EarthCruiser is Making a Truck-Bed Camper for EVs

Whether it’s due to higher gas prices, increased environmental awareness, or improving technology, the demand for electric vehicles is on the rise. In fact, according to a recent report, EV sales were up 68% worldwide in 2022. Naturally, the RV industry has taken notice of this trend, with several companies actively developing electric motorhomes, travel trailers, and camper vans. Meanwhile, other manufacturers are looking to cater to EV owners by offering new products designed specifically for this emerging demographic.

One such company is EarthCruiser, which specializes in making some of the world’s most capable and durable off-road expedition vehicles. The company recently revealed that it is in the early stages of developing a new slide-in camper custom-made for electric pickup trucks. This is somewhat of a departure from EC’s over-engineered overlanding RVs but still fits in nicely with its mission to inspire its customers to explore the world and seek adventures.

For now, EarthCruiser isn’t sharing many details about its new camper. The company’s teaser website indicates it will be “a new class of lightweight slide-in truck campers from the go-anywhere, do-anything adventure leader.” What exactly that entails has yet to be revealed, but customers can place a fully-refundable $100 deposit to be among the first to find out.

Photo Credit: EarthCruiser

EarthCruister shares a few more insights into its latest ambitions on a second webpage announcing the official launch of the pre-order program. There, we learn the company has been anticipating—and planning for—the broader adoption of electric vehicles for years. Particularly as EVs enter the off-road and overlanding space.

“We have been keenly following the evolution of EV vehicles and have been waiting until the time is right and the time is now,” says EarthCruiser founder Lance Gillies. “We are a company that loves to discover, innovate, and test, over and over until we get it right. Our deep expertise in building world-renowned expedition vehicles makes it easier for us to roll into electric platforms compared to competitors.”

EarthCruiser Innovations—the company’s in-house R&D division—is reportedly working closely with domestic automotive manufacturers to create new options for camping in electric vehicles. Exactly which brands EC is collaborating with isn’t clear, but the website says additional announcements will be coming later this year.

Photo Credit: EarthCruiser

“There are many similarities with our current EarthCruiser habitat and one that would be required to function with an electric platform. It’s critical to maximize efficiency in order to allow vehicles to go further,” Gillies says. “Managing limited storable on-board energy capacity, operating within acceptable range envelope and staying safe and comfortable is the essence of an overlanding vehicle and we have been doing that for years.”

While EVs have proven their potential for daily driving and even off-roading, they still face challenges when it comes to camping. As with a gas-powered vehicle, electric models see a sharp drop-off in range when towing a trailer, for instance. And most of the electric RVs that we’ve seen so far have somewhat limited range too. It will be interesting to see what EarthCruiser can bring to the table to help change that.

We’ll just have to be patient and wait for further announcements. But just a few weeks into 2023, the year is already shaping up to be a big one for the electric RV market.

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Source: https://www.rv.com/rv/trending-rvs/earthcruiser-is-making-a-truck-bed-camper-for-evs/