2020 EarthCruiser?

[C p weinberger]

As a logistical consultant I’ve seen a lot of interesting stuff out there in both the home and vehicle industry. Some pretty good work. The VAST majority of Complicated diy builds are problematic if not dangerous. “ I know how it all works“ great. If a skilled technician Can’t understand and physicaly see what you have done/ talking about after 5 minutes of discussion it’s a problem.
There are very few diy builders capable/ knowledgeable in ALL phases of a complicated overland camper build.
What do you get from earthcruiser? A knowledgeable technician in each stage of the build. And if you break down in Lima Peru in an earthcruiser a skilled technician can recognize the wiring even though they don’t speak the builders language. Complicated issues will get support from Earthcruiser.
Self build, if you can’t repair it you’re gonna pay a lot to someone who may.
You pay the big guys for resale. How many of these big talker builds end up for sale on this very portal unfinished..
I would be interested to see the statistics of average mileage driven on a earthcruiser vrs a equally complex DIY..down time for repairs..
I’m always amazed at how optimistic / arrogant people are regarding their own genius.

 

[mk216v]

Agreed, some Expo offerings are way out of our budget also. But you have to remember that any manufacturer offering Expedition trucks needs to hire (and pay!) highly qualified staff. Those vehicles are super complex and require a lot of knowledge. That knowledge is hard to find and costs money! When I was at Unicat, the starting wage was around US$30/hour. Now multiply that per hour and 40 staff... Those numbers will end up blowing you away if you only built 5 vehicles a year. Then there is the customer service/warranty you need to calculate for as a manufacturer.

I'll push back against this a bit. Some "high end" expedition rig builders could probably reduce their "artisan/craftsment" staff count if they invested in some machinery to do the work of "10 men." Automation is smart.
And customer service? Ha! From what many of us have seen, that's definitely where these builders need more staff. Customer service is still not so good even after numerous attempts and promises to make right.

What do you get from earthcruiser? A knowledgeable technician in each stage of the build. And if you break down in Lima Peru in an earthcruiser a skilled technician can recognize the wiring even though they don’t speak the builders language. Complicated issues will get support from Earthcruiser.

It'd be interested to hear how EC/ER/GXV/etc train their staff. I'm sure all companies are better than they used to be. Early ER's were an absolute nightmare for electronics, with every one different than the other, as the guy doing the electrical work yesterday was building cabinets today. I'm unsure if EC for example has specific electricians, specific drivetrain techs, etc who only focus on that segment day in/out, but when I visited EC I can say that their staff were incredibly friendly and passionate about what they were building, and courteous to allow us in to a cabin and show us what they were working on.

 

[lanceatm]

I'll push back against this a bit. Some "high end" expedition rig builders could probably reduce their "artisan/craftsment" staff count if they invested in some machinery to do the work of "10 men." Automation is smart.
And customer service? Ha! From what many of us have seen, that's definitely where these builders need more staff. Customer service is still not so good even after numerous attempts and promises to make right.



It'd be interested to hear how EC/ER/GXV/etc train their staff. I'm sure all companies are better than they used to be. Early ER's were an absolute nightmare for electronics, with every one different than the other, as the guy doing the electrical work yesterday was building cabinets today. I'm unsure if EC for example has specific electricians, specific drivetrain techs, etc who only focus on that segment day in/out, but when I visited EC I can say that their staff were incredibly friendly and passionate about what they were building, and courteous to allow us in to a cabin and show us what they were working on.

Ok this is important .
We believe very strongly in being involved with our local community and more so in our educational community . We are grateful to have the opportunity to host well over a dozen of university engineering internships, they spend time with our engineers and support crew. I have lost count of Cap Stone projects we have sponsored .
Workshop crew have a stage gate system , training modules must be completed , more modules one has been certified for by our independent QA the better for that crew member , it good system, reward for applying ones self.
Before COVID Wednesday was high school day, 1 PM until 3 PM high school students spent time with our metal fab / Elec / cabinet / CNC / sales / admin / and engineers to get a grasp of what the work world looks like. High school kids talk to interns about their choices, it is an experience all in its self.

I am saying this simply because with out the exceptionally talented and skilled people in their respective fields at EarthCruiser none of this would be possible, and we think it is vital for our future. So yes we take education and training very seriously through the entire organisation in more ways than one.
Our job is to represent our customers interests the very best we can, in everything we do.

Thank you for the question.

Lance

 

[mk216v]

Ok this is important .
We believe very strongly in being involved with our local community and more so in our educational community . We are grateful to have the opportunity to host well over a dozen of university engineering internships, they spend time with our engineers and support crew. I have lost count of Cap Stone projects we have sponsored .
Workshop crew have a stage gate system , training modules must be completed , more modules one has been certified for by our independent QA the better for that crew member , it good system, reward for applying ones self.
Before COVID Wednesday was high school day, 1 PM until 3 PM high school students spent time with our metal fab / Elec / cabinet / CNC / sales / admin / and engineers to get a grasp of what the work world looks like. High school kids talk to interns about their choices, it is an experience all in its self.

I am saying this simply because with out the exceptionally talented and skilled people in their respective fields at EarthCruiser none of this would be possible, and we think it is vital for our future. So yes we take education and training very seriously through the entire organisation in more ways than one.
Our job is to represent our customers interests the very best we can, in everything we do.

Thank you for the question.

Lance

Awesome Lance, so appreciate your involvement that way, with up and coming students/"gearheads!"
Curious on the training modules; those are from an association of some sort?

 

[68camaro]

Interesting thread, I don‘t think Earthcruisers or Earth Roamers are priced out of line when compared to other high end discretionary purchases like off shore fishing boats or open water cruisers.

A high quality 35 to 42 ft fishing boat (which is not a big boat) has less livability and off-grid (off-shore) capability but easily approachs $500k, and it is staggering the number of these that are rarly used. plus the running costs of a boat are WAY more than an expo rig.

For the people that can afford these its probably not either a house or ER/EC, it‘s what do we burn some discretionary cash on.

if you are on east coast you can visit the Provan Tiger facility in SC and tour it. The owner is happy to introduce you to all the staff and let you ask any question and crawl around the rigs. These are much less expensive rigs, not in catagory of EC/ER, but well made for the money.

the best of the best will always be limited to who can afford, and luxary purchases seem to be doing great Right now, including boats in all price ranges.

 

[lanceatm]

Awesome Lance, so appreciate your involvement that way, with up and coming students/"gearheads!"
Curious on the training modules; those are from an association of some sort?

We tried and failed miserably with off the shelf training programs. Nothing really fitted , what goes into the trucks we all love is just as you pointed out is so diverse and fluid. Technology , compliance is moves very fast in our industry . Low volume manufacturing has inherent efficiency problems we all know that. Off the shelf training and process products are not interested in us, there is no money in it we are too small with too many moving parts.
So with help of some people way smarter than me we made a system designed for much larger organisations work well for us. In general it goes like this - Each crew member has a tablet they keep with them - job is assigned as per skill level - parts confirmed - production instruction on said tablet - crew member can add notes but not change instructions - stays in that customers file for ever. 100% accountable. Inventory - engineer - customer service can check and have a alert if the workshop run into a problem or has made any notes down to the smallest detail of the job , any job. Inters more often than not a tasked with drawing or process revisions , it is excellent real time training, solving real problems and learning how to efficiently communicate. Obviously there is more to it than that but in general that is the process with all of the software talking to each other and staying current as possible.
Sorry for the long answer, we are no angels have made terrific stuff ups, but we learn. We want to get better at everything we do.

 

[Big Rudy]

If I read correctly some time ago, EC was testing a recycling water system. Are there any updates?

 

[mk216v]

We tried and failed miserably with off the shelf training programs. Nothing really fitted , what goes into the trucks we all love is just as you pointed out is so diverse and fluid. Technology , compliance is moves very fast in our industry . Low volume manufacturing has inherent efficiency problems we all know that. Off the shelf training and process products are not interested in us, there is no money in it we are too small with too many moving parts.
So with help of some people way smarter than me we made a system designed for much larger organisations work well for us. In general it goes like this - Each crew member has a tablet they keep with them - job is assigned as per skill level - parts confirmed - production instruction on said tablet - crew member can add notes but not change instructions - stays in that customers file for ever. 100% accountable. Inventory - engineer - customer service can check and have a alert if the workshop run into a problem or has made any notes down to the smallest detail of the job , any job. Inters more often than not a tasked with drawing or process revisions , it is excellent real time training, solving real problems and learning how to efficiently communicate. Obviously there is more to it than that but in general that is the process with all of the software talking to each other and staying current as possible.
Sorry for the long answer, we are no angels have made terrific stuff ups, but we learn. We want to get better at everything we do.

Fantastic info Lance. Thank you for sharing with all of us, and for creating this for the success of your vehicles!

 

[lanceatm]

If I read correctly some time ago, EC was testing a recycling water system. Are there any updates?

We have/had one in our truck. It will take a little while longer before we can get official EPA sign off to release to the masses. It works great by the way.

 

[Big Rudy]

Thanks for the update. You guys have lots going on. With the air quality in Bend these days you will be working on an air filter next....

 

[Big Rudy]

Terranova ===== X?
Are there more XXXX's coming?

 

[Midwestfabs]

Sorry for the delay! See if these pics help!? I am 6ft3in tall, weigh 220lbs (more or less!) and I am your average 51yr old ...i can get through the pass thru with no issues. My wife has done it several times while in transit with no issues as well. The table can be full swiveled out of the way for easy passage.
There is plenty of room to sleep between the bed and roof while down! I'm not sure of the actual distance on the new models but it is sure to be sleep-able!
.View attachment 550411View attachment 550412

@don@EarthCruiser.com follow up to your response and your stature. in a pinch could one 'live' in the Terranova w/ the top down if using the dinette as a bed and still have access to some of the amenities and/or systems? thanks for your input

 

[Midwestfabs]

Sorry for the delay! See if these pics help!? I am 6ft3in tall, weigh 220lbs (more or less!) and I am your average 51yr old ...i can get through the pass thru with no issues. My wife has done it several times while in transit with no issues as well. The table can be full swiveled out of the way for easy passage.
There is plenty of room to sleep between the bed and roof while down! I'm not sure of the actual distance on the new models but it is sure to be sleep-able!
.View attachment 550411View attachment 550412

follow up to your response and your stature. in a pinch could one 'live' in the Terranova w/ the top down if using the dinette as a bed and still have access to some of the amenities and/or systems? thanks for your input

 

[Zuber]

I can sort of answer about the TerraNova. I have an EC EXP, when the top is down you can sit in the dinette with about 3" clearance above your head. I'm 6'3" and can kinda walk stooped over. The counter top is usable, but you have to be on your knees. Mostly I access the refrig with the top down. 30 seconds and the top is up and you don't have to go all the way up to stand inside.

The TerraNova is probably 6-10" lower when down. You could crawl to the dinette and sleep there, but it would be tight. I don't think you could do anything on the countertop or sink. Refrig is still accessible.

We are probably going to move to the TerraNova. It will fit our life style better. Room for four in the cab. With the RAM/Cummins it will tow my 8k trailer with ease. It will work better for fast cross country travel. But, it's smaller inside and bigger outside.

 

[Zuber]

Why not just get a Class C RV or Pickup camper instead of an Earth Cruiser? Because of the quality of the facilities built in the EC. I'm an Engineer and have worked for a company building clean room equipment for semi-conductor manufacturing. This equipment goes in a class 7 clean room. This is what the EC house reminds me of, clean room equipment. That would be a good industry to find EC employees.

The alternative campers remind me of vegetables, glued together, covered with cardboard that has a picture of wood stuck to it.