This vehicle is off-road-ready and features a pop-up roof, all the comforts of home, and a back yard with all the amenities.
Over the years, we’ve seen a few MercedesBenz GClass camper conversions. Although it’s a good platform for overlanding expedition vehicles, there isn’t much space in the G-Class for camping accommodations. We have also seen several overland builds by Australia-based EarthCruiser. This includes an Mercedes Unimog that has all the amenities it needs to be an off-road champion. This is probably obvious.
The G-Pro Escape is EarthCruiser’s version of an overlanding G-Class. The G-Pro Escape is a compact off-roading camper that was built in 2018. It was also shown last year. EarthCruiser addressed the problem of limited interior space by installing a pop-up roofing system to increase its living area. It has all the amenities that you would find in larger campers, including a full bathroom and shower, a fully equipped kitchen, a refrigerator/freezer combo and a sink with hot or cold water.
The rear is used as the living and sleeping space. It includes a stowable desk and a leather-lined sofa which folds down into a double bed. With vinyl windows and a pop-top, there is enough headroom. The best design decision is the location of climate controls at the back next to the sofa/bed. This allows for easy adjustment in the middle or late night if you really need to get out of bed.
Lithium-ion batteries provide electrical power. They can charge through 540 watts solar power, or the Merc’s 120 amp alternator while driving. Each tank can hold 66 gallons of diesel or water. The diesel power the stove and engine. In this case, it is a Mercedes V6 diesel that generates 180 horsepower (135kilowatts), and a lot of torque. Although it’s not intended for speed, the upgraded suspension and 13500-pound winches rear and front should allow it to travel almost anywhere.
Although it’s an older model EarthCruiser is said to be looking at building an updated version with the G-Class. Unfortunately, this offering is only available in Australia. However, the company has a Oregon location that can build overlanding machines using a range of Ramheavy duty trucks and Ford.