EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles

haven

Expedition Leader
Australian adventurer Kym Bolton recently announced that he is starting
production of the camper he designed and used to travel across Asia, Europe,
and most recently, Morocco.

Here is Kym's camper crossing a bridge in Siberia

earth-cruiser-1.jpg


Here's the camper with the top raised on the Russian steppe

earth-cruiser-2.jpg


The production version of the camper will be called the "Earth Cruiser."
Kym's new company is All Terrain Motorhomes, Pty Ltd. The web site is

http://www.allterrainmotorhomes.com/index.php

Chip Haven
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Kym Bolton's email announcing the Earth Cruiser project provides more details.

Goals for the Earth Cruiser include
--superior off-road ability
--vehicle sized to fit into a standard shipping container
--comfortable, efficient design of living space
--exceptional quality of finish

After a total of six months traveling and living in the original design, Kym and his wife Lyn have a number of changes in mind for the production version of the Earth Cruiser.

The production schedule is as follows:

phase 1: complete specifications for new model interior and equipment
and, concurrently, create molds for camper body and top

phase 2: manufacture one or two prototypes using the new, larger Fuso Canter model, available in October 2008

phase 3: production begins, introduce product at the Brisbane Caravan and Camping show in June 2009.

The Earth Cruiser will be constructed on the new Mitsubishi Canter chassis, the new model that will be simumtaneously released in North America in Fall of 2008. Chassis modifications include a long travel suspension designed for off-road use, and the switch from dual rear wheels to single Michelin XZLs.

At this very early stage, Kym is projecting the price of the Earth Cruiser to be A$110,000 ($105,000 USD), not including purchase of the truck chassis. Kym is offering "substantial" discounts for people who purchase the prototypes or units from the first production run.

Kym is planning to sell the camper unit separate from the truck chassis for overseas customers.

Chip Haven
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Doesn't look like it would fit, but with a little air let out of the tires and careful maneuvering,
the Earth Cruiser will slide into a "High Cube" shipping container.

goanna-tracks.jpg


The High Cube container door opening is 101 in (2566 mm)
The height of a stock Fuso Canter or FG140 is 96 in (2450 mm)
The Earth Cruiser is a little taller due to 36" tall tires and more arch in the springs.

The High Cube container door width is 92 in (2340 mm)
The width without mirrors of the FG140 or Canter is 78.5 in (1995 mm)

How the driver would escape from the truck cab is a mystery, however!
They must push the truck and camper into the container.
 

OutbacKamper

Supporting Sponsor
haven said:
The High Cube container door width is 92 in (2340 mm)
The width without mirrors of the FG140 or Canter is 78.5 in (1995 mm)

How the driver would escape from the truck cab is a mystery, however!
They must push the truck and camper into the container.

The inside of the container is probably a few inches wider than the door. I know that I could climb into the cab of my F350 while inside the container by slithering (and I DO mean slithering) up the fender and thru the open drivers side window. It helps if your keep the passenger side as close as possible to the container wall. It was actually harder to fit under the truck to get to the back to secure the tiedowns. Whoever is doing the loading and securing of the truck needs to be slim and agile, and not clostrophobic!

Cheers
Mark
 

39Ronin

Adventurer
When my Canter FG came from Japan in a container I had to military crawl along the roof and drop in side the window. The box was slighty wider than the cab so I couldn't walk up either side. I had the pleasure of backing it out of a 40' container without the use of mirriors. A little tuffer than expected becasue I wasn't used to the clutch and rolled into the front of the container luckily one the mirriors that was folded in the front was the only thing that suffered any damage.
 

VikingVince

Explorer
This is a nice design and build but I see that water capacity is two 50 liter tanks...that's a total of about 26.5 gallons...that's really on the low side for an expedition rig.
 

haven

Expedition Leader
On 30 October, Kym Bolton released an EarthCruiser progress report.

Kym's company, All Terrain Motor Homes, has been recognized as a second stage manufacturer by Fuso in Australia. This means that the EarthCruiser's suspension modifications and super single rear tires have been given the thumbs up by Fuso, and by the Australian government body that certifies national standards for vehicle safety (the Australian Design Rules, or ADR). The Fuso chassis with EarthCruiser modifications now carries the full factory warranty.

The design of the expedition cabin (the camper part of the truck) has changed a little. Here's the layout

Earthcruiser-1.jpg


The dimensions of the cabin are 140.5 inches (11.67 ft) long and 80.7 inches (6.5 ft) wide. Weight of the finished cabin with pop-up roof will be less than 2000 lbs. Production of the EarthCruiser will begin in 2009.

Kym expects to create three versions of the EarthCruiser. The first will be the complete vehicle and camper, for sale in Australia. This version will cost about $A177,000, including taxes. That's about $US118,000 at today's exchange rates.

A version of the fully equipped camper will be built for export. This will allow you to replicate the EarthCruiser using a Fuso chassis designed for the rules in your country. The parts to convert your Fuso suspension to super singles will be included in this version. Price is expected to be $US71,000, plus shipping costs.

Last, Kym will produce a do-it-yourself version of the expedition camper, suitable for you to install on the chassis of your choice. The camper interior will be partly finished, with wiring, plumbing, and other equipment installed. Price of this version will be about $US56,000 plus shipping.

Let's see: A camper weight of 2000 lbs, an overall length of about 12 feet. That would be a nice fit on an F350 or Chevy 3500 with flatbed and single rear wheels.

The guiding principle behind EarthCruiser remains the same: To create a durable, practical vehicle with excellent rough road capabilities, while affording enough creature comforts that two travelers can live in the vehicle for weeks or months.

To put their ideas to the test, Kym and his wife Lyn have lived in the EarthCruiser prototype for a total of six months, driving 23,000 miles across Asia to Europe, and from England south to Morocco and back.

To test the new vehicle, Kym will use it on an expedition across central Australia's Simpson Desert in April 2009. The trip will cover 500 miles without roads, navigating by GPS. It's a severe test of vehicle durability. I hope we'll receive updates about this trip as the date of departure gets closer.

The update released on 30 October contains lots more details about the construction and equipment used to outfit the EarthCruiser. If you'd like to receive information about EarthCruiser, sign up at http://www.allterrainmotorhomes.com/

Chip Haven
 

haven

Expedition Leader
The Earth Cruiser team is working hard to produce their new ExPo vehicle. They just posted a progress report on their web site. Download the Microsoft Word document here http://www.allterrainmotorhomes.com/images/ATM January 09 Update.doc

Some highlights from the update:

The molds for the composite floor and walls are finished. Sets for two campers have been pulled and assembled. The molds for composite roof and entry door are under construction.

The team is working with an interior design firm to finalize the interior. Traveling for more than 100 days in the prototype camper, Kym Bolton learned the value of a good layout and cheerful design, especially when bad weather keeps you inside the camper. A construction company that specializes in high end yacht interiors will build the interior.

The camper wiring harness is being designed with fiberglass and plastic sheathing, making the wiring much less vulnerable to chafing when vibrated on rough roads.

The design of the "rough road/soft ride" suspension is complete. Compared to the stock Fuso suspension, the articulation is vastly improved. One front wheel can be raised as much as 1.2 meters / 47 inches, while the other three wheels stay on the ground. The ride across rough ground is much improved, too.

The Earth Cruiser team heard our criticism of the limited onboard fresh water supply. The standard 26 gallon capacity can now be augmented with a second 26 gallon tank.

Earth Cruiser will introduce their vehicle in mid-May. I hope to have lots of photos of the vehicle by that time.

Chip Haven
 

Stroller

New member
Few questions

I've been reading these forums for some time. The FG with a popup is a very compelling combo and I have some questions the manufacturer might choose to answer, if they are active here.

The shell is described as a moulded composite of fiberglass and foam and marine grade timber for added strength. Some people apply this term differently so I'm not sure of the construction. Is the fiberglass bonded to the foam with epoxy resin? And where does the timber come into play. Is it also bonded into the sandwich with epoxy resin? Or is it say - marine plywood for main structural component with precast fiberglass exterior spot bonded to it, foam glued to the inside of the plywood and the a precast fiberglass interior? Either way it sure sounds like it's been well tested.

Insulated fabric. For NA this is a big plus in my opinion. Outfitter and Hallmark have theirs but it's not "really" insulated to the extent I think it could be. Any description of the insulated fabric option?

Electric actuators - I wish the NA firms would go with these. I think it is a better design but a bit more complex and maybe expensive. Does the manufacturer want to let the cat out of the bag on what actuators and what control board they use to get them to rise evenly? (You can't blame me for trying.)

I went from a small tent or tarp to buying a camper and diesel truck in the last two years. With a little more knowledge I would have very seriously looked at spending the extra for an FG with this camper. Now it's too expensive to get out of my current set up (I have no complaints about the quality of my unit.). Or maybe good fortune will come my way.

Congrats on what sounds like a Very well thought out camper.http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/images/smilies/drool.gif

Stroller
 

haven

Expedition Leader
first photos of new Earth Cruiser

earth-cruiser-1a.jpg


The All Terrain Motorhomes web site now has photos of the Earth Cruiser camper.
You can download the photos in a Microsoft Word document here
http://www.allterrainmotorhomes.com/news.php

The first public showing of the new camper is scheduled for the Queensland Truck &
Machinery show, May 14-17. Is anyone planning to attend this show?

Here are a few more photos.

Top down

earth-cruiser-2a.jpg


Top up

earth-cruiser-3a.jpg


Three rooftop solar panels

earth-cruiser-4a.jpg


The next two photos show the flexibility of the Fuso FG chassis, and the action of
the torque-free subframe that lets the camper avoid damage when the chassis twists.
(These photos don't show the full range of motion of the subframe.)

earth-cruiser-5a.jpg


earth-cruiser-6a.jpg


I like the way the awning tucks away into a compartment in the top. This makes it
less vulnerable to branches when traveling on a narrow track.
 

haven

Expedition Leader
Six months ago, All Terrain Motorhomes had a plan to sell an "Export EarthCruiser." This was to be a complete fiberglass cabin, all electrical and mechanical systems, torque-free subframe, and suspension upgrade pieces, but no truck chassis. Folks in USA and elsewhere could then follow the included instructions to install the camper onto a Fuso chassis that meets the local emissions and safety rules.

I expect that the presentation in a few weeks at the Queensland Truck Show will include the details of the export model, including pricing at today's exchange rates.

Chip Haven
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,531
Messages
2,875,591
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top