Damn. Just... damn. Really, that's all we can say about EcoRoamer, a bio-diesel-burning, all-terrain-crossing, awe-inspiring truck designed by Jay Shapiro.
This isn't some oversized compensator for Shapiro's manhood; it is the home in which Shapiro plans to drive around the world. Shapiro, his wife, their two kids and two cats will trek from Alaska to the southernmost tip of South America before hopping a boat to Africa. Then they'll cross the Strait of Gibraltar into Europe before crossing Russia and Asia.
Think of it as Long Way 'Round but on four wheels instead of two.
A lot of that time will be spent on roads that are roads in name only, which is why Shapiro decked out a modified Ford F-650 chassis with 42-inch tires and a Caterpillar C7 engine that runs on biodiesel (up to B100). Why a Cat? Aside from the gobs of grunt it produces (850 pound feet of torque), Caterpillar is a worldwide brand. If anything goes wrong, Shapiro can find a Cat dealer damn near anywhere.
This isn't just 27,000 pounds of brute force. Shapiro's packed EcoRoamer with some sweet tech, too. Solar panels on the roof provide juice for all the auxiliary systems. It's got a suite of communications gear running through a Panasonic Toughook with 3G and wi-fi. The water purification system was originally designed by NASA. And the camper shell and most of the interior appointments are made of bamboo and recycled materials.
Matt Hardigree runs it all down over at Jalopnik and has more than two dozen pics. Check it out.
Photo: Matt Hardigree / Jalopnik
