A latest video at Out of Spec Evaluations reveals us one thing actually cool Kyle discovered at Overland Expo Mountain West. Not like most of the automobiles on the market, it’s made to not burn a single drop of gasoline, regardless of being a completely practical RV! It’s the results of a partnership between GMC and EarthCruiser, a outstanding builder of overlanding campers and RVs. Right here’s the embedded video, however make sure you scroll down for a abstract and a few commentary:

One of many issues that makes this overlanding RV so uncommon is that it was constructed by GMC and EarthCruiser, however it’s not deeply managed by GM. As an alternative of desirous to promote all of them via sellers and wanting management over the undertaking, GM lent its engineering employees to the collaboration with out a lot anticipated in return. EarthCruiser will keep full management over the design, and can promote it both as a part of a full automobile or as an add-on that anyone can have put in on their present Hummer EV.

When you noticed this on the street and didn’t know what it was, you may assume it got here out of a manufacturing unit in a single piece, and that’s as a result of the businesses labored so carefully to verify all of it labored nicely collectively. Paints are an actual match, aerodynamics are optimized (as a lot as they are often for an enormous automobile like this), and the whole lot appears to be like prefer it belongs.

All collectively, it’s a really succesful RV, not to mention an EV. Like a inventory Hummer EV, it has an enormous battery pack and a whole lot of room. It’s not probably the most environment friendly EV, solely getting round 300 miles from a 200+ kWh battery pack, however this performs in its favor in RV kind as a result of it doesn’t lose a lot (as a result of it was already fairly dangerous on effectivity). Regardless of the dimensions, it’s nonetheless very succesful because of the electrical torque, superior computer-controlled motor coordination, and rear-wheel steering. In different phrases, it acts like a automobile that’s a lot smaller, and thus doesn’t really feel a lot completely different with this camper on its again.

The set up seems to be virtually totally reversible. Every thing attaches with out everlasting modification except a modified entrance T-High roof, the place they added a hatch to permit individuals to climb immediately from the entrance passenger seat to the RV (when folded out). When you had a spare T-High panel, you can swap it out and no person would ever know the camper had ever been on it after removing.

On the outside, there are a number of enclosed cargo areas, in addition to {an electrical} entry door and a plumbing entry door. On one aspect, you possibly can retailer restoration gear and different stuff you’d need outdoors, and on the opposite aspect, there’s an out of doors bathe that folds out, and is powered by an environment friendly electrical water heater that pulls solely round 400 watts. The onboard battery is about 6 kWh, and has about 600 watts of solar energy charging it. Different electrical home equipment, like an electrical cooktop, heater, and compressor fridge, additionally run from the battery.

Hummer hasn’t supplied V2L functionality but, however as soon as it does, it’ll be attainable to cost the camper’s battery pack immediately from the automobile’s battery pack. However, within the meantime, EarthCruiser has tried charging the Hummer EV from the home battery, and when it’s full, it supplies about 1 mile per hour of sunshine that strikes the photo voltaic panels, so it’s attainable so as to add a tiny little bit of vary from the photo voltaic panels (when you don’t want the power for one thing else, after all).

The inside isn’t big, however has sufficient room for a few individuals to sleep, prepare dinner, eat, bathe (inside or outdoors, use the lavatory, and revel in nature via the massive home windows within the folding portion’s tent sides. It’s constructed with premium marine-grade supplies that don’t appear to be they’ll put on out or collapse (like is the case with many cheaper RVs). Up inside the highest (which rises in about 40 seconds utilizing electrical motors), there’s a big mattress, the hatch to the inside of the Hummer, and even some small cupboard space underneath the froth mattress.

Every thing is made for straightforward dismantling and repair, which makes it attainable to simply work on any facet of the RV. Main programs like electrical, plumbing, and home equipment are all accessible just by eradicating a number of screws/bolts utilizing an Allen key, and pulling a panel or two out of the best way.

Getting one put in will in all probability require a visit to Bend, Oregon, in your Hummer EV, however different set up and buying choices could also be introduced as soon as it’s up on the market. Ultimate pricing isn’t accessible but, however Kyle estimates that it’ll possible be accessible for round $100,000. Mix that with the Hummer EV and also you’ll pay round $200,000 for an entire electrical RV, which is fairly low cost if you know the way a lot RVs go for lately!

The businesses are in all probability going to supply the Hummer EV in some unspecified time in the future as an built-in bundle that one can finance as an RV as an alternative of getting to shell out money for the camper after entering into an insane fee for the Hummer. RV loans have a tendency to permit for for much longer phrases, which means that this bundle might find yourself being inexpensive for a lot of extra individuals than you in all probability assume.

When requested about different automobiles coming sooner or later, EarthCruiser’s rep mentioned, “We wish to do extra with electrical.” Particular plans weren’t revealed, however related campers are in all probability going to be accessible sooner or later for different automobiles, just like the Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lighting, and others.

Some Ideas On This Rig

One factor that basically stood out to me is how helpful they’ve made the Hummer EV. We’ve bagged on the automobile repeatedly for being mainly the least environment friendly electrical automobile round, however the inefficiency has left a whole lot of room to do one thing like this with out making it a lot worse. As an alternative of being an costly “mall crawler” that folks will purchase for bragging rights, this turns the Hummer EV into one thing extraordinarily helpful off-road and for journeys into the backcountry.

It’s additionally excellent news for everybody with a Cybertruck order in. The Hummer EV doesn’t have a giant mattress with straight sides to make it appropriate with customary slide-in truck campers, however plainly overland and RV builders are making ready to supply issues like this tailor-made to non-standard vehicles. So, if EarthCruiser itself doesn’t provide one thing like this for the Cybertruck, another person in all probability will quickly.

Featured picture: screenshot from the embedded YouTube video above (truthful use, commentary).

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