Pebble Flow Electric RV Trailer - My First Journey Towing With R1T

[JamuJoe]

R1T and Pebble Flow - First Journey

We picked up our new Pebble Flow Founders Edition at Pebble HQ in Fremont CA on 11/19/25 and began our indirect journey home to Durango CO. We’re towing with our R1T, dual motor, performance, max pack on 21” Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 tires. This same truck towed our 28’ Airstream for over 14K miles. The single axle Pebble is 24’ 8” LOA, 7’6” width, 6800 lbs GVWR and is equipped with dual electic motors and a 45kWh LFP battery pack. All utilities are electric - no propane. It rolls on 275/70R18 Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse All-season tires. The Pebble requires no WDH or sway bars, and tracked very well in all conditions thus far. A full description can be found at pebblelife.com.


One unique feature of the Pebble is Tow Assist, whereby the motors engage to offset trailer drag. These motors, remotely controlled via the iPad mini, also provide maneuverability around a camp site, driveway etc.

Tow Assist is seamless, switched on and off from the iPad. The Rivian has so much power that relieving it of trailer drag isn’t immediately perceived as a huge difference. It’s more apparent on steep grades or merging onto the interstate. One can observe the difference in efficiency after a bit, and regeneration to the Pebble pack during downgrades or braking is displayed on the Pebble app. alongside solar input. I noted 6.4kW on some long downgrades.

The Pebble has great aerodynamics, with no aircon units on top, minimal vents and recessed solar panels. The Aero Box on the bow (covering the 15,000 BTU heat pump) raises for towing, presenting a clean entry. The R1T was not as sleek on this trip, with two cargo boxes atop the bed, so some efficiency loss there.

Efficiency varies with a number of factors, short run comparisons are not statistically valid, and I realize that these early results are hardly scientific, but do offer a glimpse at the benefit of Tow Assist. Interstate driving is generally my worst efficiency. I tow at 65 mph. and am buffeted by the bow waves of passing semis.

My ‘baseline’ efficiency for comparison was an average 1.1 mi/kWh for our 7500 lb Airstream 28, over 14,000 miles.

The Rivian recalculates trailer weight after every hitch-up and a few miles of towing, rounding to nearest 500 lbs. One can also force a recalculation from the trailer display. Without Tow Assist the Rivian estimated the weight of trailer at 6500 lbs. With Tow Assist the Rivian in motion recalculated the weight of trailer at 5000 lbs.

With Tow assist, a 168 mile run on I40 at 65mph yielded efficiency of 1.76 mi/kWh.

We left Gallup NM after charging at the RAN to 94%. Having made the run from Holbrook to Gallup without Tow Assist, the navigation system estimated our home arrival SOC at 4%. A bit risky, as there is but one fast charger en route, and that at a GM dealership in Farmington with uncertain availability. I’ve had to stop there with the Airstream, and it’s awkward. We rolled and I activated Tow Assist. I towed at 65 mph, but this time on NM 491 with little traffic. The estimated arrival SOC increased to 26%. No charging stop required! We arrived home after 156 miles and 1200 ft of elevation gain with exactly that 26% SOC, in a brisk 30F.

We look forward to many great trips next year, but now it’s snowing and time for covered winter storage.

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[DaveA]

R1T and Pebble Flow - First Journey

We picked up our new Pebble Flow Founders Edition at Pebble HQ in Fremont CA on 11/19/25 and began our indirect journey home to Durango CO. We’re towing with our R1T, dual motor, performance, max pack on 21” Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 tires. This same truck towed our 28’ Airstream for over 14K miles. The single axle Pebble is 24’ 8” LOA, 7’6” width, 6800 lbs GVWR and is equipped with dual electic motors and a 45kWh LFP battery pack. All utilities are electric - no propane. It rolls on 275/70R18 Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse All-season tires. The Pebble requires no WDH or sway bars, and tracked very well in all conditions thus far. A full description can be found at pebblelife.com.


One unique feature of the Pebble is Tow Assist, whereby the motors engage to offset trailer drag. These motors, remotely controlled via the iPad mini, also provide maneuverability around a camp site, driveway etc.

Tow Assist is seamless, switched on and off from the iPad. The Rivian has so much power that relieving it of trailer drag isn’t immediately perceived as a huge difference. It’s more apparent on steep grades or merging onto the interstate. One can observe the difference in efficiency after a bit, and regeneration to the Pebble pack during downgrades or braking is displayed on the Pebble app. alongside solar input. I noted 6.4kW on some long downgrades.

The Pebble has great aerodynamics, with no aircon units on top, minimal vents and recessed solar panels. The Aero Box on the bow (covering the 15,000 BTU heat pump) raises for towing, presenting a clean entry. The R1T was not as sleek on this trip, with two cargo boxes atop the bed, so some efficiency loss there.

Efficiency varies with a number of factors, short run comparisons are not statistically valid, and I realize that these early results are hardly scientific, but do offer a glimpse at the benefit of Tow Assist. Interstate driving is generally my worst efficiency. I tow at 65 mph. and am buffeted by the bow waves of passing semis.

My ‘baseline’ efficiency for comparison was an average 1.1 mi/kWh for our 7500 lb Airstream 28, over 14,000 miles.

The Rivian recalculates trailer weight after every hitch-up and a few miles of towing, rounding to nearest 500 lbs. One can also force a recalculation from the trailer display. Without Tow Assist the Rivian estimated the weight of trailer at 6500 lbs. With Tow Assist the Rivian in motion recalculated the weight of trailer at 5000 lbs.

With Tow assist, a 168 mile run on I40 at 65mph yielded efficiency of 1.76 mi/kWh.

We left Gallup NM after charging at the RAN to 94%. Having made the run from Holbrook to Gallup without Tow Assist, the navigation system estimated our home arrival SOC at 4%. A bit risky, as there is but one fast charger en route, and that at a GM dealership in Farmington with uncertain availability. I’ve had to stop there with the Airstream, and it’s awkward. We rolled and I activated Tow Assist. I towed at 65 mph, but this time on NM 491 with little traffic. The estimated arrival SOC increased to 26%. No charging stop required! We arrived home after 156 miles and 1200 ft of elevation gain with exactly that 26% SOC, in a brisk 30F.

We look forward to many great trips next year, but now it’s snowing and time for covered winter storage.

I'm about to put down the non-refundable production deposit and really appreciate you sharing your early efficiency numbers with tow assist. Thank you. Your Founder's Edition looks beautiful!

 

[rhumbliner]

Thanks for the great write-up! I love the idea of the Pebble but after viewing the layout online my wife & I eliminated it as a possible RV.

We lived aboard a small boat for some period of time where we had access to only one side of our bed. Making the bed was a pain and one person needing to crawl over the other was not an optimal layout. It seems Pebble went the same direction and has no access to either side of the bed.

So I’m curious, since you‘re familiar with the Airstream, how you find the sleeping arrangement.

TIA

 

[DaveA]

Thanks for the great write-up! I love the idea of the Pebble but after viewing the layout online my wife & I eliminated it as a possible RV.

We lived aboard a small boat for some period of time where we had access to only one side of our bed. Making the bed was a pain and one person needing to crawl over the other was not an optimal layout. It seems Pebble went the same direction and has no access to either side of the bed.

So I’m curious, since you‘re familiar with the Airstream, how you find the sleeping arrangement.

TIA

No need to make the bed. It flips out of the way so you can ignore the mess.

 

[mkhuffman]

No need to make the bed. It flips out of the way so you can ignore the mess.

You can probably flip it part of the way up to reach the sides and make the bed, right?

 

[Dark-Fx]

How many miles per kwh did the pebble consume when the tow assist was active? Did you have to go out of your way to charge the pebble during the trip?

 

[SwampNut]

Making beds? Silly at home, but downright crazy when camping. SMDH

We passed one of these between Vegas and Kingman. He was going pretty slow. I wondered if it was a perceived safety need or burning up a lot of juice.

 

[YoPurp]

Great write up. Been following Pebble for a few years really cool to see real world. I do wonder how one charges then pebble and I continue to worry that if you use the Tow Assist to get to a campsite, how much power it has left to power the RV capabilities. Look forward to more camping experiences and appreciate you sharing.

 

[Nixapatfan]

I'm too lazy to do the math here but I wonder if it really is more efficient than a regular trailer or just offloading some of the losses to the trailer battery.

 

[VandalSibs]

Great write up. Been following Pebble for a few years really cool to see real world. I do wonder how one charges then pebble and I continue to worry that if you use the Tow Assist to get to a campsite, how much power it has left to power the RV capabilities. Look forward to more camping experiences and appreciate you sharing.

You can still plug it in at a campsite, and I believe some (or all?) trims come with some form of DCFC port (either CCS1 or NACS).

 

[DaveA]

You can still plug it in at a campsite, and I believe some (or all?) trims come with some form of DCFC port (either CCS1 or NACS).

Yes, they use CCS1 and NACS compatible with adapter, according to early owners. You can also disconnect the trailer and remote control it into the adjacent charging spot, etc, to fast charge it at the same time as the towing EV.

 

[BigE]

Thanks for the great write-up! I love the idea of the Pebble but after viewing the layout online my wife & I eliminated it as a possible RV.

We lived aboard a small boat for some period of time where we had access to only one side of our bed. Making the bed was a pain and one person needing to crawl over the other was not an optimal layout. It seems Pebble went the same direction and has no access to either side of the bed.

So I’m curious, since you‘re familiar with the Airstream, how you find the sleeping arrangement.

TIA

We have had multiple campers over the years, and I don't like the layout of the Pebble. Airstream's have much better layouts with decades of experience. Good question from one of the other post about how many kwh is going to the Pebble and is it just a wash. We tow a 1969 Shasta we built during COVID (awful CD) and get ~1.1 miles/kWh, and I can't imagine have to charge both the Rivian and a camper at a SC.

 

[VSG]

Yes, they use CCS1 and NACS compatible with adapter

It's CCS1. I would be cautions about spreading the rumor that they can use Tesla Superchargers - Pebble has not made this claim, and the one Pebble owner who posted an image of him charging his Pebble at a Supercharger also mentioned that it was a Magic Dock Supercharger, which can charge any vehicle.

There are very few Magic Dock Superchargers around. Tesla stopped building them more than a year ago when they switched their strategy to NACS agreements with manufacturers. Pebble does not have an agreement with Tesla as far as I can determine, which means they don't have access to Tesla's Supercharger network.

 

[VSG]

Good question from one of the other post about how many kwh is going to the Pebble and is it just a wash. We tow a 1969 Shasta we built during COVID (awful CD) and get ~1.1 miles/kWh, and I can't imagine have to charge both the Rivian and a camper at a SC.

The Pebble's battery is 45kWh - about 1/3 the size of a Rivian Large pack. It also has 1.1kW of solar on the roof, which is charging the Pebble battery even in motion.

The design of the trailer means you DO get noticeably better efficiency than a normal travel trailer - even an Airstream which honestly isn't that streamlined if you look at the actual numbers. Worst case, the Pebble is still better than the Airstream. Best case (using Tow Assist) it's more like a teardrop when it comes to effective range while towing.

However, the biggest contribution comes from Tow Assist, not from aerodynamics. You have complete control of the Tow Assist, so you can turn it on or turn it off, or even use it to *hurt* your efficiency by tow-charging the Pebble battery as you drive. All controlled by an iPad "remote". This adds additional flexibility to charge planning. You can use up the Pebble battery when you need it, and not use it or even recharge it while driving when you're not worried about charge options.

I can't imagine have to charge both the Rivian and a camper at a SC

Well one of the beautiful things about the Pebble is that it is almost trivial to unhitch it and use the "remote" to drive it into a charging stall. So if you need a charge for your trailer, even if there is no dedicated pull-through, it's no big deal at all. You don't even have to waste time - start charging your Rivian then unhook and drive the trailer into a different stall. It will be full before your Rivian is, then you can hitch up (which it will do by itself BTW, you only have to hook the chains on and plug in the trailer plug) and be on your way as soon as your Rivian is finished.

And of course you can plug it in at a campground, just like any other trailer, even at campgrounds that forbid EV charging. So you can fill that Pebble battery overnight. And if they do allow EV charging, you can also plug in your Rivian.

 

[JamuJoe]

Thanks for the great write-up! I love the idea of the Pebble but after viewing the layout online my wife & I eliminated it as a possible RV.

We lived aboard a small boat for some period of time where we had access to only one side of our bed. Making the bed was a pain and one person needing to crawl over the other was not an optimal layout. It seems Pebble went the same direction and has no access to either side of the bed.

So I’m curious, since you‘re familiar with the Airstream, how you find the sleeping arrangement.

TIA

TIA,
The important question is ‘How does the First Mate like it?’ (we’re ex sailors as well, now in our 70’s).
She does! Thank goodness. The bed is an adjustment to be sure, as our Airstream had the rear queen with access on both sides. Crawling up from the bottom is no problem, nobody gets crushed, but making the murphy bed does require a bit of gymnastics. As the bed is supposed to travel latched in the raised position, (it flips up and down very easily) and is not necessarily on dsplay until bedtime, functionality of bedding can take precedence over appearance. Bedding folds right up with the bed, so no problem there. We find the bed to be very comfortable. Our

I'm too lazy to do the math here but I wonder if it really is more efficient than a regular trailer or just offloading some of the losses to the trailer battery.

Yes, they use CCS1 and NACS compatible with adapter, according to early owners. You can also disconnect the trailer and remote control it into the adjacent charging spot, etc, to fast charge it at the same time as the towing EV.

It's CCS1. I would be cautions about spreading the rumor that they can use Tesla Superchargers - Pebble has not made this claim, and the one Pebble owner who posted an image of him charging his Pebble at a Supercharger also mentioned that it was a Magic Dock Supercharger, which can charge any vehicle.

There are very few Magic Dock Superchargers around. Tesla stopped building them more than a year ago when they switched their strategy to NACS agreements with manufacturers. Pebble does not have an agreement with Tesla as far as I can determine, which means they don't have access to Tesla's Supercharger network.

Several good questions above.

The Pebble will tow very efficiently without Tow Assist. The aerodynamics are excellent. The clean roof without aircon is a big factor, as is the Aero Box bow..

Layout is a personal preference. We’ve had two Airstreams (23 & 28) over the last 15 years, and each had layout features that we didn’t like, but adjusted.

Absolutely, the Tow Assist will deplete the battery if used continuously over a long tow day. Solar (1100w) and regen will help. I will use Tow Assist when it will make a difference in reaching my destination without another charging stop. Charging both the R1T and Pebble in a campground was easy. If heading off grid, I’d not use it in order to preserve the battery for domestic use.

The Pebble has a CCS1 port for DC fast charging as well as a good L2 charger with a long cable for NEMA 50 pedestals. I haven’t charged the Pebble on a L3 charger yet, though I’ve envisioned doing so. I’d rather plan my travel to avoid such. I also haven’t had to unhitch to charge the Rivian at L3. As far as Tesla, I don’t know if using my NACS adapter and Tesla app rather than plug and charge might work.

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