The 3 Best EVs for Overlanding
Reading Time: 4 minutesIt won’t be long before EVs dominate off-roading and overlapping. And with these beasts, it’s easy to see why.
Overlanding has become extremely popular. The idea is to build a vehicle with varying degrees of complexity to take with you on a journey that usually involves moderate off-roading.
Upon arrival at the destination, overlanders usually camp out using tents integrated into their vehicles. Choosing an electric car for overlanding offers the best of everything. One of the benefits is that the battery can be used to power your campsite.
An enormous onboard battery is one of the biggest perks of overlanding an electric vehicle. Many of the best overlanding EVs will usually be rough-and-tumble electric pickup trucks.
What Are the Pros and Cons of EV Overlanding?
The biggest advantage of using an EV as your overlanding rig is using that big ol’ battery to power your gear. Overlanding is all about setting up an awesome camping site from your car, and powering these things with a traditional vehicle can be cumbersome.
But, with an EV capable of redirecting the juice from its battery, you’re good to go. Storage space is also a huge plus for EVs, especially big EV pickup trucks like the amazing Rivian R1T.
In terms of the drawbacks, the only major hurdle to clear is a potential lack of charging stations in the wild. This is obviously a major annoyance and is something that will continue to be remedied by better charging infrastructure, as well as improvements in battery life. Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery is the last thing you’d want while camping.
1. Ford F-150 Lightning
The Ford F-150 Lightning has one of the best onboard power solutions available in the auto industry. If you really need to power your entire camping site and also need a variety of power outlets for the job, look no further than the Ford F-150 Lightning.
Camping with the Lightning should be considered cheating. Ford’s huge EV can supply up to 9.6kW of power, which allows you to power so many things it’ll feel like you’re camping in your living room.
The craziest part is that the Lightning can even be configured with a 240V outlet, which is beyond convenient for your camping site. It’s bewildering to think about all the possibilities the Ford F-150 Lightning’s onboard power can open up for your camping site. Not only this, but the massive truck can also tow up to 10,000 lbs of whatever you feel like taking with you while overlanding.
If you’re worried about running out of juice in the middle of your adventure, the Lightning has you covered with up to 320 miles of range. Ford says the car can be configured to accelerate from 0-60 MPH in less than four seconds, which is pretty useless while overlanding, but still nice to have.
2. Rivian R1T
The Rivian R1T needs no introduction. This insanely capable EV pickup truck is one of the most iconic electric vehicles you can buy at the moment, and its off-road prowess is already legendary.
Rivian’s hugely complex electric pickup truck features four electric motors, allowing the huge EV to perform off-road like no other vehicle. In addition, the R1T’s AWD system allows the truck to tackle daunting terrains with ease, which means you’ll have no problem taking this roomy overlander with you wherever the adventure dictates.
Rivian designed the R1T with practicality in mind, which means that storage is one of the major strong points of the R1T. It features a clever storage area called the Gear Tunnel, which is essentially a massive hole that crosses the truck from side to side. This storage area is great for muddy gear you don’t want to place in your truck’s interior.
The Rivian is also available with a full-on kitchen, which slides out of the aforementioned Gear Tunnel. This kitchen uses the battery as a power source for the heating elements, and it even features a small sink.
The great part is that when you’re done using it, all you have to do is slide it back into the Gear Tunnel. However, there’s a bit of sad news at the moment concerning the nifty little kitchen, though; according to Rivian’s Gear Shop, the Camp Kitchen is no longer available.
We are currently updating the Camp Kitchen’s design and will be making it available for preorder at a later date.
Sad news, indeed. Regardless, if they make the Camp Kitchen even better, the wait will be worth it.
3. Rivian R1S
The Rivian R1S is the R1T’s SUV brother. They both look amazing, but the boxy, closed-off look of the R1S is even more handsome than the R1T. Don’t mistake this Rivian for a flimsy family hauler, though.
Just because it features an SUV form factor doesn’t mean it isn’t ready for a wild adventure. The R1S is also equipped with incredible off-road capabilities. A quick look at the specifications will make your jaw drop, and if you’re into off-roading vehicles, you’ll want an R1S immediately. The R1S can wade through more than three feet of water, guaranteeing you’ll have almost zero problems driving through even the most difficult spots.
It’s also a monster when it comes to ground clearance, with 14.9 inches of separation between the Rivian’s underbody and any potential hazards. Just in case you’re wondering, the Rivian can also tow your trailer full of gear wherever you need to go.
It’s capable of hauling up to 7,700 lbs of whatever your adventure requires. If you need to carry a bunch of stuff, the R1S has you covered. It can swallow up to 104 cu-ft of whatever you need to take with you. This is great news if your overlanding adventure includes packing a lot of stuff.
Honorable Mention: Tesla Cybertruck
If the amazing Cybertruck ever makes it to production, it should make an amazing overlanding vehicle. The Cybertruck has all the stats and features to make it an awesome overlanding platform, especially the stainless steel body.
The Cybertruck looks more like something you would drive through the zombie apocalypse, but when you’re overlanding, you really don’t know what you’ll run into. Tesla’s armored pickup truck is definitely the one you want to take while venturing into the unknown.
Towing is also a strong suit of the Cybertruck; with the ability to tow more than 14,000 lbs, you’re all set for your next adventure. Another reason the Cybertruck would make an excellent overlanding vehicle is its amazing 500 miles range.
This makes the Cybertruck an awesome choice for that overlanding trip, especially if you don’t want to worry about range anxiety.
As Battery Technology Keeps Improving, More Overlanders Will Choose EVs
At the moment, gasoline-powered vehicles are more practical overlanding choices. But, as the range of EVs keeps improving, along with the charging infrastructure, EVs will also take over the off-roading and overlanding segment.