KiraVan at night

When the zombie apocalypse comes, you’re going to wish you had one of these. The world’s most advanced expedition vehicle, created by a team of engineers, artists and scientists, can store three weeks’ worth of food and water onboard for three people, scale 45-degree slopes, desalinate salt water and deploy its own drones. HD cameras, LED work lights and a weather station are among the gadgets mounted to the roof.

KiraVan cabin

Supplies on the roof

Optimized for extended off-road capability as well as highway travel, the KiraVan by Applied Minds is packed with technology for remote exploration, physical and chemical analysis, communications, scientific field research, navigation and video production – so it’s not just a fantasy survival vehicle for end-of-the-world speculators.

KiraVan daytime

Based on a tractor-trailer form, the van has a high-efficiency turbo-diesel engine providing up to a 2,000-mile driving range over average terrain. The fuel system and tanks can withstand extreme heat and cold. Mulitple communications systems for voice and data ensure constant connection even in difficult locations like remote canyons and triple-canopy rain forests.

KiraVan interior

A turbo-diesel motorcycle mounted to a small elevator on the back makes solo journeys quick and easy, and solar panels provide power inside. Interior comforts include a cabin that functions as a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, with the toilet incinerating all waste into a non-toxic, sterile powder. All vehicles are custom-designed so they can be kitted out with whatever technology is necessary or desired for its intended purpose.

KiraVan living room
KiraVan office

“Preliminary conceptual work on the KiraVan™ began in 2010 as a natural follow on to the original MaxiMog® expedition system. After 15 years, it was time for something creatively new that reflects what is technically possible now and benefits from what we learned. Not coincidentally, the timing of this activity was also triggered by the arrival of our wonderful daughter, Kira, and the realization that accommodating the needs and safety of a child presents many new design considerations.”

“This new design benefits from the accumulated experience of the original MaxiMog project, which was built to our specifications by UNICAT in Germany, as well as the work of other excellent design teams and companies. The intent of the KiraVan is to create a superior large-scale expedition system for over-land exploration, still photography, film production, scientific research, and with which to show my daughter seldom visited places of unspoiled natural beauty.”