EarthRoamer reveals epic carbon-fibre-clad LTi

EARTHROAMER has revealed its finest creation yet: the fully self-sufficient, carbon-fibre-clad, mammoth F-550 LTi.

For just over 20 years the Colorado-based outfitter has been fine-tuning its craftsmanship to build the ultimate expedition vehicle, and we reckon the company has pretty much nailed it with its epic carbon-fibre-clad LTi.

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The LTi, said to fuse the best qualities of the brand’s F-550-based LTS and the F-750-based HD, is the result of many years of hard yakka, the company turning over more than 250 vehicles and putting countless kilometres beneath the big trucks’ tyres.

Utilising the chassis of an F-550 4WD in Lariat trim, the LTi gets its grunt from Ford’s venerable 6.7-litre Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8, which then runs through a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The biggest news, though, is that carbon-fibre body – vacuum-infused carbon-fibre, to be precise – which is designed and manufactured in-house at the brand’s Dacono factory in Colorado. The body is produced using a Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP) that’s claimed to make it lighter and stronger than its contemporaries.

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“It is a process that requires a large investment in moulds, highly skilled composite technicians and expensive materials, but we believe the benefits of the much lighter weight and higher strength create value for our customers that is worth the investment and cost,” says EarthRoamer.

Giving the vehicle its ‘self-sufficient’ status includes the use of a lithium-ion battery bank (11,000 Watt/hour), substantial water capacity (378.5 litres of fresh water and 227 litres of grey water), massive solar power courtesy (1320 Watts of rooftop panels), a 360-litre fuel tank, and a full-height bathroom with a shower and cassette toilet (with 19 litres of water).

The burly vehicle measures 8839mm (long), 2438mm (wide), and has a maximum height of 3658mm. It has a 30° approach angle, 22° departure angle, 14° breakover angle and 317.5mm of ground clearance.

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There are five floor plans buyers can choose from – Telluride, Boulder, Breckenridge, Aspen and Crestone – and they offer different sleeping, dining and lounging options.

Clearly a vehicle like this isn’t going to come cheap, and EarthRoamer lists the base price of the LTi at US$590,000 (that’s around $850K here). EarthRoamer adds that a well-equipped LTi is typically priced in the $650,000-$700,000 bracket (AU$950,000 to just over AU$1million).