Living slowly, living frugally has always interested me, so I was very excited to walk into many examples of sustainable tiny homes this week at CES 2025. There were EV RVs, trailers designed for camping and delivery, turnkey, self-contained. – permanent muscles. I want each one to build a small eco village somewhere, preferably within walking distance to a bakery, coffee shop and Thai food.
While none of these are cheap, some actually fall below what I would expect, compared to the rest of the market. And the features used represent some of the best sustainability capabilities currently available – solar power, gray water recycling, atmospheric water production and boss level installations. And they are all very good.
The camping/recreational nature of these models is great – but the fact that most would not require a permit could help address a small corner of the housing crisis, especially as more cities loosen restrictions on additional dwelling units (ADUs). One of these can easily be set up in the backyard or driveway as a studio space for the college student, elderly parent and happy single person. I am planning to do something. After CES. And sleeping for a long time.
Haus.me microhaus Pro
I’ll get this out of the way: the Haus.me Microhaus Pro was my favorite of the bunch. It’s a portable, ready-to-use, 120 square-foot pod that can set up on any flat surface – grass, concrete, sand, dirt, surface cinderblocks, you name it. If it is flat, it is equal. It can absorb water from the air (and I was assured that includes low humidity areas). It connects to a common extension cord, so that the power comes from the grid, to set up solar or something else completely and the integrated battery will run everything for four days without being connected to the power.
Inside, it’s luxurious and charming with all the space maximized. The queen-size Murphy bed folds up to reveal a table and two bench seats. It has a small fridge, microwave and sink in the kitchen, a full shower in the bathroom, and a TV in the living area. The Pro model is fully appointed, complete with Siri Homepod voice control, luxury dishes, linens and includes the aforementioned battery. That model is designed for Airbnbs and rentals and costs just under $90,000. Lite drops a huge amount of thirty in price as it predicts the battery, dishes and few other features and is intended for personal use. All microhaus models are available to order now.
AC Future Ai-THd
The most tony unit I’ve seen is from AC Future. The AC Future Ai-THd is a full-size EV RV on display at the Las Vegas convention center. This is one of three models that the company will make. There is also the Ai-THt, a trailer version and the Ai-THu which, like the microhaus, is an affordable unit. The last one is the cheapest of the three and the one that interested me the most. All three are based on the same flexible design (TH stands for convertible home) that extends three ways from a 120-square-foot to a 400-square-foot one-bedroom apartment.
Each model will be customized to order and the technology available is amazing. The solar panels will generate 25 kWh of energy every day and will also generate up to 15 liters of atmospheric water per day. There’s a full-size refrigerator, washer/dryer, dishwasher, stand-up shower and, because in 2025, a whole-home AI assistant called Futura to manage things on your behalf. Pre-orders opened at CES and AC Future plans to start production as soon as the madness of CES is behind them.
RollAway
I just got to peek inside the RollAway, but my colleague Jessica Conditt was able to get a full tour of the EV RV rental. It features high-end hotel amenities, from luxury linens to Malin+Goetz toiletries. There is a convertible queen-size bed, double sliding stove, shower, panoramic roof and a built-in projector. The RV itself has a range of over 270 miles and a quick charge option. Sustainability tech includes rooftop solar panels, waterless toilets, and wastewater systems. That should allow for some off-grid travel but the RollAway is also compatible with standard RV site connections.
To complete the hotel-like vibes, a 24/7 concierge is on hand to help you plan your trip, give you directions, make side request suggestions and keep your space equipped on the road. RollAway has just started booking the trip and is almost fully booked for 2025. Reservations cost about $400 a night and are currently available in San Francisco Bay, but more cities are coming soon.
Pebble flow
My colleague Sam Rutherford saw the Pebble Flow EV trailer from last year at CES (and his photos are always better than mine). I looked at the production model the company brought to the show this year. The difference is small but meaningful. In fact, Pebble asked potential customers to visit the prototype and tell them what to change. One instruction was “more windows” so a skylight was added, and a larger window in the back. Cabinets are now easy to access. And the overall shape is now more aerodynamic, which should make pulling the trailer even easier.
Ease of towing was already one of the Flow’s selling points. A 24-meter trailer can be equipped with a dual-motor drivetrain that helps reduce drag on the towing vehicle. That upgrade includes a remote control option that lets you park and hitch the trailer with an app. Also, there’s a Murphy queen bed that turns into a work space and the dinette table folds out to accommodate two more sleepers. There is a full kitchen, shower/bathroom with glass doors that change from opaque to clear at the push of a button. There is a 45 kWh battery and a 1.1 kW solar array. It starts at $109,500 and goes up to $135,500 with car upgrades. The first deliveries should be available in the spring of this year.
Lightship AE.1 Cosmos
Fun fact: Lightship is the only California company not on this list. California again The Colorado-based company makes the AE.1 Cosmos, another solar powered electric trailer that also has a car assist feature. Without the engine, the Cosmos also drops four meters when in “road mode” mode to reduce drag. Inside is a full kitchen with dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, convection oven and induction cooktop. Two berths accommodate four and both convert to living areas (dinette and bed/sofa). Everything is powered by a 1.8 kWh solar array and battery banks.
The Lightship docked the Cosmos in an area just outside the convention center. The space was decorated with a stone floor filled with desert plants and a star-studded backdrop that blocked the convention center itself. If I closed my eyes, I could pretend I was in the wilderness somewhere, I had everything I needed there. It was a bit of a let down to leave it and go back to the frenzy that is CES. But now the sad thing: Only 50 will be produced. Each will be manufactured at the company’s facility in Broomfield, Colorado and will retail for $250,000 each, with units shipping this summer.