EarthRoamer XV-HD is Announced

[TomH]

New web site look, new monster EarthRoamer:

http://www.earthroamer.com/

Here's the XV-LTS in front of and dwarfed by the XV-HD, which looks like some terrestrial aircraft carrier:

http://www.earthroamer.com/model-overview/

http://www.earthroamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MASTER-Profile-both-550-in-front-of-650-3000px.jpg

The Jeep Rubicon based XV-JP is completely missing from the lineup, not mentioned anywhere on the site that I can find. Over the past year or two, Bill Swails has mentioned several times here on ER that they are also working a new unit based on a 3/4 ton pickup. I wonder if that will be meant to replace the XV-JP.

[dwh]

Awesome...but 13'6"...ouch.

[shellb]

I would have rather they offered a 1 ton version vs. going even larger. Oh well!

[howell_jd]

The XV-JP is identified in the "About Us" section. Making things smaller is frequently tougher than "going big" - there are certainly enough build threads here that capture the all-too-often over-GVWR consequences of an old Army saying..."One is none, two is one" or one of my personal favorites, "I don't know what this thing is...I need two."

Jonathan

[jgolden]

The new rig looks sweet.
Any interior photos or layout options?
thanks

[Drew80130]

Couldn't find photos or layouts. I did notice under the XV-LT tab that they show a new Super Stretch Cab that is even longer than the body for the current XV-LTS, but it is only available with a regular cab truck. They also show the standard length body on a regular cab truck. Interesting new options. Would have thought a smaller more economical offering would make more sense than the new XD.

[Ford Prefect]

You might think that about the XD vs something small, but the GXV people are getting a lot of interest as near as I can tell in their larger builds, so it is logical for a competing market to want to do the same.

Besides, this is America, where we only get big, right?

I too would very much like to see how they intend to appoint the interior, as well as price concepts for this behemoth.

[Drew80130]

Yeah, my thought was that a smaller rig could result in greater sales volumes, but the flip side is that the XD offers a lot more room for customization, and therefore profit. I'm also curious to see what they can do with that much room. The regular sized models already utilize the space so well, I can only imagine what they could do with more room. It also looks like there are storage boxes hanging of build in to the undersides of the bodies, so there is an advantage to the size increase already. My other thought about a smaller sized rig is off road ability. I can't picture the XD in a lot of the places I like to go here in Colorado, but I can see it in Alaska. I guess the solution is multiple Earthroamers.

[jgolden]

I too was wondering about off-road ability. Between size and ULSD it greatly limits your travels options? Don't get me wrong, I love the thing.....it's pure beauty.
But for the cost (or should I say expected cost) you could buy 4 or 5 really nice adventure rigs all for different purposes.
If you owned an Earthroamer HD what would you use it for? I'd like to hear everyones opinion.
Again, this is NOT a debate about big vs. small or a jab at the Earthroamer, it's just honest curiosity of how the new XV-HD should be / could be used in real life exploring.
Lastly, I want to congratulate ER on their success. I've been drooling :drool: over their products since 2006!!!

[EMrider]

IMHO the market for this rig are families or other groups of 4-6 who want extended off highway travel capability. If I were going to hit the road for a year with the entire family this would be on my list of potential vehicles, along with GXV's offerings.

My guess is that the XV-HD could go 85% to 90% of the places I have taken the SMB. Not bad given the extra space and comfort it would provide.

I hope this does well for ER.

R

[Entropy]

IMHO the market for this rig are families or other groups of 4-6 who want extended off highway travel capability. If I were going to hit the road for a year with the entire family this would be on my list of potential vehicles, along with GXV's offerings.

My guess is that the XV-HD could go 85% to 90% of the places I have taken the SMB. Not bad given the extra space and comfort it would provide.

I hope this does well for ER.

R

That's what I was thinking as well. I've got a family of five, so I've been looking for something bigger for a while or building something along the lines of Shachagra. Affordability will obviously be an issue, any idea what a ballpark price might be?

[haven]

The larger size makes the XV-HD appealing to new classes of buyers. Think oil and gas exploration teams, Forest Service fire commanders, Homeland Security.

There's a market among over the road haulers for a tow rig with more living space. Google "toterhome" for examples. These buyers wouldn't need the front drive axle or off-road tires, but certainly would be interested in the design, fit and finish of the camper. ER's willingness to build on any length of chassis will be a key selling point. Truckers would want to substitute Western Star or Peterbilt for the Ford chassis.

[EMrider]

That's what I was thinking as well. I've got a family of five, so I've been looking for something bigger for a while or building something along the lines of Shachagra. Affordability will obviously be an issue, any idea what a ballpark price might be?

No facts, but I'd guess between 400-500k for everything depending on options chosen.

About for same price tag as a luxury diesel pusher motorhome.

R

[etcatmeat]

I called in and talked with an Earthroamer rep and he said in the neighborhood of 6-800k depending on options....they are almost limitless it seems. I am saving my $$, I love it.

[Swordsedge]

OK got a question about the pictures. So if you look at the picture that has the XV-LTS in front of the XV-HD, you see the large window behind the XV-LTS and the right side of the windows line up. If you look just above the cab of the XV-LTS, you can see where the cab of the XV-HD ends. It looks from that picture that there would be about 2 to 3 feet from the back of the cab to the start of the window on the XV-HD. Now if you go to EarthRoamer’s web page and click on the second picture of the XV-HD the window is very close to the rear of the Cab. So my question is: What picture is real or is it all Photoshop? I do like the size of the XV-HD... Now just need to get the funds!

[haven]

Bill Swails provided the photo I added to post #1 in this thread. It's a photoshop combination of two real photos. Bill adjusted it once based on feedback like the above. He says the photo accurately represents the size difference. If Bill now has a more accurate photo, he's welcome to post it.

[john278516]

The new rig looks sweet.
Any interior photos or layout options?
thanks

The XV-HD is out of my price range, but I still like to look at it! I ran across this page today with a bunch of pictures of an interior layout:
http://www.earthroamer.com/xv-hd/xv-hd-33-foot-interior-layout/

96476

[Ford Prefect]

Boy if it comes with all of those robots where are you supposed to sit?

[Marv800]

Does anyone know when these will be available for sale?

[Saiyan66]

Ok I will try and ask a fair question that wont cause too much animosity here. First off I would like to say that I am very impressed by Earthroamer and GXV's products. If I had that kind of disposable income I would certainly own one. However my question does come down to cost. The XV-HD hits the $600-800k range according to one of the above posts. I know how much a 4x4 F-650 costs new as I have priced them from local commercial truck lots. My question is this: Where on earth is the other half million dollars going? Really the profit margins on these must be staggering. The Shachagra build is a prime example as he posted what he has into his AMAZING rig and it is nowhere close to the ER or GXV. Not trying to start a war, just very curious.

[dzzz]

Where on earth is the other half million dollars going? Really the profit margins on these must be staggering.

Perhaps you're not aware that ER went bankrupt not to long ago. Many businesses can look easy from the outside. But consistently making money in any recreational vehicle business is rare. There must be decent profits in the good times to have any chance of surviving the lean years.
GXV has always looked solid. Now it seems that Earthroamer has the right business structure to stay healthy.
Both have a great rep., and the competition guarantees that neither can just "wing it" with pricing. Anyway, for an american both are now a better price than unicat.


Awesome...but 13'6"...ouch.

Yes, very limiting anywhere with trees. But there must be interest or they wouldn't build it.