Bandicoot
Adventurer
The issue has been raised of Second stage manufacturing (SSM) process in Australia. I don't hold out to being an expert in this, but this is my understanding on it and why EarthCruiser decided to go down this route (although I DO NOT speak for EC):
Traditionally motorhomes (or refrigerated vans or other “custom builds”) in Australia are created by the manufacturer first buying a cab-chassis or other “base vehicle” which is then registered (giving it licence plates and allowing it to be legally driven on the roads). The base vehicle as sold is already compliance-plated to prove that it meets all the Australian Design Rules (ADR) relevant to the vehicle. The base vehicle is then modified by the manufacturer or body-builder, certified by an engineer (e.g. for different number of seats) and then is approved by the State Government for registration in that State. It is given a new State compliance plate fitted that says it can legally be registered in that State. If a person moves interstate, or the vehicle is sold interstate, then it will have to be re-registered in that new State, and this will require new inspections in that State, which will be to the guidelines applicable at the time in that State. In some cases, other States have refused to register the vehicle because it would fail to meet the different design standards of that State at that time.
Contrast this process to that of the high-volume car manufacturers. A new model of car (e.g. an import) is brought to Australia and then tested and found to meet the ADR and is then compliance-plated. All states will automatically then register that vehicle, whether new or second hand. This approval process is a federal one, not a State process. Once certified as being compliant, it never needs to be re-certified, even if the owner moves interstate.
As an example, Queensland will not allow a Fuso Canter in the 4500 kg GVM class (which is sold with dual rear wheels) to be fitted with single rear wheels but NSW will allow this. However, if a 4.5 tonne GVM vehicle is approved federally with super single wheels (even if manufactured in Queensland), then it will automatically be registrable in ALL States including Queensland!
It is for this reason that the EarthCruiser has not gone down the normal motorhome build route. By going through the Federal process using the SMM approvals system, all EarthCruisers are then automatically registrable in Australia, and that will also help with overseas exports of EarthCruisers.
Bandicoot
Traditionally motorhomes (or refrigerated vans or other “custom builds”) in Australia are created by the manufacturer first buying a cab-chassis or other “base vehicle” which is then registered (giving it licence plates and allowing it to be legally driven on the roads). The base vehicle as sold is already compliance-plated to prove that it meets all the Australian Design Rules (ADR) relevant to the vehicle. The base vehicle is then modified by the manufacturer or body-builder, certified by an engineer (e.g. for different number of seats) and then is approved by the State Government for registration in that State. It is given a new State compliance plate fitted that says it can legally be registered in that State. If a person moves interstate, or the vehicle is sold interstate, then it will have to be re-registered in that new State, and this will require new inspections in that State, which will be to the guidelines applicable at the time in that State. In some cases, other States have refused to register the vehicle because it would fail to meet the different design standards of that State at that time.
Contrast this process to that of the high-volume car manufacturers. A new model of car (e.g. an import) is brought to Australia and then tested and found to meet the ADR and is then compliance-plated. All states will automatically then register that vehicle, whether new or second hand. This approval process is a federal one, not a State process. Once certified as being compliant, it never needs to be re-certified, even if the owner moves interstate.
As an example, Queensland will not allow a Fuso Canter in the 4500 kg GVM class (which is sold with dual rear wheels) to be fitted with single rear wheels but NSW will allow this. However, if a 4.5 tonne GVM vehicle is approved federally with super single wheels (even if manufactured in Queensland), then it will automatically be registrable in ALL States including Queensland!
It is for this reason that the EarthCruiser has not gone down the normal motorhome build route. By going through the Federal process using the SMM approvals system, all EarthCruisers are then automatically registrable in Australia, and that will also help with overseas exports of EarthCruisers.
Bandicoot