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Polydrops, Inc. is an American teardrops trailer company based in Los Angeles, California. Polydrops is known for its polygonal shape, all-electric climate control features, and lightness towable with most vehicles including electric vehicles.

Polydrops’ mission is to help people to own their comfortable space wherever they go. Also the company tries to prosper sustainable camping culture – minimizing human footprints on nature obtained through its ev-towable and a fully climate controlled teardrop trailer.

Founding (2017–2019)
Founded as Polydrop Trailer in 2017, Polydrops was incorporated on Feb. 2019, by Kyunghyun Lew and Jieun Cha. The couple dropped the first prototype back in 2017 at the school parking lot located in Downtown Los Angeles while earning their master degree in architecture. They used the trailer both for traveling and working space. Later, it became a micro-office for growing up the business at the startup incubator.

2019 Polydrops Limited Edition (2019)
Polydrops released its first trailer "2019 Polydrop Limited Edition" on the market in March 2019. It had a lightweight aluminium frame with timbren independent suspension and hydraulic disc brakes for best drivability and safety. The wooden cabin is bolted onto the metal frame and in total weighs 760lbs. In the cabin, there is a three-quarter size mattress, storage space, and a roof vent. The mattress is comfortable for two adults, like most of other teardrop trailers, and each storage section has beautiful, hidden LED lighting.

The polydrop has also been designed with sustainability in mind. 8.2″ thick rigid insulation has been inserted into the walls to save energy and an aluminium skin wraps the wooden cabin to provide protection from harsh weather conditions. The trailer’s electronic system is supplied power from a 100w solar panel and a 110v power inlet on the left side of the body for heating and lighting. In essence, Lew has developed a compact trailer that is ideal for those who love to travel but also want added comfort and security.

Polydrop K Series (2019–2020)
In October 2019, Polydrops released upgraded versions called K series – K-17, K-19, K-20, KJ-20. Each model has different features and the price ranges from $14,495(USD) to $19,995(USD) depending on its option. The body of the trailers is 149 inches long and 65.6 inches wide. The interior height is 42.5 inches tall. Maintaining the design values of the previous model, the aluminum-skinned trailer increased its wall thickness from 8.2 inch to 8.7 inch to protect it from harsh weather, including snow. Also the trailer’s improved outdoor kitchen comes with more amenities including a fridge, hand pump sink, spice rack, cabinet and drawers, and two-burner stoves with vents along with the cooking counter and LED lights. The most equipped model – The K-20 Fully Loaded has a ceiling fan and a 5,000 BTU air conditioning unit, a heater with a thermostat and insulated interior window covers. Also There are four separate security cameras outside of the trailer. A roof rack, road shower, and awning are installed for better camping experience.

P17A (2021)
In March 2021, Polydrops launched P17A. It is claimed as ‘the most advanced travel trailer’ – all-electric zero-emission travel trailer that could travel with most vehicles including electric vehicles. This model has improved from the previous models in power supply/storage, interior volume/layout, aerodynamics, and entertainment. The price ranges from $24,990 to $36,140 with all of the add-ons included.

It has a battery-operated air conditioner, heater, fridge, induction cooktop, bluetooth speakers, and many more with 110V outlets. The lithium-ion battery batteries integrated in the trailer’s floor supply between 2.4 to 12-kilowatt-hours of energy. This battery system also accompanies the solar panels, which then in turn supply between 260 to 520-watts of solar energy. The 2.4 kilowatt-hour battery can be upgraded to 4.8 or 12 kilowatt-hours. Similarly, the 260-watt solar panels can be boosted to 520-watt for an additional. A fully upgraded Polydrops trailer can last off-the-grid for six nights.

The trailer stands at about 13.5 feet long, six feet wide, and 5.3 feet tall. The interior width is 4.5 feet, which is bigger than the previous Polydrops trailer model. This allows the unit to fit a full-size mattress. Also the trailer’s unconventional layout – connecting the galley and sleeping area – lets users access everywhere from inside unlike traditional teardrop trailers. The kitchen can be accessed from both inside and outside the trailer.

The aluminum trailer has an aerodynamic shape, allowing the electric vehicle towing the 1,200-pound trailer to save some energy. And 8.7” thick wall is maintained for its insulation.

Electric Power
Polydrops is involved in battery research. Starting in 2019, the company has been researching their own battery system for off-the-grid camping. Currently, the company uses lithium-ion battery LiFePO4 from Battle Born which is known for reliable performance and safety. The batteries are located under the trailer’s floor and supply between 2.4 to 12-kilowatt-hours of energy. This battery system also accompanies the solar panels, which then in turn supply between 260 to 520-watts of solar energy. The 2.4 kilowatt-hour battery can be upgraded to 4.8 or 12 kilowatt-hours. Up to 520W rated solar panels and up to 12kWh batteries power all components including a 5000BTU air conditioner, heater, fridge, induction cooktop for more than 6 nights.

Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is one of the key features of Polydrops. Their recent model P17A is designed to optimize airflow and reduce air resistance, resulting in a 55% resistance reduction compared to traditional teardrop shape trailers. This result benefits both EVs and gasoline cars to minimize their energy consumption. Especially for EVs, efficient aerodynamics minimizes charging time but also shortens the total distance of trip.

The Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) result of Polydrops shows that the total 778N of air resistance, 242N of air resistance to a towing vehicle added by P17A when they drive at 55mph with Tesla model 3. Compared to that, a typical teardrop trailer generates a total of 1077N of air resistance and 541N of air resistance added to a towing vehicle.

The lowest pressure point while towing a P17A is -5916dyne/cm2 while the teardrop trailer is -3711dyne/cm2. The actual airflow or the pressure created around the perimeter of the car is very close for both of them.

Insulation
Polydrops makes 8.7" max thick insulation walls to achieve fully climate controlled camping. It assists either cool or warm energy to be captured inside, so that a minimum amount of electric power for the HVAC system is required. Due to its seamless solid insulation shell, the trailer has no thermal bridges losing heat energy unlike typical wood framed trailers.

Exterior Design
Polydrops’ trailers have been compared with Tesla’s Cybertruck after the truck’s unveiling event in November 2019.

Aerodynamics
One of the most controversial issues is the aerodynamics of P17A. Due to its angled shape, Polydrops’ trailers are usually considered as non-aerodynamic trailers. However, the trailer’s edges split the airflow from the front and let it smoothly flow over the trailer based on their CFD results.