While in recent years there’s been a tremendous uptick in interest for overlanding, it seems that’s not enough to sustain all competitors in the market. EarthCruiser, which manufactures off-roaders for overland expeditions, is officially out of business.
Watch two built off-road trucks in a nail-biting race.
The shocking revelation was made public by EarthCruiser via an official press release on April 24, with the final day of operations set for April 25. In other words, the announcement not only caught many by surprise, but it gave a lot of people whiplash with how quickly the actual closure happened.
Three products were the mainstay of EarthCruiser: the EXP, FX, and Terranova. Not too long ago, the company unveiled its GMC Hummer EV upfit package, something we covered last year. Those are no longer available for purchase through traditional channels, although perhaps some will be sold off in the liquidation process.
No mention was made in the press release about warranties or other product support for EarthCruiser customers. That has to be disconcerting to current owners and probably won’t be great for aftermarket values.
Brave souls who don’t fear making their own repairs or have a good shop at hand might be able to scoop up some tremendous deals in the fallout.
EarthCruiser has been in business since 2008, long before most people even knew overlanding was a hobby. It helped push the practice more into mainstream view, so to have it suddenly fold and go under is a shock to many.
It remains to be seen if EarthCruiser is a canary in the coal mine for the overlanding industry or just the outdoor and/or automotive markets in general. With many companies announcing layoffs and an increasing number filing for bankruptcy if not outright closing, uncertainty certainly seems to be the order of the day.
Images via EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles/Facebook
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