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Have you ever wanted to travel to South America in your RV? Maybe you quickly threw that dream away because your RV wouldn’t handle the ruggedness of the journey. If you have a large budget, you may find the answer to your dreams in the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia.
The capabilities of this vehicle will blow your mind and take you places you never thought you could go. Let’s learn more!
What Is Global Expedition Vehicles?
Global Expedition Vehicles’ motto is “Run out of world before you run out of truck.” These handcrafted vehicles are manufactured in Springfield, Mo.
The line-up includes pick-up chassis models, medium-duty chassis models, and adventure truck models. It has 10 GXV units ranging from 12.25 feet to 28.5 feet long.
They’re built for self-reliant travel. No longer do travelers have to stop at a dump station or find a fresh water fill-up station. And travelers won’t have to stick around the conveniences of fuel, propane, and electricity.
And they’re built to last a lifetime. These GXV units, built to handle treacherous off-road routes and extreme weather conditions, sit at the top of the off-grid overlanding travel vehicles.
The marine-grade materials and components mean you don’t have to worry about stuff breaking or malfunctioning on the journey. You just get to enjoy your adventure anywhere in the world.
How Did Global Expedition Vehicles Get Started?
In the 1980s, Michael Van Pelt saw a National Geographic article with photos of a military-looking Mercedes Unimog over sand dunes. He remembered being mesmerized by its capabilities. Over the next 25 years, Van Pelt would refer to this off-road expedition vehicle and how cool it would be to travel the world in such a vehicle.
So the idea of Global Expedition Vehicles began. The first design was based on a newer version of the Mercedes Unimog.
Van Pelt wanted power, durability, comfortability, and strength. He longed to build a vehicle with overlanding and off-road capabilities that would also have the ability to travel with large enough capacities in fuel, water, and electricity storage for months-long journeys.
Van Pelt finished the first Expedition Vehicle in 2006 and took a trip to South America. Over one year, he never had to plug into electricity and only visited two campgrounds.
He even floated down the Amazon River for two weeks while still running the refrigerator, cooking, and using the necessary outlets for work.
With further conversations, design tweaks, and constant improvements upon his return, Global Expedition Vehicles began.
What Makes Global Expedition Vehicles Unique?
Even the best overlanding vehicles can’t compare to Global Expedition Vehicles or the Patagonia. With 10 different models, you don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. Plus, you can get customizable features.
The team at Global Expedition Vehicles is also composed of professionals with extensive traveling backgrounds and experiences. You’ll get an RV put together by people who understand the overlanding journey.
The materials used to build these GXV units are also above and beyond any other materials used by other manufacturers. It has SCS (Structural Composite Sandwich) panels to construct the external bodies to vacuum-bonded fiberglass reinforced-polyester interior structural core.
These vehicles are lighter, stronger, more versatile, and better insulated than molded body construction.
The Mastervolt electrical system, combined with solar panels and a diesel generator, is the heart of the GXV units. The energy-efficient components provide weeks of off-grid travel and many months of traveling anywhere in the world.
What Is the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia?
One of the 10 options is the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia. You might think you’re looking at a military vehicle or an armored garbage truck. Designed for a medium-duty chassis, the Patagonia comes with a kitchen, dining area, washroom, and sleeping area.
Specs
The Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia ranges from 17 to 27 feet long with a width of 96 inches and a height of 84 inches. It features a Natura Opening Wall, which opens 52 inches wide at 90 degrees for panoramic views.
Depending on the truck chassis and layout, you also get cab-to-cabin access. Chassis options include a heavy-duty off-road front aluminum bumper for a winch rated up to 18,000 pounds, a roof rack, and a rear bumper with a trailer hitch.
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Floorplan
The standard cabin features a rear sleeping area with a queen bed, a passenger-side booth dinette, and a driver-side galley kitchen. The wet bath sits behind the driver.
In the kitchen, owners have granite countertops, a stainless steel sink, an induction cooktop, a microwave/convection oven, and a Vitrifrigo stainless steel 3.7 cubic foot refrigerator with 2.7 cubic foot freezer.
The bathroom has a shower, a Thetford cassette toilet, a teak medicine cabinet with a mirror, a large teak vanity cabinet, and a stainless steel sink.
Exterior Features
On the roof, you get three 200 Watt solar panels. The Patagonia comes with two Mastervolt MLI Ultra 12/5000 lithium-ion batteries and a Mastervolt Mass-Combi Inverter/Charger.
You can use a diesel generator to operate the 14,000 BTU air conditioner for even more power. In addition, the Global Expedition Vehciles Patagonia comes outfitted with an Isotherm hydronic water heater, a 135-gallon fresh water tank, and a 28-gallon gray water tank.
Interior Features
The dual-paned Armor Vision premium windows have integrated blinds and insect screens.
The thermal and noise-filtering properties make these perfect for the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia.
Upgrade options include a dry bath, washer/dryer combo, bunk bed, and additional skylights or windows.
How Much Does the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia Cost?
The base price of the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia starts at $700,000. This includes the standard components and a truck allowance.
Other models in the GXV line-up have significant price differences. The Turtle, built for a pickup truck chassis, has a base price of $290,000.
The UXV-MAX and Pangea, designed for a crew-cab medium-duty chassis, have base prices of $870,000 and $890,000, respectively.
The RAM 5500 Crew Cab Adventure Truck has a base price of $450,000. So the prices of all of the Global Expedition Vehicles vary considerably.
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How to Purchase the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia
If you’re ready to start the process of purchasing your Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia, the first step is to contact the team to give them an idea of your travel goals.
Then you’ll pick a truck chassis. GXV can order a chassis, or if you already have your own, they can build your vehicle on it.
Then you’ll choose from pickup models or medium-duty truck models. The pickup truck choices range from 12 to 21 feet. The medium-duty truck choices range from 15 to 30 feet.
Next, you can customize the layout and choose any upgrades. Buyers will then design the interior by selecting cabinetry, countertops, flooring, fabrics, and leather.
Finally, the build process begins. But this is no small endeavor. Building the Global Expeditions Vehicles Patagonia or any other model requires lots of research, planning, and time.
Is the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia Worth It?
If you want to travel anywhere in the world without relying on services, the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia may be your best option.
You won’t have to stop to refuel or recharge. You can go absolutely anywhere, from desert sands to dense jungles. But you’ll need deep pockets to make this dream a reality. These vehicles aren’t cheap. But they’re also not made cheaply.
You’ll certainly get your money’s worth and have a lifetime of memories as you venture to the farthest places on Earth.
Is the Global Expedition Vehicles Patagonia in your future?
