Lance Gillies, founder of EarthCruiser, stands before the company’s proof of concept EV slide-in camper in January 2023.

BEND — After 16 years in business, Bend-based EarthCruiser shuttered its overland vehicle business Thursday and halted production.

In a prepared statement, the company cited changing market dynamics and economic challenges that “made it increasingly difficult to sustain operations going forward.”

EarthCruiser began in Australia in 2008 and moved to Bend in 2013.

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“Our journey over the past years has been extraordinary,” said Lance Gillies, EarthCruiser founder, in a prepared statement. “We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers, dedicated employees and industry partners for their support and trust in our brand.”

The company is working with professionals to liquidate the business, according to the statement. Gillies was not available for comment, referring all questions to the prepared statement.

What they made

Over the years EarthCruiser has developed models of off-road energy-efficient vehicles that can go off the grid using solar power. The custom-built off-road vehicles feature marine-grade materials. The company also made slide-in campers that could be fitted into Nissan and Toyota vehicles. The vehicles cost anywhere from $150,000 to about $600,000.

The company offered three-year or 36,000-mile manufacturer warranties on the EarthCruiser chassis, the four-wheel drive system and the fiberglass superstructure, according to the company website.

During its time in Bend, the company was an integral participant in the local business ecosystem. It offered internships to Oregon State University-Cascades students in the systems engineering program. Since 2015, the company has hosted eight students and three of them became full-time employees, according to the university.

“It’s a big loss when a homegrown, innovative business shuts its doors,” said Katy Brooks, Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO. “EarthCruiser has been iconic to Bend’s lifestyle and bootstrap legacy. They will be missed.”

At the forefront of outdoor products and technology, EarthCruiser was a marriage of the two industries, said Ben Hemson, Bend city economic development manager.

“Their leadership team served as consistent advocates for doing business in Bend and the region’s continued economic diversification,” Hemson said. “I’m sorry to see the business close.”

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Competition rising

Details of how the closure unfolded were unknown, but competition in the outdoor overland sector is keen. In 2023, the company announced it would collaborate with General Motors to build an overland vehicle on an EV Hummer platform, according to a company announcement. The collaboration was highly touted because a small company was able to garner the attention of one of the largest motor vehicle manufacturers.

Also in 2023, the former head of Mt. Bachelor Ski Area took over the reins of the company as CEO. Founder Gillies stepped down and became the chief innovation officer.