Megatron - New turnkey expedition vehicle from Supertramp, Elevation Off Grid (EOG) and Liquid Spring

[Chadx]

New turnkey expedition vehicle from Supertramp, Elevation Off Grid (EOG) and Liquid Spring was just announced today.

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"Introducing the Megatron! We have partnered with @elevationoffgrid and @liquidspring to create one of the most bad@$$ turnkey expedition vehicles available. The Megatron is a turnkey overland vehicle with a seamlessly designed carbon-fiber reinforced shell, 360-degree views through double-pane glass windows, a wet bath, a fully equipped kitchen and touchscreen management of all your systems."

 

[Chadx]

Man, this chaps my ass, this thing will be, for the most part, unobtainable (>$220k) for most people, especially those who don't want to finance their life away. I was really hoping they'd be coming out with a flatbed model of the current LT model, I really want just a bit more room, with a dinette/sitting area in the back with a side entry. Probably going to have to go the custom route for this.

@corvcycleguy I'm guessing $350k - $500k for the Megatron, but prices have not been released as of yet. Just the 550/5500 pickups, from Elevation Off Grid, are up around $200k if you start with the nicer trim levels such as the Ford F550 Limited. I expect the camper to add another $200k+. Definitely out of my price range, but not for many. And Earthroamer and others seems to have no shortage of orders for $500k - $1M rigs. Amazing. These types of rigs do not fit on the majority of the tree lined, overhead branched, switchbacky trails in the rocky mountains States, so are either open dessert type rigs or road/campground rigs.

 

[Chadx]

Hard to deny that larger and more expensive campers are attractive for manufactures. Much more profit for not that much more materials or work. There are several manufactures that nearly double the MSRP as you move from a 6.5' slide-in camper/6.75' flatbed camper, to a large pop-up chassis camper ($160,000+) to a larger yet chassis cab hardwall camper ($265,000). Each of those jumps in size and price is not twice the manufacturing cost (materials, components or labor costs) or twice the setup costs (molds/jigs/patterns), so there is much more profit, per unit, in high-end campers. Temping for manufacturers to prioritize new models, within their range, that are high-end models. Even though there is a wider audience waiting for 8' and flatbed versions, if it means increasing the overall health of the company, replenishing some of the expenses that have funded years of prototypes and designs, as well as funding expansion and R&D to quickly add other models and capacity to build them in a timely manner, it seems like a reasonable business move.

Long term, it's likely Supertramp will have a full model lineup (6.5' slide-in, 8' slide-in, Flatbed camper, permanently-fixed hardwall camper, maybe a maybe even large chassis cab version that is pop-up). The Flagship LT was a great start. Megatron will be a low volume, expensive unit, but now we have bookends in the model lineup and it will be fun to see how they fill out the line-up.

 

[Chadx]

For those unfamiliar with Elevation Off Grid (EOG) and Liquid Spring, here are a couple vids with interview:

Liquid Spring


Elevation Off Grid

 

[gdaut]

I would be shocked if this was less than $500K; probably closer to $750K. As you mention, the truck itself is $200K. Granted that already includes a lot of the suspension mods that someone like Earthroamer does to the base vehicle, but still that habitat looks expensive.

 

[sn_85]

The intro price will $495K. It's expensive but not overpriced IMO.

 

[gdaut]

Well I guess I am a bit shocked. That does seem reasonable; "reasonable" being a relative term.

 

[Chadx]

@sn_85 nailed it with the description of "expensive but not overpriced". $495k seems reasonable considering the going rate for the pickup/mods and similar sized campers. There is value in such a rig being turnkey as well. It takes a very long time to build out a pickup (research, individual component availability and install scheduling and wait times, traveling to different installers/specialists, etc. In this case, one could get a EOG pickup and put on whatever camper, but again, value in having everything designed and integrated by partnered manufacturers and covered under one warranty so no "pointing the finger" at another manufacturers components during warranty claim saying the issue was caused by some other component. And, there will one source for questions if you run into issues or want to make mods and they will know exactly how things were integrated as there will be consistency from rig to rig.

We have yet to see and hear interior components and design. That can wildly swing costs. Similar campers (hardsided chassis camper-only) from other manufacturers are in that $260k range. It also depends on which pickup is specced for this. If not a Limited (Fords highest trim from example), the base price of the pickup, before any suspension and body mods, can vary from $70k to $100k. The huge costs associated with Earthroamers and similar are often due to labor-intensive custom woodworking and expensive interior materials. Then there are things like expensive cutlery (branded with their logos). Not sure what to expect in the Megatron. It could have similar materials as the Supertramp Flagship LT, which are very nice, or could have wildly different materials for counter, cabinets, seating, etc. that align more with the 'Luxury' trim.

Likely there are some component changes. This class rig often removes propane completely from the rig. Instead, the burners are induction (electric) and the cabin heat and water heater use diesel fuel drawn directly from the pickups fuel tank.

Really looking forward to seeing more pics and details on these builds.

 

[BuckinghamBuilt]

Well I guess I am a bit shocked. That does seem reasonable; "reasonable" being a relative term.

Yeah, whenever I see carbon fiber (reinforced) in the description you know its going to be expensive

 

[Chadx]

Posting the following with permission from Kelsey at Supertramp.

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After years of R&D, Supertramp Campers has teamed up with Elevation Off Grid and Liquid Spring Suspension to create one of the most bad@$$ turnkey expedition vehicles available: The Megatron.



The Megatron is a turnkey overland vehicle with a seamlessly designed carbon-fiber reinforced shell, 800 watts of solar, 360-degree views through double-pane glass windows, a wet bath, a fully equipped kitchen, and touchscreen management of all your systems.



The F550 chassis provides a turning radius similar to your F150 vehicles while also providing a capacity to tow up to 20,000lbs. The unit weighs under 15,000lbs and is 24' long bumper to bumper with a height of 11.2” which makes it similar in size to your 170 Sprinter van. Everything that you gain in this vehicle is usually packed into a unit that is unwieldy to drive unless you are located in the Sahara desert. Let function, meet design, meet real-life functionality and you have the Megatron.

We are opening up a limited first round of production which we anticipate delivering completed units starting Q2 of 2024. The introductory pricing for the complete unit is $495,000. If you are interested in learning more about the Megatron or checking out the interior with our virtual reality setup, please reach out.

We have no intentions of discontinuing the Flagship LT unit and feel that the Megatron is the next step up and evolution of our organization. The Megatron will allow our company to continue to scale as we advance the team and equipment that we have onsite.
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[Chadx]

Small image, but pasting an image with a darker version.

 

[SootyCamper]

Another option! Great news. Earthroamer, Adventure truck, Truckhouse, Superstramp, Loki,Rogue, 27north, and Overland Explorer. I'm sure there's others I'm forgetting.

I still have trouble comprehending how people are affording these campers, but I guess America does have 22 million millionaires (Canada has 2 Million for perspective)🤷‍♂️.

I think the front glass alcove window is a mistake due to incoming road debris/rocks/branches, but that's just me 😁

 

[Chadx]

Supertramp Campers is driving a Megatron to SEMA in Las Vegas.
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From Insta:
Snowy Colorado -> Las Vegas. Who will we see at #sema? We will be in the @liquidspring booth 71000 with friends @elevationoffgrid and @bowen_customs

 

[Chadx]

Another.

 

[BuckinghamBuilt]

I'm curious what the front window in the cabover area will be made off. I can see myself putting a tree branch right through that.