EarthCruiser, a Bend-based business, wants to make camping a truly authentic and environmentally clean event for any vehicle, combustion engine, hybrid or electric.

Overland vehicles like the EarthCruiser EXP and FX models are taken around the world, said Lance Gillies, founder and CEO. First started in 2008 in Australia and brought to Bend in 2013, EarthCruiser vehicles are able to store and use solar power and now will be able to do so without losing any range or shortening of travel distance before needing to recharge, Gillies said.

Its newest product is a slide-in camper that, while still in development, is gaining traction in pre-sales for its energy efficiency and ability to be used in electric vehicles, said Mary Balk, company marketing director.

For years the company has worked to optimize solar and lithium power systems to allow campers to live off the grid for long periods of time on off-road areas, she said.

Unplugging in the outback

“Our business is based on the efficient use of energy,” said Gillies. “You can go to even more interesting places with our vehicles and we want our EarthCruiser to go to places that are not using a lot of resources.

“Our job is to make our electric vehicle as efficient as it can be so you can go where you want to go.”

Engineers have had to be mindful of aerodynamics and energy storage systems that affect the range of an electric-run truck for these so-called overland vehicles because they don’t depend on a traditional RV park area. Their newest product will compensate for the weight of a slide-in camper without losing range, said Balk.

“The important thing here is being efficient,” Gillies said. “We care about the materials used. By using the right materials, you can save heat without using more energy. We are intentionally using different materials that have different properties for temperature retention. That’s not been done before in the RV world.”

OSU connection to skills

Technology and lifestyle products are among the businesses that are supported and encouraged in Central Oregon by Economic Development for Central Oregon because of the high-paying jobs they bring. Outdoor enthusiasts spent $3.2 billion in 2019 on equipment and clothing in Oregon. A large part of the spending, about $1.1 billion was spent on RVs and parts, according to the data.

In Central Oregon 945 people were employed by 79 outdoor recreation companies in 2019, according to the data provided by EDCO. To create an educated workforce in Central Oregon, the Oregon State University-Cascades has an Energy Systems Engineering program that has hosted eight students since 2015, said Christine Coffin, OSU-Cascades spokeswoman.

Three student interns have been hired as full-time employees, Coffin said.

“Over the years, EarthCruiser has been a generous industry partner for OSU-Cascades energy systems engineering program, providing students with real-world opportunities where they can apply their skills,” Coffin said. “EarthCruiser offers energy systems engineering students the chance to contribute at a vibrant company here in Central Oregon.”

The company has been making four-wheel drive trucks for several years and in 2017 made a move to slide-in campers that could be fitted into Nissan and Toyota. Over the years it’s been redesigned and re-engineered under the EarthCruiser Innovation division, Balk said.

Another product produced by EarthCruiser are off-road vehicles for the Oregon Incident Response Team called Commander Off Road Equipment. Six of these trucks have been delivered to emergency service departments in Oregon through a grant, Balk said.

The company would not say what percentage of its revenues are earned from sales of these vehicles, the slide-in campers or off-road vehicles. That information is not public, Balk said.

“We do not give out that information as we are a privately owned company,” she said. “However, we are receiving inquiries on our (Commander Off Road Equipment) trucks from agencies across the country.”