New Carbon Fiber EarthRoamer

Zybane

Active member
You made a good point. I think the fact that in North America we only have a handful "high end" expo truck builders makes it easy for those builders to charge what they can. In Europe, you have almost hundreds to choose from. Therefore you can select by quality and price. For example: $600.000 will get you a true custom made, very well built Unicat or Krug Vehicle. I have been employed at Unicat and can tell you first hand that absolutely nobody in North America is even coming close to their quality.

Yes largely my point. $700K in Europe you could get a true ExVe, on a proper 4x4/6x6 truck chassis with all locking axles, proper quality and design. $700K Earthroamer you do get a nice interior, but also just a pickup truck with non locking diffs that could get stuck in a wet grass field.
 

gregmchugh

Observer
You made a good point. I think the fact that in North America we only have a handful "high end" expo truck builders makes it easy for those builders to charge what they can. In Europe, you have almost hundreds to choose from. Therefore you can select by quality and price. For example: $600.000 will get you a true custom made, very well built Unicat or Krug Vehicle. I have been employed at Unicat and can tell you first hand that absolutely nobody in North America is even coming close to their quality.

More competition would be a good start in improving the quality of the high end expedition vehicles in North America. Some competition on the camper boxes from Boxmanufaktur, Bliss Mobil, and others but still stymied somewhat by the lack of the availability of new cab forward 4wd vehicle chassis. You can put a new box on a LMTV (Acela) or a 25 year old import or at the smaller size a used Fuso 4wd diesel. Almost impossible to find a used North American Unimog since they didn’t sell many here. You can go with an International or Freightliner if you are willing to give up on a cab forward design. Not a lot of choices yet but hopefully we will see more competition.

When we downsize from our GXV Patagonia at some point in the future I am thinking the new 2020 gasoline EarthCruiser on a crew cab would be the best option available today...
 
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Victorian

Approved Vendor : Total Composites
More competition would be a good start in improving the quality of the high end expedition vehicles in North America. Some competition on the camper boxes from Boxmanufaktur, Bliss Mobil, and others but still stymied somewhat by the lack of the availability of new cab forward 4wd vehicle chassis. You can put a new box on a LMTV (Acela) or a 25 year old import or at the smaller size a used Fuso 4wd diesel. Almost impossible to find a used North American Unimog since they didn’t sell many here. You can go with an International or Freightliner if you are willing to give up on a cab forward design. Not a lot of choices yet but hopefully we will see more competition.

When we downsize from our GXV Patagonia at some point in the future I am thinking the new 2020 gasoline EarthCruiser on a crew cab would be the best option available today...

There are alternatives... But it's not for everyone. I'm well aware of the difficult task to find a suitable chassis. Especially difficult if you need a crew cab. What most people don't know: We (TotalComposites) are selling 3-4 camper kits a month to customers that are well aware of the North American market and are building their own for $100.000's less than an outfitter would charge.
 

Joe917

Explorer
I would not buy a cab forward design. Crew Cab and easily located dealer/parts are high on my list.
I would not buy an engine forward design, poor turning circle and vision, wasting usable length. Horses for courses.
 

gregmchugh

Observer
There are alternatives... But it's not for everyone. I'm well aware of the difficult task to find a suitable chassis. Especially difficult if you need a crew cab. What most people don't know: We (TotalComposites) are selling 3-4 camper kits a month to customers that are well aware of the North American market and are building their own for $100.000's less than an outfitter would charge.

Very familiar with your products and some of the superb DIY builds such as Wabi Sabi Overland. For someone who has the time to build one it is a very good option. For those of us who want to buy something already built it will be good if there are options for getting a build done using your products. As I recall there are options like this.
 

gregmchugh

Observer
I would not buy a cab forward design. Crew Cab and easily located dealer/parts are high on my list.

Pickup chassis clearly have the best service/sales/parts network but the 2020 EarthCruiser uses a Vortec V-8 and an Allison transmission and pretty standard parts for the 4wd conversion so I am not too worried about getting service if I get one at some point. Cab forward for me, great view, great turning circle, fits in small spaces, and with grandkids getting to the point where they can go along a crew cab Fuso fits the bill...
 

Pacific Northwest yetti

Expedition Medic
I have been working with emergency services since 2006, and responded to a great many car and truck accidents, many on the freeway.

Personally a cab over design, even one with a bumper is not for me. I like my legs, and the ability to walk.

Hoods and engines offer a good sized crumple zone in accidents.

but to each their own, no single solution is the perfect fit for everyone. Thats why we have options.
 

Steve_382

Active member
Something like the EarthCruiser EXD poptop with the bed extended over the cab might be a good option if they ever do it. You don't lose as much living space by putting the bed over the cab. I know it would be similar to the XPCamper V1, but I think EC could do a better job.
 

gregmchugh

Observer
Have you looked at the GXV UXV?

In December of 2016 we went to GXV to look at a recently completed UXV on a Ford F550 and we probably would have ordered one until we saw the first Kenworth K370 Patagonia build that they had just completed. Once we saw the option of a cab forward on a well supported chassis we never looked back. Almost bought the one they had just completed (the one with the garage that could hold a Polaris Razor) but in the end had them build one for us designed closer to our needs. We have the 3rd build that they did. I don’t know if they have built a UXV in the last few years since they started having the Kenworth available. Now they seem to be mostly building the Kenworth Patagonia/Pangea and the smaller Turtle vehicles in addition to the newer Adventure truck line and a few other models.
 
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Steve_382

Active member
And, it looks like the LTS is going away, so the LTi is the only choice now.

The EarthRoamer XV-LTS is now discontinued and replaced by the LTi.

ER 244 will be the final LTS ever produced. Should you be interested in purchasing one of the last two LTS spec trucks at a lower price than LTi, please contact info@earthroamer.com.


 

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