Introducing Project ECARUS™: Off to the workshop

Project ECARUS™ is based on a 1983 Pinzgauer 712M, a beautiful mechanical wondermachine made in Graz, Austria, by Steyr-Puch. A very popular off-roader in the civil defense industry across the world, it spent its life in Oman – doing what Pinzgauers do best: ride off-road across the least forgiving terrain imaginable.

In its new life as the world’s first solar-powered expedition vehicle, ECARUS will be doing the same - but with a fully electric drive, a massive solar system and a three-year old on board (as opposed to 14 army troopers). To give our project the best chance of success, we need to go back to bare basics first, and work off the signs of 36 years of tough going across deserts, mountains and river crossings. We are undertaking a full overhaul of body and drivetrain, along with all other major mechanical components, to have the best possible starting point for this old truck’s solar-electric makeover.

This video introduces the project and marks the beginning of this automotive experiment. Is it possible? Only one way to find out ;)