The last time we checked in with EarthCruiser, it got us drooling over the new Land Cruiser-based XTR, designed and sold in Australia. Now it jumps the Pacific and turns its attention to its American lineup with the introduction of the Terranova, an all-season, all-terrain expedition truck built atop the all-American Ford F-350. The Terranova interior comes loaded with smartly packaged, multifunctional furnishings and equipment aimed at today's diverse market of explorers, which includes wanderlust-driven road trippers, digital nomads, four-season off-grid athletes, boondock campers and more.
EarthCruiser began as an Outback-bred Australian expedition vehicle brand back in 2008, officially launching in the US from Bend, Oregon headquarters in 2014. Over the seven years since, it's built out its US lineup with the EXP and FX Mitsubishi Fuso campers, the GZL midsize and full-size pickup campers, and the boxy one-ton EXD truck. With the Terranova, it adds an alcove-style one-ton pop-up camper truck to better meet the needs of a diverse and fast-growing market.
The racing yacht-inspired foam-core fiberglass Terranova camper module has been designed specifically for one-ton pickup chassis. EarthCruiser launches it on the market-leading Ford F-Series, using its proprietary mounting system to affix it to the Ford F-350 Crew Cab and create a 288-in (732-cm) adventure camper. To prepare the F-350 for the rigors of muscling a four-person living module around dirt, rock and mud, EarthCruiser upgrades the suspension, adds on a wheel/tire upgrade package with buyer's choice of all-terrain or mud-terrain tires, and adds in off-road components like a spare tire carrier and ruggedized front and rear bumpers.
EarthCruiser fills out its camper floor plan with a rear dinette, central kitchen, part-time light bathroom and over-cab loft bedroom. Guided by the latest RV trends, like work-from-anywhere and "road schooling," EarthCruiser builds extra versatility into the dinette with a multi-position table designed to be used seamlessly as a desk. It can be set up transversely or lengthwise and raised up to standing desk height or dropped to sitting height.
It also slides forward and backward for more precise placement, dropping down at night to create a bed in conjunction with the wraparound leather sofa that seats four adults and a child around the table. EarthCruiser suggests the convertible bed is best-suited to two children or a single adult, making the Terranova a nice truck camper option for families of four with younger, smaller kids.
Moving forward, the driver-side kitchen block includes an induction cooktop, stainless steel sink, under-counter 130-L Isotherm fridge/freezer and countertop. The console across the aisle adds a second countertop and houses the digital command center for monitoring onboard systems.
The queen-size master bed is located in the alcove over the driver cab. Instead of the more common ladder, EarthCruiser integrates a set of slide-out steps into the kitchen cabinet stack, topping the lower two drawers with traction-enhanced step-on lids. The height of the electrically-actuated pop-up roof provides enough headroom to sit up in bed, adding to the comfort and livability of the space.
The greater alcove includes power sockets, reading lights and storage cubbies. The three-layer canvas that connects the elevated roof to the main composite body has an array of eight large windows with insect screens and privacy shades for increased ventilation and 360-degrees views of the outdoor scenery.
Earthcruiser adds a hinged foot to the bed, increasing the length enough to make it a longitudinal sleeper that allows each occupant to get up without having to crawl over top their bedmate. During the day, the end section lifts away to clear the corner of the kitchen counter.
EarthCruiser is well-known for its transforming bathroom, a feature included on its Fuso-based EXP and FX that now carries over to the Terranova. The floor immediately inside the doorway has an integrated shower drain, and a click-on shower head works with a deployable curtain to create a hot, private shower. The composting toilet slides out of the digital command console just behind the entryway when needed, storing away out of sight the rest of the time. In addition to space optimization, the entryway bathroom design prevents dirty, mud-spattered campers from having to traipse across the floor plan to get to the shower. An outdoor shower is also available.
The Terranova standard equipment package includes a 400-Ah lithium battery, three 108-W solar panels, a 3,000-W inverter/charger, a 136-L fresh water tank, a water heater, and gas or diesel cabin heat. The complete Terranova truck starts at US$289,000, and available options include an air conditioner, 16,500-lb front winch, slide-out fridge, awning, and double the battery power and solar. EarthCruiser plans to add Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD and Ram 3500 Terranova models in 2022.
EarthCruiser will hold a broader public walkthrough event this Friday, April 30. Those interested can catch the live stream at 3 p.m. EDT on EarthCruiser's YouTube channel. The company is teaming with Omaze on a sweepstakes to raise money for charity and give away one of the first Terranova trucks. More details are available at Omaze.com/Terranova.
Source: EarthCruiser USA