Eco-Roamer - F650 based Expedition Vehicle

[52wrench]

Awesome machine for sure, just get a real kick out of the "ECO" part. Kind of like Al Gore flying around in a private jet while preaching but I'm sure it had some recycled aluminum in it. ********. If you've got it and earned it, enjoy it, don't try to justify it with all the ECO stuff.

 

[Christian P.]

No really, I think the washing machine has a "eco-cycle" mode.

Jay, where are-you? Are-you going to Overland Expo?

 

[jayshapiro]

We're back! ...sort of.

Hi Guys,

OK, OK, so I guess we're WAAAAY overdue for an update again. Sorry!

We've been living in the EcoRoamer full time for two months now, as we completed our coast-to-coast shakedown trip. The truth is, it has been more like an ongoing ExPo reunion because we have stopped to see so many of the great people who have added their advice to this project over the past couple of years.

We saw Gary & Monika Wescott (Turtle Unlimited), Joaquin Suave (Casa Azul), Marc Wassmann (XPCamper), Don & Kim Greene (Adventure Learning Foundation), Scott & Stephanie Brady (Expeditions West, etc, etc), Lance Blair (Disabled Explorers), Brian & Amy McVickers (Overland Journal), Roseann & Jonathan Hanson (Overland Expo) and Doug & Stephanie Hackney (The Hackneys) -- All of which were incredible hosts, and really drove home how great this Overlanding community really is.

So, before I get to the update about the truck, I just want to say thank to everyone who took us into their homes, or their driveways, or their local diners. We had a fantastic visit, and really appreciate all your hospitality.

OK, how about the EcoRoamer?

GREAT!​

White Sands National Monument - New Mexico

With the Disabled Explorers WAVE - Phoenix, AZ

As Jason mentioned above, the interior is in, and we are enjoying the new living quarters. You can see the whole set of interior photos here. I will be posting more with the NEW floor next week...

The kids (Kurt-4 & Maya-2) have really been enjoying "their new truck" and have made lots of great memories already:

Tailgating at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

"riding" Uncle Doug's GS in Austin, TX.

Of course, It was a shakedown trip, and so there have been many problems along the way too...

• The GOOFS at Pro-Air LLC (formal name for the lawsuit) drove a screw all the way into the blower fan on the heater, causing it to overheat. Not to mention they installed it with under-spec small plastic ducting that melted and almost burned down the EcoRoamer.
• The same said GOOFS messed up the plumbing for the engine coolant lines to the water heater, meaning that in the 40'F weather we had no heat in the camper or the cab!
• A completely different GOOF installed the urine drain pipe flowing uphill. Guess how that one turned out...
• One of the solar collector junction boxes leaked, flooding the electrical cabinet during our first heavy rainfall.
• The Pantry cabinets proved to be too heavy when fully loaded for their single slides, and became a little "wobbly".

...however, all in these are pretty minor inconveniences and all have since been fixed.

We haven't left the USA yet, but I'm starting to think we're almost ready to.

The "FINISHED" EcoRoamer will be on display at this year's Overland Expo. We already have 13 people who have said they'd like to buy one. We've been holding off taking formal "orders" until this first one had all the bugs worked out of it. Now that we have what I think is the most: family-friendly, expedition-ready, environmentally sustainable, kick-***** expedition vehicle in North America, I'm looking forward to having some of those conversations.

As I have promised all along... All of our plans, vendor lists, CAD files will be available free on www.EcoRoamer.com -- and all "profits" that we generate from the sale of EcoRoamers will go to fund our non-profit charity programs around the world through The Muskoka Foundation.

It's great to be back in touch with all of you. Thanks for your patience during our shakedown, and all of your support over the past 2 years.

Jay + Alice + Kurt + Maya + Flash + Perl

 

[jayshapiro]

Really!?? AGAIN?

Awesome machine for sure, just get a real kick out of the "ECO" part. Kind of like Al Gore flying around in a private jet while preaching but I'm sure it had some recycled aluminum in it. ********. If you've got it and earned it, enjoy it, don't try to justify it with all the ECO stuff.

52Wrench,

Welcome to the ExPo. I can't believe that after 2 years on this thread we're still talking about the "eco" worthiness of the EcoRoamer, but it occurred to me that there may be other new readers as well who don't have the time or urge to read 37 pages of chatter about this truck... so let me do a brief recap:

YES - It is a big Diesel spewing expedition vehicle, so by definition it will never be as environmentally friendly as this guy (who met with his bike & Trailer pedaling over Tahoe) - but then we have two little kids and two cats, and are planning on going around the planet.

So, the question became: How do you build an Vehicle-Dependent Expedition for a full-sized family in as environmentally friendly a manner as possible. Here's what we did:

1. Started with a used Ford chassis, so that we're not bringing another truck into this world.
2. We run on Bio-Diesel wherever available, and off-set all our CO2 emissions (both manufacturing and traveling) with carbon credits. (Please don't get me started on these again!)
3. There is not a foot of virgin plywood in the truck. The counters are recycled paper (Richlite), the floors are recycled wood fibers (Medex), The cabinets are bamboo (Plyboo)
4. There is 1.5kW of Solar panels on the roof, ensuring we don't have to run the engine/generator unless we're in England. (sorry, cheap shot there!)
5. The camper shell itself is made from a composite called Alucabond which is 80% recycled aluminum sandwhiching recycled plastic

...as my grandmother taught me, Don't judge a book by it's cover. Yes, this is a big truck, but compared to what it could be, the environmental footprint has been remarkably small.

I hope that helps clarify a little, and may reduce your LYAO.

Cheers,
Jay.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Awesome machine for sure, just get a real kick out of the "ECO" part. Kind of like Al Gore flying around in a private jet while preaching but I'm sure it had some recycled aluminum in it. ********. If you've got it and earned it, enjoy it, don't try to justify it with all the ECO stuff.

How obnoxious....

Looks great to me, basically a house on wheels... I was looking for it at Burning Man, so awesome that you guys made it there... At overland expo I'd like to track you guys down about running it on vegetable oil perhaps...

 

[RR1]

How obnoxious.

I didn't find it to be that way. I got "there is no need to label or justify what one does with their vehicle build"

If someone wants recycled countertops so be it, if they want rare perhaps illegal Wenge hey that is cool too...

Why justify?

Cool rig, who cares what it is made out of. I would ditch the "ECO" from the name though.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

If it really runs on biodiesel then that is fine with me. Biodiesel production unlike ethanol does not compete with food crops. It has wind power and solar. Burning Man is 10 days alone with no electricity or services. They have lived out of it for two years. $5 says its 'footprint' in probably all capacities is smaller than that of a house. I think it's totally fair.

 

[RR1]

If it really runs on biodiesel then that is fine with me. Biodiesel production unlike ethanol does not compete with food crops. It has wind power and solar. Burning Man is 10 days alone with no electricity or services. They have lived out of it for two years. $5 says its 'footprint' in probably all capacities is smaller than that of a house. I think it's totally fair.

Does it really matter? We all have to break a few eggs to make an omelet to live in this modern world.

Who cares where the energy comes from, just enjoy traveling. No need to justify how the money is spent. No need for labels, as Henry Rollins once screamed out. "Do it"

Still a cool rig, a little much for me, cool none-the-less.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

It matters to me for about a gazzilion reasons... Seeing a mountain top cut off in Jamaica for energy extraction. People getting cancer from water contamination not to mention severe real estate devaluation from hydraulic fracturing from natural gas or oil extraction, etc. It does matter at the end of the day and to them (and to me) it is important enough that they are attempting to make a statement about it. And I think that is totally fair...

 

[RR1]

It matters to me for about a gazzilion reasons... Seeing a mountain top cut off in Jamaica for energy extraction. People getting cancer from water contamination not to mention severe real estate devaluation from hydraulic fracturing from natural gas or oil extraction, etc. It does matter at the end of the day and to them (and to me) it is important enough that they are attempting to make a statement about it. And I think that is totally fair...

Well if it matters that much don't drive. People have walked or ridden bicycles around the World. John Muir walking from Southern OZ to Northern OZ was very inspiring, took him three months if my memory serves me correctly.

Need a lot of resources to build a vehicle in the first place. Anything from mining the iron ore for the steel to the copper found in the wiring and electric motors...a lot of destruction is caused, as you listed.

 

[Christian P.]

Jay,

thanks for the update. Looking forward to see you again at Expo.
Trying to convince Marc to come right now...

 

[The Adam Blaster]

Jay, I'll echo the thanks for your recent update.
Keep us informed of your production plans, as well as travel plans.
And speaking of travelling, I didn't notice through the build process, but did you engineer anything into the structure that would help with loading/unloading of the truck during the shipping process?
It's obviously a bit too large for the standard shipping container.

 

[john101477]

wow it took me 4 hours last night and 1 this morning to read and look at various sites linked from this thread. Jay the build is fantastic and you guys seem to be getting out of it what you had intended to in the first place is by many aspects is admirable. most people build and spend and build only to use there "toy" once or twice a year. I have to say I am not only impressed but a little jealous as well.

RR1 - do not get me wrong man, I get flamed regularly for using the term eco-nut. Jays approach to this all along has been very straight forward. Use as much recycled / non forestry products as possible. It has been shown several times through the thread that the trucks eco foot print is substantially smaller than a normal household through the year. As for the walk or ride a bike around the world, did you miss the part about 2 small kids? As I said before I an not a go to the extremes eco guy like many I have been meeting, but as a child I was always taught "waste not, want not", by my parents and grandparents. Which was actually what started me recycling everything we possibly can around here. I am not an "environmentalist" but I am a conservationist. Thats means take only what you need and give as much back as possible. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

[RR1]

RR1 - do not get me wrong man, I get flamed regularly for using the term eco-nut. Jays approach to this all along has been very straight forward. Use as much recycled / non forestry products as possible. It has been shown several times through the thread that the trucks eco foot print is substantially smaller than a normal household through the year. As for the walk or ride a bike around the world, did you miss the part about 2 small kids? As I said before I an not a go to the extremes eco guy like many I have been meeting, but as a child I was always taught "waste not, want not", by my parents and grandparents. Which was actually what started me recycling everything we possibly can around here. I am not an "environmentalist" but I am a conservationist. Thats means take only what you need and give as much back as possible. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I don't see what all the fuss is about. All I am saying is you don't have to justify how one lives to other people, sure this rig has some recycled materials. I still wouldn't say it is eco-friendly. A lot of destruction of the Earth and its' resources was done to build that. Discussing this on the resource consuming internet isn't exactly eco-friendly either.

Yes, I did read he has kids. They do make child size bicycles. Seriously if you really want to be eco-friendly, ditch the vehicle. Or don't make it into something it is not.

I'll probably get flamed for that.

Paskowitz family had a much larger family and still were able to do it a smaller vehicle.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

RR1 - do not get me wrong man, I get flamed regularly for using the term eco-nut. Jays approach to this all along has been very straight forward. Use as much recycled / non forestry products as possible. It has been shown several times through the thread that the trucks eco foot print is substantially smaller than a normal household through the year. As for the walk or ride a bike around the world, did you miss the part about 2 small kids? As I said before I an not a go to the extremes eco guy like many I have been meeting, but as a child I was always taught "waste not, want not", by my parents and grandparents. Which was actually what started me recycling everything we possibly can around here. I am not an "environmentalist" but I am a conservationist. Thats means take only what you need and give as much back as possible. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.

And I'm in the same boat.. The truck was also used, and a million other things. It is just fine with me and I have a pretty high tolerance of what I consider eco friendly as there is a lot of greenwashing. Even a Prius is borderline suspect to me. But I think this is fair and that is fine and also accents his approach.. He could just call it a custom "camper" but then it would downplay that it runs on biodiesel, uses wind and solar power, and is made out of as much recyclable material as possible and is a drastic reduction in footprint than a house. And that would be selling it short...