Automotive

OX: the flat-pack truck designed for developing nations

OX: the flat-pack truck designed for developing nations
Billed as the world's first flatpack truck, OX can be assembled by three people in under 12 hours once it reaches its destination
Billed as the world's first flatpack truck, OX can be assembled by three people in under 12 hours once it reaches its destination
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OX was designed by onetime toymaker, adventurer, and philanthropist Sir Torquil Norman
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OX was designed by onetime toymaker, adventurer, and philanthropist Sir Torquil Norman
OX can transport up to 13 people, eight 44-gallon oil drums, or a total of 2,000 kilograms (2.2 US tons) in weight
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OX can transport up to 13 people, eight 44-gallon oil drums, or a total of 2,000 kilograms (2.2 US tons) in weight
Billed as the world's first flatpack truck, OX can be assembled by three people in under 12 hours once it reaches its destination
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Billed as the world's first flatpack truck, OX can be assembled by three people in under 12 hours once it reaches its destination
Six ready-to-assemble OX units (including engine and transmission), will fit into a standard shipping container when flat-packed
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Six ready-to-assemble OX units (including engine and transmission), will fit into a standard shipping container when flat-packed
High ground clearance and a 2.2-liter diesel engine should help OX navigate challenging terrain
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High ground clearance and a 2.2-liter diesel engine should help OX navigate challenging terrain
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OX is a lightweight, high-payload truck invented by toymaker, adventurer, and philanthropist Sir Torquil Norman with the aim of providing a simple, robust and cost-effective work-horse in developing nations. The 1,500-kilogram (1.6-ton) truck can be assembled from a flatpack package within a day and is capable of transporting 13 people, eight 44-gallon oil drums, or a total of 2,000 kilograms (2.2 tons) in weight.

Manufactured by UK-based Global Vehicle Trust (GVT) – a charitable subsidiary of the inventor’s own Norman Trust charity – the OX was designed from scratch to be amenable to quick-and-easy repairs. Most of the truck’s panels are interchangeable from one side to the other, and the fewest possible components were used to speed up the time needed for assembly from flat-pack.

Six ready-to-assemble OX flat-pack units (including engine and transmission) will fit into a standard shipping container, and, according to GVT, it takes three people around five and a half hours to fold the truck into a flat-pack. On reaching its eventual destination, OX then requires another trio of local professional mechanics to expend approximately 11.5 hours to get it road-ready.

OX sports a wide track and independent suspension to facilitate stability on poor-quality roads. High ground clearance and a 2.2-liter diesel engine should add to OX’s off-road readiness, and the front-wheel drive vehicle can motor through up to 75 cm (30 inches) of water. When unloaded, 73 percent of the truck’s weight is placed over the front axle, and even when fully loaded this amount is still 53 percent – a weight distribution that lends itself to good traction.

High ground clearance and a 2.2-liter diesel engine should help OX navigate challenging terrain
High ground clearance and a 2.2-liter diesel engine should help OX navigate challenging terrain

OX also features a power takeoff that allows the truck’s engine output to be routed for tasks such as pumping water, sawing wood, or running a generator. As the vehicle is still in the prototype stage, there are no measurements available yet, nor more detailed specs. However, the company has likened its length to that of a typical car.

Though OX is primarily focused toward serving as a transportation solution for developing nations, GVT anticipates interest from European farmers, estate owners, and other similar parties. All profits from the sale of fully-assembled vehicles will be used to further develop OX and similar products for charitable purposes. OX will reportedly cost £10,000 - £15,000 (roughly US$15,000 - $22,000) when it reaches market.

Source: GVT

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21 comments
21 comments
Michiel Mitchell
Why can't we just stick to 1000Kg being exactly 1Ton...
ivan4
Those reported sale prices need to be reduced by two thirds to make it viable in developing nations.
JimRD
Yeah, way too expensive. Good idea though.
thk
It has nothing the market already does not apart from being overpriced.
Slowburn
The power takeoff is nice but the intended market would be better off buying used Ford pickups.
charley199
I think the point is that importing 'used Ford pick-ups' just isn't a viable option for the many of the target markets: Ford pick-ups are (relatively) sophisticated, spares are expensive and the vehicles difficult to transport to the intended users in the first place.
They're also (in the rest of World where gas tends to be less cheap than in the USA) a tad thirsty.
Conduct an analysis of the likely through life costs of ownership and the proposed price range may begin to look more attractive?
Edgar Castelo
I knew there are still some Remarkable Britons!
francm
Remember the "AFRICAR" of the 80-ies made of wood and Citroen parts intended for local production and local conditions.
Etienne Couritas
There is none metrics ton ? 1000Kg = 1tone , where i am
Siegfried Gust
thk, exactly. For example Kia's K2700 is offered for less than $19,000 in the most basic version in many developing countries. And other companies offer comparable vehicles. Slowburn, used Ford pickups in the same load range are fuel hogs. I have a Ford Ranger here in Costa Rica that has a nice 4 cylinder diesel that's pretty economical on fuel. But the Ford's full size pickups that you can put 2 tons in the bed of, all have big 8 to 12 cylinder behemoths under the hood if I'm not mistaken. Also in most developing countries, getting replacement parts for Ford's means going to the Ford dealer, which is prohibitively expensive. Which is why I'll be getting an Asian pickup next time, even though I'm otherwise happy with the Ford.
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