Photo courtesy of Auto Evolution and Saic-Maxus.The following is a report from Auto Evolution.
Ladies and gentlemen and lovers of all things wild, before us is the one and only Mt. Everest overlanding machine from Saic-Maxus, the one and the same responsible for some of China’s most revered vehicles. Furthermore, Saic has a history of working with GM and even VW, among others, so they clearly mean business.
Now, this isn’t the first time that I shed light on Saic-Maxus and their camper and overlander branch of business. A few weeks ago, I encountered the Explorer Star, a truck camper built from head to toe by this Chinese crew; I’ve added a few images in the gallery that showcase it as well.
As for the Everest, there’s really no denying where this thing gets its name; once parked, it expands vertically, towering over every other mobile habitat that I’ve seen over the past few years while writing for autoevolution. That’s also one of the features that sets this unit aside from others on the market, so allow me to start there.
Overall, we don’t have a floorplan for the interior of the Everest, so it’s a tad difficult to know what’s going on in that tower. However, there are a few images on the manufacturer’s website and phrases used to hint at the layout and level of luxury we’re to expect, and might I say, it’s comparable to a luxury airliner’s first-class accommodations. Even Saic-Maxus is calling it the “pinnacle of sensory luxury,” and I completely agree.
According to the spec sheet, this puppy has independent seats, a 50-inch projection screen, four-point audio, integrated floor heating and a three-person modular sofa and a double bed, all on the second floor. It’s also this upper level that houses features such as the galley but nothing about the bathroom; that must be at ground level, and it makes sense as to why.
Picture coming back from the dirtiest outdoor adventure you’ve had this year. The last thing you want is to drag dirt, dust and grime into a home that looks like it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, “it makes sense” to include a bathroom at ground level to clean off and discard any tampered clothing. Again, this isn’t specified on the manufacturer’s website, but it is the logical move; maybe there are two bathrooms.
What we know is that this beast is prepared with quite a few features to ensure you make it to your destination, no matter the terrain. Once you do, you’ll live it up in utter comfort. Features like 604 Ah of battery power, a 3.5 kW generator, a water filtration system, and 300 liters (79 gals) of fresh water make all this possible. As for solar panels, there’s no mention, but Saic-Maxus does say that Mt. Everest is open to “deep customization.”
Read the full story from Cristian Curmei at Auto Evolution here.
