AEV and Bliss Mobil’s latest creation isn’t your father’s truck camping rig

State of the world got you down? Allure of the great—albeit currently a little smoky—outdoors growing stronger by the day? Does the neighbor’s Toyota 4Runner with a rooftop tent seem a bit too pedestrian for you? Ever watched Monster Jam from inside an RV and thought, “This is the collaboration the world needs”?

Good news: American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), the American aftermarket firm known for roiding out Jeep Wranglers, Chevrolet Colorado ZR2s, and more, just partnered with European travel cabin builder Bliss Mobil to come up with the answer for you. The behemoth pictured here is AEV’s Prospector XL 550 cab chassis fitted with a Bliss Mobil off-grid cabin. It is, stopping short of something as insane as an Earth Roamer, probably one of the most capable factory-built overlanding rigs ever.

The Prospector XL 550 starts life as a Ram 5500 cab chassis heavy-duty pickup truck before hitting the weight room to muscle up with some serious off-roading equipment, courtesy of AEV. This unit is fitted with an AEV front bumper, large fender flares, a 2-inch front suspension lift, heavy-duty wheels with 41-inch (!!) rugged tires, splashguards, a snorkel, and an intercooler skid plate. AEV recalibrates the speedometer to measure pace correctly with the huge tires.

To that brute, Bliss Mobil adds its ready-made rolling condo. This is the 13-foot, high-bed configuration, one of five custom layouts that the Dutch firm offers for this cabin size. We could think of less luxurious ways to hit the great outdoors. (Tents out of a minivan, anyone?) A full-size mattress sits above the U-shaped couch in the front. The sleeping pad can be raised and lowered electronically for easy stowing on the go. The couch below it can also be transformed into a bed that Bliss Mobil says can comfortably sleep four people. (Four small ones, perhaps.)

A marine-grade water closet with ceramic tile, waterproof cabinets, and a combined shower/toilet area fills out the rear of the cabin. A kitchen area in the middle offers a cabinet large enough to fit a washing machine or other large appliance of your choosing. There’s a microwave with an oven and grill function, as well as a stovetop with two induction cookers for all your off-grid culinary exploits.

Storage is found all over the vehicle, with plenty of nooks and cabinets inside of the cabin as well as out. The unit pictured here has the additional exterior storage box fixed to the rear of the cabin, high above another mounting point being used to haul a Husqvarna dirt bike, because, why not?

“AEV and Bliss Mobil share a very similar commitment to quality in everything from design to engineering to product versatility,” said Matt Feldermann, AEV’s marketing manager. “The new AEV Bliss Mobile Prospector XL 550 represents one of the most capable, uniquely livable adventure vehicles currently available in the marketplace today.”

Interested in getting your hands on this be-all, end-all overlanding brute? Pricing is available upon request. (Read: This ain’t cheap.) The AEV Prospector XL upfit to a Ram 5500 Chassis cab will run you at least $13,299 according to AEV’s site, but this one has quite a few add-ons that probably bring the price more into the $17–$20,000 range. Then, of course, you need to add in the cost of the Bliss Mobil cabin, which can safely be assumed is somewhere north of six figures.

We can think of cheaper ways to get off the grid, but we’re coming up short on methods that offer a more blissful experience than, well, something with “Bliss” right in the name. Color us impressed.

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