Perth-based Elross Caravans has fired a warning shot across the Nullarbor to established off-road caravan heayyweights including Kedron, Bushtracker and Trakmaster, with the release of the most hardcore, tough-road model to date from the West Australian caravan 'minnow'.
The latest 19ft tandem axle Elross ECX19 off-road caravan has been beefed up for extended off-grid adventures with new Raptor chassis protection, more checkerplate body armour and a bigger lithium battery system among a number of updates and new options available.
Following a boom in West Australian caravan sales, Elross Caravans General Manager Declan O’Brien said the 2021-model ECX off-roader is the latest in a number of "evolutionary steps" for the small Beckenham, West Australian factory as it strives to "continually refine and improve all aspects into our construction and product offering".
"I feel we are now at a level here in the West at least where a lot of people are really starting to notice what we can accomplish from such a small team," he said.
Some of the updates and improvements on the 2021 ECX19 display van include a new $1990 Raptor spray-painted option for the inhouse-built 150 x 50mm Duragal chassis, which also benefits from new laser cut handbrake cable cradles and an integrated gas bottle shroud.
There's also a new optional roof deflector and higher checkerplate side protecton for the ECX van's unique Colorbond composite body.
Fitted with Cruisemaster XT coil suspension and Mickey Thompson mud terrain tyres, the latest Elross ECX19 can also be optioned up with a new $4900 'Offgrid Plus' package that includes a 360Ah lithium battery set-up with 3000W Redarc sine wave inverter, Redvision display and three 180W roof-top solar panels, for those wanting to stay off-the-grid for longer.
There's also the option of a custom kitchen splashback for the couple's ensuite layout (like the eye-catching 'Coral Coast' theme in the display van), as well as dual pane bedroom windows to improve natural lighting and ventilation. Kitchen storage is also enhanced with new low-mounted pot drawers.
The 2021 Elross ECX19 has a Tare of around 2670kg and 3400kg ATM, and a starting price of $111,990, although the optioned-up display van has a $133,229 driveaway pricetag with more than $20,000 of options fitted including the Offgrid Plus package, Raptor chassis coating, SatKing satellite system, Dometic external kitchen, Honda petrol generator, Camec 2.5kg washing machine and custom splashback.