo Credit: Grounded

In addition to its longer range, the G2 has a few other features that give it the edge over its first-generation sibling. For starters, it has a 10kWh house battery that powers all onboard appliances, lighting, HVAC systems, and other features. It also comes with a 650-watt roof-mounted solar panel array for staying charged on the go. And if the house batteries get too low, they can be replenished using the vehicle’s battery pack. That should make the van an excellent option for boondocking.

Additional features include automatic front pedestrian braking, front and rear parking assist, and lane keep assist. Like the G1, the G2 can be monitored and controlled using the Grounded+ smartphone app, which allows users to remotely check current battery levels, turn appliances on and off, and analyze energy usage over time. The vehicle platform has an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty from BrightDrop, which is also building a network of service centers across the country. Grounded offers a one-year warranty on all of the van’s interior features and amenities.

At presstime, pricing was not available for the Grounded G2. Visit the company’s website for more information.

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