Carbon fiber luxury RV is ready to go off-the-grid

RVs come in many different shapes and sizes, from camper vans and teardrop trailers to over-the-top Class As. But expedition campers differ from other types of adventure vehicles in significant ways. In an overland vehicle, the goal is to go off-road and off-the-grid on a self-reliant adventure that requires four-wheel-drive. Love campers and trailers? Come join our community group.

Overland travel doesn’t have to mean basic, however, and the king of luxury in the go-anywhere 4x4 market is Colorado-based EarthRoamer. EarthRoamer started in 1998 by building four-wheel drive campers and trucks with interiors more akin to high-end apartments than your typical stodgy RV. We’ve reported on their $1.5 million XV-HD model in the past, and their brand new camper is once again making waves.

For the first time ever, the new EarthRoamer LTi is made with a carbon fiber monocoque camper body on top of a four-wheel-drive Ford F550 Crew Cab. EarthRoamer accomplishes this by bonding two carbon fiber skins to a structural foam core, which makes the camper stronger, stiffer, (and most importantly) lighter. Even with a host of upgrades, EarthRoamer’s new carbon shell drops the weight of the LTi camper more than 1,000 pounds over the current EarthRoamer LTS.

This makes sense if you’ve bought other products made of carbon fiber. Stronger than steel and a fraction of the weight, carbon fiber was first adopted in the aerospace industry before making its way down to high-end tennis rackets, golf clubs, yachts, and bicycles. But if carbon fiber is so great, why aren’t more campers made using it? Cost.

Carbon fiber is prohibitively expensive, making it out of reach of most car or RV manufacturers. As a luxury overland company, however, this isn’t a problem for EarthRoamer. The new LTi has a base price of $590,000 and most builds will top $650,000-$700,000 once you factor in upgrades. According to EarthRoamer, those price tags help to recoup the cost of investing in carbon fiber molds, highly skilled composite technicians, and the cost of designing everything in house at their Dacono, Colorado, factory.

Beyond the carbon shell, the LTi also features an improved electrical system, a 11kWh lithium battery bank, four 330W solar panels, and an auto charge system that automatically turns the camper on when the batteries need to be topped off. Other upgrades include new flush-mount, frameless windows, a bigger water system, and two more inches of increased interior height.

Available in five different layouts that sleep up to four people with an over-the-cab bed and side entry door, the LTi features all the high-end amenities that are normally in an EarthRoamer, like heat, AC, a kitchen, and bathroom. There are only exterior photos of the LTi at the moment, but for a peek into what the interiors might look like, check out our story on the LTS model.

Despite the high price tag (and a $50,000 deposit fee upon ordering), EarthRoamer currently has an eight month waiting list. For most of us, the LTi is out-of-reach camper eye candy. But what’s the harm in looking?

Courtesy of EarthRoamer