New for 2022? GXV and EarthCruiser hints

[Steve_382]

Well, both GXV and EarthCruiser have said to look out for some changes in 2022. Teasers.

From Instagram:
globalxvehicles Thank you for another amazing year! GXV has some great things in store for 2022, so stay tuned. Until next year ???

From EC Instagram: Big things are in store in 2022! Wishing you all a very happy New Year and cheers to many adventures ahead.
And EC news letter: Stay tuned for big news coming in January 2022

 

[Epps]

Now that EarthCruiser has fully tested the Isuzu CORE truck I'm sure that we'll see the first EXP/Isuzu setup. Looking forward to see how the cab to box setup works.

Epps

 

[Steve_382]

Now that EarthCruiser has fully tested the Isuzu CORE truck I'm sure that we'll see the first EXP/Isuzu setup. Looking forward to see how the cab to box setup works.

Epps

I left them a question on Instagram or Facebook about whether they would be using the larger 6.6L gas engine also, but didn't get a response. It has a fair bit more HP and torque than the current 6.0. I suppose that they want to make sure that all their current Fuso stock is sold before advertising the Isuzu chassis.

 

[Victorian]

Now that EarthCruiser has fully tested the Isuzu CORE truck I'm sure that we'll see the first EXP/Isuzu setup. Looking forward to see how the cab to box setup works.

Epps

the core program is in full swing. Several chassis with our camper bodies are in the making.

 

[BillFitz]

I left them a question on Instagram or Facebook about whether they would be using the larger 6.6L gas engine also, but didn't get a response. It has a fair bit more HP and torque than the current 6.0. I suppose that they want to make sure that all their current Fuso stock is sold before advertising the Isuzu chassis.

And then there are those of us who own legacy ECs with the little 3L diesel who wouldn‘t trade them for the moon. Cubic inches solves little other than making you go fast and burn lots of pricey fuel.

 

[Steve_382]

I guess with the purchase of GXV by StoryTeller Vans we know what their big news was. Can't imagine EC has any news quite that big.

Storyteller Overland acquires industry-leading Expedition Vehicle comp

Two great adventure vehicle manufacturers with outstanding reputations for success in delivering innovation, quality, and excellent customer experiences are now coming together in a merger designed to create a powerful leader in the overlanding and adventure travel world.

www.storytelleroverland.com

 

[driveby]

I guess the general RV industry consolidation movement is coming to the Overlander segment. Sorta makes sense since the big boys (Winnie, Thor, REV) are starting to figure out this space and it won't be long before they have more models to offer. Already the supplier options are consolidating. Bigger is supposedly better but for who I've yet to fully figure out.....

 

[BillFitz]

I guess with the purchase of GXV by StoryTeller Vans we know what their big news was. Can't imagine EC has any news quite that big.

Storyteller Overland acquires industry-leading Expedition Vehicle comp

Two great adventure vehicle manufacturers with outstanding reputations for success in delivering innovation, quality, and excellent customer experiences are now coming together in a merger designed to create a powerful leader in the overlanding and adventure travel world.

www.storytelleroverland.com

Oh damn. I hope the acquisition doesn’t break Storyteller. That’s a truly odd marriage, apples and oranges, or better yet, a cat and a dog. Typically companies are acquired by larger suitors looking to buy and expand market share. But GXV’s market is small with little in the way of volume. I don’t understand how GXV is going to add to Storytell’s product line or market share. I‘d love to see the financials. The only way I can see this happening is if GXV was sold at a deep discount, but still there is the 600# gorilla in the room. GXV vehicles are an extremely high cost and low volume item. Each vehicle is a custom build. And big diesels are being legislated out of existence as we speak. This is an odd one for sure. I bet EarthCruiser and EarthRoamer are feeling better today about the competition than they were yesterday.

 

[Steve_382]

I guess the general RV industry consolidation movement is coming to the Overlander segment. Sorta makes sense since the big boys (Winnie, Thor, REV) are starting to figure out this space and it won't be long before they have more models to offer. Already the supplier options are consolidating. Bigger is supposedly better but for who I've yet to fully figure out.....

Most of the innovative products come from the little guy, not from Elkhart.

 

[Steve_382]

Sounds like Mike and Rene are going to still be doing the big rigs and StoryTeller will do the Adventure Trucks. They might actually be able to produce them for sale at a lower price if they can streamline the operation. I think there might be a good market for the small AT around $250 or less. I mean lots of people are paying $200 for vans.

 

[WanderingBison]

Maybe the business model is to use the custom, high quality designs and products from GXV to expand the mass market products that Storyteller is producing or planning to produce.

It’s definitely a big move with quite some risk but it’s also a reasonable evolution (albeit a big step) of how they have approached the “van” market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[BillFitz]

Sounds like Mike and Rene are going to still be doing the big rigs and StoryTeller will do the Adventure Trucks. They might actually be able to produce them for sale at a lower price if they can streamline the operation. I think there might be a good market for the small AT around $250 or less. I mean lots of people are paying $200 for vans.

However, the dynamics of one entrepreneur buying out another entrepreneur will make it untenable (or undesirable) for Mike and Rene to remain in their position for more than a honeymoon period. There can only be one boss. Can you imagine Mike and Rene being employees at their former business, taking orders from Alabama? Ya, me neither.

The whole idea of a buyout is to streamline the new operation and to get rid of duplication. After all you have to pay for the acquisition with increased profitability and reduced costs of the acquired company.

Storyteller and their accountants must have discovered inefficiencies and leveraging opportunities during their due diligence. Typically one of the biggest inefficiencies is the salary of the owner of the company being acquired.

And yes I agree, there is an unserved market right now for a production expedition vehicle that is priced between the $175,000 top of the line Storyteller van and the $500,000++ cost of an EarthCruiser or Earth Roamer, if it’s possible to build such a rig at that price point in today’s supply challenged market.

Here’s what I think is going to happen. Storyteller‘s business model is to sell a four vehicle line of vans though a nationwide network of RV dealers. I suspect that GXV’s Missouri facility will be retooled to build a cost sensitive expedition-like vehicle that will be supported by these same RV dealers. I’m going to call it the “Winnebago EKKO killer”. No more one-off custom dream rigs from GXV I’d say.

We shall see what happens!

 

[Victorian]

The EKKO “ killer” already exists ? https://aeonrv.com/

 

[Adventr.us]

However, the dynamics of one entrepreneur buying out another entrepreneur will make it untenable (or undesirable) for Mike and Rene to remain in their position for more than a honeymoon period. There can only be one boss. Can you imagine Mike and Rene being employees at their former business, taking orders from Alabama? Ya, me neither.

The whole idea of a buyout is to streamline the new operation and to get rid of duplication. After all you have to pay for the acquisition with increased profitability and reduced costs of the acquired company.

Storyteller and their accountants must have discovered inefficiencies and leveraging opportunities during their due diligence. Typically one of the biggest inefficiencies is the salary of the owner of the company being acquired.

And yes I agree, there is an unserved market right now for a production expedition vehicle that is priced between the $175,000 top of the line Storyteller van and the $500,000++ cost of an EarthCruiser or Earth Roamer, if it’s possible to build such a rig at that price point in today’s supply challenged market.

Here’s what I think is going to happen. Storyteller‘s business model is to sell a four vehicle line of vans though a nationwide network of RV dealers. I suspect that GXV’s Missouri facility will be retooled to build a cost sensitive expedition-like vehicle that will be supported by these same RV dealers. I’m going to call it the “Winnebago EKKO killer”. No more one-off custom dream rigs from GXV I’d say.

We shall see what happens!

Well - that is all certainly true in many acquisitions. Typically, at the hands of what you'd call a "financial" acquirer. But there's another type of acquisition - a "strategic" acquisition, where the acquirer is not purchasing "profits to be realized from reducing inefficiencies," but rather "access and entry into an adjacent or complementary market." The acquirer is hoping to make 1+1 = 3. And sometimes - if everyone can all put their egos aside for the greater goal - it works that way. Hopefully this is the latter scenario, not the former. I certainly see how it could be.

 

[gdaut]

I am not sure the Aeon is the EKKO killer. Don't get me wrong, it looks like a great concept, but as far as I can tell there is not yet even a completed prototype. And they are certainly not in mass production and available at your local rv dealer. It if was me, I would much prefer the limited edition vehicle over the mass produced one, even with all the drawbacks that entails (long wait times, have to travel far to check out the unit before buying, the user is the beta tester, etc.). But, I think a lot of people value being able to go down the a local dealer, see the actual vehicle they are buying, and drive off with it.