Beefy, Austrian-Made Camper Van Aims to Drive America’s Glampers off the Beaten Path

People do like to sit high in their rides, but this high? A ladder would have been helpful to mount the extra-tall Krug Expedition Bedrock XT2, a US$690,000 go-anywhere camper from an Austrian company that wants to conquer the American off-road RV market. This is off-the-beaten-path glamping at its finest.

The example tested is, so far, the only one, but Krug has high hopes for the American market, which has a growing appetite for “expedition” off-road vehicles ranging from trucks to beefed-up RVs. The company describes the XT2 as a “6×4 off-road machine converting a luxury variant of the Ford Super Duty F-550 and bringing it to the next level with suspension and chassis frame reliability.” In other words, it’s a rugged three-axle truck with a double bed attached. The camper is a joint production with Iceland-based Arctic Trucks, which specialises in polar expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

One of Arctic’s vehicles set a speed record of 108 hours from the Russian Novolazarevskaya Antarctic research station to the South Pole in 2010. The XT2 might be ideal, then, for a trip through the spectacular scenery of Alaska or for hitting the highway in Canada and driving north. The truck is ready to go off the grid, supported by electric power from a 1,450-watt-peak solar panel array and a 23-kilowatt-hour battery bank.

The founder of Krug, Viktor Ermolov, tried a competitor’s expedition vehicle around 2010 and thought he could do better with a vehicle filling an unmet need for a light (relatively speaking) expedition camper that could drive well in extreme terrain. The first truck came out in 2011.

“Our clients are adventure-seeking individuals with a passion for nature and conservation. They prioritise quality, reliability, and sustainability in their purchasing decisions and are motivated by the desire for unique and meaningful experiences,” Krug Expedition CEO Slawa Knorr said in a statement to Penta .

Asked about the typical client, he said that young couples and families with children are being seen more and more.

On the road, the 9,000 to 10,000-pound XT2, which looks like a normal truck-mounted camper on steroids, was surprisingly easy to drive. Under the hood was a Ford Powerstroke 6.7-litre diesel with direct injection and 330 horsepower, with the weight of the camper yielding something like nine miles per gallon. The assisted steering was fairly light. The brakes felt like they were hauling down considerable weight, which they were. The biggest consideration while driving was considering the width and avoiding contact with cars lining the road. The cab was relatively comfortable, and the visibility good except toward the back, where the big mirrors became extra important.

The third axle decreases ground pressure up to 25%, and the big Continental multi-purpose tires provide a lot of grip. The rear air suspension is adjustable from the cab to accommodate heavy loads and rough terrain.

The exterior camper panels are made from a high-grade, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) laminate that is 70% fibreglass. Inside, the XT2 offers functional luxury. There was a comfortable-looking king bed in its own nook, a kitchenette, a bathroom with walk-in shower supported by a 118-gallon filtered water tank, and a dining area and lounge with a 32-inch TV (with Starlink connectivity) and a table that converted to a second sleeping area. For a week away, it was more than fine, and the buyer can make it as luxurious as they want.

The kitchen’s fresh water uses the General Ecology Seagull IV-X2 system to banish chemicals, bacteria, and viruses. It may be cold where you’re going, so the quiet Truma Combi diesel-powered air heating system is on board, providing cabin heat and hot water. A hydronic system for underfloor heating is also available for colder climates, with automatic frost protection and radiators in the bathroom and dining area radiators. And for hotter weather, there’s the highly energy-efficient Nomadic Cooling air-conditioning system.

If cooking al fresco is desired, a portable outdoor kitchen can be built into the underfloor storage boxes.

For weekend getaways, any number of less-expensive camper solutions are available. The XT2 is aimed at rugged adventurers, who want to be virtually self-sufficient for excursions off the beaten path. It’s not the only vehicle in this expedition category. There’s also the evocatively named Storyteller GXV Epic, priced at a similar US$696,377. This is a big, tough all-wheel drive truck with up to 1,800 miles of range, 18 kilowatt-hours of available power, a built-in washer and dryer, and more.

Or how about the Ford F-250-based US$350,000 27 North Ascender RexRover truck, which sleeps four? Need more room? The cabover Loki Steyr 1491 accommodates six.