Storyteller Overland, a campervan upfitter that has found its niche at the intersection of luxury and off-highway performance, has just purchased bespoke adventure truck manufacturer Global Expedition Vehicles (GXV). This merger, another signal of the increasing popularity of overland travel and current demand for adventure vehicles, was just announced at the Florida RV Supershow in Tampa, Florida.
“We are confident that Storyteller Overland has the vision and expertise to build on the legacy of standard-setting, premium quality, boutique-style expedition vehicles that GXV has been synonymous with for 17 years,” said Rene’ Van Pelt, co-founder and owner of Global Expedition Vehicles along with her husband, Mike Van Pelt. “The rugged Adventure Trucks that we build are a natural progression, the next step up for Storyteller customers in the line of overlanding vehicles. This merger will allow both companies to grow and expand in a collaborative production of the Adventure Truck Series together.”
Left to Right : (Left) Storyteller Overland Founder / CEO, Jeffrey C Hunter; (Center) Global X Co-Founder / VP, Rene’ Van Pelt; (Right) Global X Founder / President, Mike Van Pelt.
Due to the growing demand for luxury expedition vehicles and Storyteller’s established production capability, the company is well-positioned to produce and sell standardized GXV style Super C RV and Adventure Trucks, both built on Ford or Ram 550-sized chassis, at its Birmingham, Alabama, facility. With higher-production models being built by Storyteller, GXV will focus on its range of custom expedition-ready off-road adventure rigs at its Springfield, MO manufacturing facility.
“The heart of Global X will remain here in Springfield, with our world class crew of designers, artisans, and technicians continuing to craft the world’s finest custom expedition rigs for clients right here at our shop. So in that way nothing will change,” noted Mike Van Pelt. “We are excited that GXV is growing and expanding with the Adventure Trucks collaboration with Storyteller, and we will remain just as passionately involved as we always have been. We also hope to be more involved in adventure travel with the current GXV and Storyteller owner community, mixing work with as much overland travel as possible.”
GXV Patagonia model.
Storyteller Overland “Beast” Mode 4×4.
Similar to Storyteller’s smashingly successful range of Mode campervans, the new line of GXV-style adventure trucks will feature a handful of purpose-built floorplans combined with unique features sets, all of which will be RVIA-certified. Customers will be able to take delivery of these vehicles at Storyteller’s pre-existing nation-wide dealer network, and with the same transparent no-haggle pricing that the brand established.
“This merger is an exciting moment for the entire overlanding community,” said Jeffrey Hunter, founder and chief executive officer of Storyteller Overland. “We are grateful for our partnership with the Van Pelts and the stellar team they have built at GXV and want to be excellent stewards of their world renown brand. Obviously we are huge fans of the products and reputation they have built, and we are energized by the thought of what we will build together moving forward. For us, this is simply the next step in keeping our promise to constantly inspire and equip our growing community of adventurer travelers all around the world with the proper gear, resources, and mindset to ‘Live Free, Explore Endlessly, and Tell Better Stories.'”
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