Living off the grid often conjures visions of a unique yurt, cabin or hut.
But the reality is that you can live the mobile life and stay far away from the grid if you have the right kind of survival vehicle. Whether your journey takes you to the desert, tundra or mountains, UNICAT can outfit you with the perfect expedition vehicle.
Picture this: You’re ready to cruise as many miles away from the nearest town as you can get, so you load up your MD58hv with 159 gallons of water in the freeze-proof tank, fill it with fuel and invite your family of six into the cab along with a few weeks’ worth of groceries. Don’t worry about having to stop at a hotel or rest stop along the way because you can get as far off the grid as your imagination can take you thanks to the vehicle’s fully functioning kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area.
That’s the beauty of the UNICAT expedition vehicle, which can get you off-road and onto your next adventure with the turn of a key. Load a few bikes or an ATV in the back and you can make the UNICAT your home base away from home and get even deeper into the woods. Head back to the vehicle at mealtime, when you can take your ingredients out of the refrigerator, create a meal and serve it in the dining area.
Choose from UNICAT’s various options, including the following two models that we’ve spotlighted here.
Built on a Mercedes-Benz Zetros chassis, the vehicle has a 326-horsepower engine and holds 79 gallons of gas, allowing you hundreds of miles of road time between fuel stops. You can also find the following features in the MD58hv:
- Inner cab: 228 inches long, 93 inches wide and 77 inches high
- Windows: Burglarproof, scratchproof, top-hinged windows made of double-insulated thermal glass with fiberglass frames
- Seating area: U-shaped seating for four to six people with swiveling table; the seating converts to an additional bed
- Sleeping: One double bed, two bunk beds and a door to the separate bedroom from the living room
- Bathroom: Shower, toilet, wash basin and storage with its own radiator
- Kitchen: Stainless steel sink, two-plate induction cooker, oven with microwave and grill, 34-gallon fridge, 17-gallon freezer and cabinets
- Generator: Air-cooled Honda generator installed in outside storage box
- Water supply: 159-gallon, freeze-proof drinking water tank, 15.9-gallon hot water heat exchanger with electric heater
- Holding tank: 26-gallon, freeze-proof sewage holding tank with drain pump
- Accessories: Heating, air conditioning and smoke detectors
Based on a MAN LE 18.208 4×4 chassis, this expedition vehicle gives you 280 horsepower and holds 137 gallons of gas to keep you on the road for days. The EX41-KD also gives you these additional features:
- Inner cab: 158 inches long, 86 inches wide and 75 inches high
- Windows: Burglarproof, scratchproof, top-hinged windows made of double-insulated thermal glass with blackout and mosquito blinds
- Seating area: Features an adjustable swiveling table on a pedestal and converts to a double bed
- Sleeping: One double bed and two single beds
- Bathroom: Shower and toilet as well as storage with its own radiator
- Kitchen: Stainless steel sink, ceramic diesel stove, 51-gallon fridge with freezer and cabinets
- Water supply: 116-gallon, freeze-proof drinking water tank and 6-gallon hot water heat exchanger
- Holding tank: 10-gallon, freeze-proof sewage holding tank
- Accessories: Central heating system and anti-frost system
To learn more about the UNICAT vehicles and how you can find yours, visit the UNICAT website.
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the June 2014 print issue of American Survival Guide.