Extreme 4×4 RV: The Affordable Zombie Apocalypse Recreation Vehicle

What if you want to go off the map and off the grid, but you are not willing to give up the comfort and features of your home? This extreme 4×4 RV by ETL Overland and Plan B Supply is one option worth considering.

The foundation of this off-roading house on wheels is a LMTV military 4×4 truck chassis. It’s the modern interpretation on the classic “deuce and a half” truck. The military acronym stands for Light Medium Tactical Vehicle. Yes, the name that combines “light” and “medium” is a bit confusing, but the family of Medium Tactical Vehicles also includes heavier 6×6 trucks. This truck lineup has served the U.S. military since 1996.

The cabover design makes for an efficient use of space and also offers good outward visibility and a unique driving experience on or off the pavement. Since the driver is siting over the steering axle, making turns in the LMTV takes a little getting used to. Once you get a hang of it, the truck offers surprising maneuverability for such a big machine that’s riding of 47-inch tall tires. I found the driver’s seating position and the large steering wheel be akin to driving a large city bus.

The LMTV is powered by a Caterpillar turbo-diesel engine that has several power ratings that start at around 225 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque and move up from there. The transmission is an electrically controlled 7-speed Allison transmission, which offers gear spacing that is good for both low-range off-roading and rolling on the highway at around 60 MPH.

It also offers cool features like a central on-board air system that allows the driver to adjust the tire air pressure without getting out of the cab. It also has a driving mode selector which adjusts torque split between front and rear axles. In off-road mode, the power is split 50% to the front and 50% to the rear.

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ETL Overland build their unique all-aluminum RV “box” that mounts to the truck chassis using a spring system. In fact, the box is hard mounted in the front and spring mounted in the rear. This allows the truck to flex off-road without twisting or damaging the RV box. I took the truck into the dunes at the Knolls, UT off-road park, and the truck performed great. The RV section and the mounting system did their job and no damage was done.

ETL Overland has a clever living space design with in-floor heating, a ventilated attic, and a bed that retracts into the ceiling when not in use. All of the components either run on diesel or electricity, and the company puts a solar panel array on the roof to help. The interior of this truck will be complete this summer, so stay tuned for a follow up story where we show all the appointment of this RV.

ETL Overland offers the raw aluminum RV boxes for around $50,000. The LMTV 4×4 RV you see here will retail close to $300,000. But the sky is the limit with extreme and luxurious RVs. The company also builds larger RVs that can accommodate up to 11 people and optioned to over $1,000,000.