EarthCruiser

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EarthCruiser started as an Australian company that designs and manufactures off-road recreational vehicles and truck campers for expedition and overlanding. [1] The company was founded in 2008 by Lance Gillies and Michelle Boltz after the couple could not find a suitable overland vehicle for undertaking the Great Sandy Desert. [2] EarthCruiser's motto is, "Go Further, Stay Longer." [3]

Contents

The US company closed on April 25, 2024. [4]

EarthCruiser Australia, a separate company, still manufactures new and refurbishes pre-owned, overland vehicles in North Wollongong, N.S.W, www.EarthCruiser.net.au

Production

As of late 2020, EarthCruiser employed over 24 workers who hand-build about 30 expedition vehicles per year. [2] Each vehicle takes approximately three and a half to four months to complete. [5] Vehicles for the U.S. market are built in Bend, Oregon, while vehicles in the Australian market are built in North Wollongong, New South Wales. [1]

History

Vehicles

EarthCruiser (2009–2024)

The EarthCruiser company shares their name with the original prototype and first production expedition vehicle line released in 2009. [2] [6] [7] Built on the single cab Mitsubishi Fuso Canter 4x4 chassis, the RV was powered by the standard GM Vortec 6.0L V8 or an optional 3.0L four-cylinder turbo diesel engine. [5] [6] The gasoline V8 model had a driving range of 600 miles while the less-powerful diesel variant range was 900 miles. [2] In 2020, a dual cab version of the platform was released which had four doors with four seats instead of two doors with two seats. [13] [14] In 2022, the EarthCruiser chassis transitioned to the Isuzu NPR Series Class 4 platform, powered by the GM 6.6L Duramax turbo diesel engine. [16] [17]

The EarthCruiser fiberglass camper bodies are insulated to help reduce energy usage. [6] [8] The rounded shape is intended to reduce wind drag at higher speeds and avoid accidental contact with terrain while on a trail. [17] Depending on the model, the body may have a fixed or electric pop-up roof upon which solar panels are mounted that feed the onboard battery and electrical system. [5] [6] [17] Other exterior attachments include an electric awning and recovery winch. [5] [8] An EarthCruiser camper body is attached to a vehicle chassis using kinetic spring mounts to prevent stress and damage to the body structure. [8] Inside the camper, amenities include a shower, slide-out toilet, sink, refrigerator/freezer, mini wine cellar, dinette table, and two beds which can sleep up to four people. [5] [1] [6] [13]

EarthCruiser EXP (2011–2024)

The EarthCruiser EXP is the model that company-founder Lance Gillies considers to be the original EarthCruiser. [10] Introduced in 2011, it is the most expensive model, equipped with an electrically-operated roof that increases the ceiling height by 24 inches [5] [6] the extra height allowing a 360 degree view out of the canopy. [2] [5] When lowered, the diminished roof line allows the vehicle to fit more easily into a shipping container. [5]

EarthCruiser FX (2015–2024)

The EarthCruiser FX is a more basic, lower-priced model with a stationary roof. [6] Introduced in 2015, it is engineered to better handle extreme temperatures as the body is fully insulated, unlike the canopy portion of the EXP model. [9] The roofline sits eight inches above the cab roof, but is still compact enough to fit into a shipping container. [6]

Terranova (2021–2024)

The Terranova is an expedition vehicle built on a Chevrolet, Ford, or RAM one-ton pickup truck chassis. [2] [11] First announced in 2020, the platform is targeted at owners with strong brand preferences or feel more comfortable operating a consumer-class vehicle over a commercial-grade truck. [2] [11] A domestically-manufactured chassis also allows better availability of parts and more familiar maintenance procedures. [2] [11]

The camper body is constructed of fiberglass with a foam core, molded into a cab-over configuration, and bolted to the vehicle chassis using a kinetic mount system. [1] [11] [12] The roof can be electrically raised for a panoramic view using a similar setup to that of the EXD and EXP, including the canopy with integrated vinyl windows, insect and privacy screens. [11] [12] [15] When raised the canopy allows the camper to sleep up to four people. [11] [12] When lowered, the RV is more compact for trails and more aerodynamic. [11] [12] Solar panels are mounted on top of the roof to supply the onboard battery and electrical system. [11] [12] [15] Inside the camper, amenities include a bathroom, sink, induction cooktop, refrigerator/freezer, ventilation fan, and an optional air conditioner. [1] [11] [12] [15] A shower is also included, however it is located on the outside of the unit. [1] [11] [12] [15]

CORE (2021–2024)

The CORE is a chassis cab expedition vehicle; a camper body is not included. [21] Introduced in 2022, the model has the same Isuzu NPR Series Class 4 chassis as the EarthCruiser EXP and FX vehicles, powered by a GM 6.6L Duramax turbo diesel engine and available in a single or dual cab configuration. [16] [17] [21]

The nature of the body allows the customer to customise the vehicle for their purposes. [21]

Camper bodies

EXD (2018–2020)

The EXD was a camper body and vehicle modification package designed for a 2017 or newer Chevrolet, Ford, or Ram 1-ton long-bed pickup truck chassis. [1] Introduced in 2018, the package required customers to provide their own chassis cab, but in return, they could select the vehicle brand, cab size, and engine type. [10] The camper body was connected to the vehicle chassis using EarthCruiser kinetic mounts, or alternatively attached to a flat bed as a quicker and cheaper option. [10] Mounting to the chassis was part of an "Expedition Package" which included camper body side skirts and a cab pass-through. [10] Donor vehicles would also receive upgraded bumpers, wheels and suspension as part of the deal. [1]

The camper body was a non-cab-over design with molded body lines meant to match those of the vehicle cab. [10] [11] Composed of one inch thick insulated fiberglass, the walls were angled to avoid trees while on the trail and lessen wind noise on the road. [10] The roof was four inches thick and electrically-operated to raise for 360 degree visibility inside the camper, similar to that of the EarthCruiser EXP expedition vehicle. [10] [15] On top, the roof was recessed for standard solar panels which fed the onboard battery and electrical system. [10] Inside, the camper was equipped with amenities including a walk-through shower, sink, refrigerator, induction cooktop, roof-fan system, dinette table, and a bed for two, although there was sky bed option for children as well. [1] [10] [11] Overall, the unit weighed about 3,000 pounds. [10]

EV (Never produced)

The EV slide-in camper body is currently in a pre-order status so not many details are known. [18] [19] As part of the deposit program, customers are relaying their preferences which could potentially tweak the product outcome. [19] The new model will be compatible with both EV and non-EV vehicles. [18] [19] The EV camper line is likely never going to be produced, as the company closed in April of 2024. [4]

GZL (2017–2020)

The GZL was EarthCruiser's first slide-in camper body. [10] Introduced in 2017, it was intended to be an affordable alternative to the more expensive EarthCruiser vehicles. [22] Multiple versions of the body allowed the product line to fit both mid-size and full-size pickup trucks. [10] [22] The unit itself was constructed of insulated fiberglass and was molded into a cab-over configuration. [22] Similar to the higher-end expedition vehicles, the camper featured amenities such as a shower, portable toilet, dinette table, refrigerator and a queen-sized bed. [22] Unlike the EXP and EXD, the solar panel-integrated pop-top roof only lifted on one end and did not do so electrically. [10] [22]

GZL 300

The 300 was a narrow version of the GZL, designed to fit mid-size pickup trucks including the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Dodge Dakota, Honda Ridgeline, and Ford Ranger. The unit weighed about 1,200 pounds. [22]

GZL 400

The 400 was a wide version of the GZL, designed to fit full-size pickup trucks including the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram 1500, and Ford F-150.The unit weighed about 1,500 pounds. [22]

GZL 500

The 500 was a version of the GZL designed specifically for flatbed truck installation. [22]

MOD (2018–2021)

The MOD, an acronym for "My Own Design," was EarthCruiser's most customizable product and considered to be a low-cost version of the GZL. [10] [23] Introduced in 2018, the slide-in fiberglass camper body came in a cab-over configuration with a pop-up roof and overhead lights. [1] Additionally, the unit had a variety of PAKs (Personal Accessory Kits) that could be added or removed from the camper. [1] [23] PAK options included small or large seat boxes, sink system, storage cabinet, counter extensioner, toilet cabinet, and a cooler cabinet. [1] [23]

MOD 300

The 300 was a narrow version of the MOD, designed to fit 2012 or newer mid-size pickup trucks including the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Dodge Dakota, Honda Ridgeline, and Ford Ranger. The unit weighed about 700 pounds. [23]

MOD 400

The 400 was a wide version of the MOD, designed to fit 2012 or newer full-size pickup trucks including the Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, Dodge Ram 1500, and Ford F-150.The unit weighed about 800 pounds. [23]

Training expeditions

EarthCruiser Adventures are training expeditions for small groups of EarthCruiser owners. [3] The domestic and overseas journeys are staffed by tour guides who help participants develop their overlanding skills, including driving, navigation, and cooking. [3] [24] EarthCruiser expedition vehicles that are eligible for the trip include models EXP, FX and Terranova. [3]

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References

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  19. 1 2 3 4 "EarthCruiser Teases Slide-In Camper For Electric Trucks". Motor1.com. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
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  24. ↑ Corn, Peter (2022-07-11). "The EarthCruiser Adventure Program Will Change the Way You Think About Overlanding". MotorBiscuit. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
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