Some quick history: You probably know the name Airstream, but not the name Bowlus. The iconic shiny trailer we think of when we hear Airstream, was actually based on the Bowlus Road Chief, designed in 1934 by aerospace engineer Hawley Bowlus. In 1936 Airstream owner Wally Byam, who up until then had been making Airstreams out of Masonite, "adapted" the Bowlus Road Chief and began producing the riveted-aluminum Airstream Clipper.

Bowlus Road Chief

Airstream Clipper

Bowlus' company didn't make it through the Great Depression. Airstream did, keeping the company's name associated with shiny streamlined trailers.

In 2014, entrepreneur Geneva Long resuscitated the Bowlus brand and began making luxury aluminum trailers in the original style—but with hi-tech upgrades. Their entry-level model, the 3,500-lb Rivet, is self-propelled and has an onboard battery system that can deliver "over" 8 kWh of juice; you can use it to charge the EV you might be using to tow it.

It's also remote-controlled, so once you arrive at your destination, you can disconnect it and easily park it wherever you like:

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Bowlus calls the feature AeroMove. If you've ever had to back a trailer up into a tricky spot, you can see how useful this would be. I can't wait until this feature eventually makes its way into conventional trailers.

For now, however, this feature remains the domain of the luxury market. The Rivet runs $165,000, or $148,500 if your area offers a tax credit.