Aboard Completes Pre-Series A Funding Bringing Total Raise to $13M
What's the deal? Aboard, a Southern California startup, has completed a pre-series A funding round bringing its total raise to $13M. The company is building what it calls a next-generation travel trailer — an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) trailer that combines energy, mobility, and living into one integrated platform. Configurations start at $80,000.
Founded by Jiangtao Lyu, Aboard aims to bring automotive-grade design and engineering to the travel trailer market. Its first product features high-precision stamped body and door systems, built-in energy independence, automated comfort systems, and vehicle-level towing and control.
The company will make its formal public debut on May 29 at Outside Days in Denver, Colorado, where attendees can tour the trailer and meet the team.
Why now? The trailer is now in advanced prototype and validation, and the funding will go toward production readiness. Aboard is also timing its launch to coincide with Outside Days — a two-day outdoor industry conference and three-day festival — to reach the adventure-minded communities it sees as its core customers.
What could go wrong? At $80,000 and up, Aboard is entering a crowded and price-sensitive market with a premium product that has yet to reach production. Hardware startups face steep challenges scaling manufacturing, and electric RV concepts have historically struggled to convert buzz into sustained demand. The company will also need to prove that its integrated approach delivers enough real-world value to justify the price tag over traditional trailers.
The signal: Aboard sits at the intersection of two powerful trends: electrification and the outdoor-lifestyle economy. The RV industry has seen a wave of EV-adjacent innovation in recent years, from electric motorhomes to solar-equipped campers, as consumers seek greener, more self-sufficient ways to travel. Aboard's bet is that treating a travel trailer like a vehicle — not just a box on wheels — can unlock a new category of buyer who expects the same polish and reliability they get from their car.
