The Rivian R1T is a capable and desirable truck that’s seemingly well-built enough to handle most tasks us Americans can throw at it. It’s also earned high marks in crash tests. Plus, I dig the not-too-distant future aesthetics. The trucks are still fairly scarce as the company works hard to increase production, so it was a shock to me today to see one in Kenya doing duty as a safari truck.
For a few hundred dollars a day, depending on where you’re going, many companies offer “safari tours” in numerous parts of Africa. Often, this is in the back of an open-top or high-roof vehicle. I have not engaged in an African safari, but I do look at cars on the Internet all day and have seen numerous safari vehicles. They tend to mostly be Toyotas, whether Hilux or Landcruiser.
The company RSA Africa converts these trucks into something capable to handle the off-road journey while giving tourists a good (and safe) view of an elephant or lion. The company’s slogan is “Engineered Tough For Africa.” Here are a couple of recent vehicles:
Courtesy of Rivian Forums, comes these photos of a right-hand drive R1T converted into a safari truck. There’s a lot going on here. First of all, it’s worth noting that Rivian isn’t technically selling cars in Africa. How’d they get there? Rivian has a deal with the Masaai Wilderness Conservation trust to provide vehicles, as seen in this video:
According to their website, the MWCT:
[W]orks to protect the legendary ecosystems and astounding biodiversity of East Africa through conservation that directly benefits local Maasai communities.
The world increasingly relies on many traditional communities like the Maasai to protect the ecological treasures that exist within the land that they own. But the incredible wilderness and wildlife of Africa’s grasslands and the famous culture of the Maasai people both face daunting threats to their long-term survival. The fate of both rests with the Maasai themselves as they work to figure out how to benefit from their incredible natural resources while preserving them.
The tie-up with Rivian includes both R1Ts and R1S SUVs supported by a solar charging array.
A close look shows seating for eight in an open-top vehicle with an extremely tall roll/roof cage supporting a cloth roof with cloth roll-downs. It’s a nice conversation and works well with the flag belt-line of the base truck.
Given the large battery pack underneath the floor it’s an open question of how well that the cage tubes can hold up the vehicle in a rollover, but it’s also so tall it seems like a rollover is perhaps unlikely. The benefit of the structural battery pack is that the vehicle probably doesn’t lose a huge amount of rigidity without the roof.
Adding solar charging and quieter vehicles to an environmentally-focused vehicle also just makes sense.
The ethics of going on safari are a point of debate, and Harper’s Bizarre does a decent job of breaking it down in this article:
Both Taylor and Ngabirano agree that responsible safari tourism is crucial to animal protection and survival, and vastly improves the economy of local communities. Ngabirano also stresses that animal habituation, specifically in gorillas, is a sensitively handled issue that takes place over the course of a year. The animals are left in their natural surroundings, and pursue their lives in the most natural way possible.
“Habituation is a process,” he says, “whereby the gorillas are slowly tamed to generate revenue for sustainability of conservation. It also improves the livelihoods of communities living around protected forests.”
Ultimately, he says, it comes down to whether or not tourists abide by protocol – staying the advised distance from the wildlife, avoiding flash photography, avoiding human contact, keeping a low voice and only spending a limited hour with any animal so as not to cause them any stress.
The MWCT seems like one of the better ones, and how often do you get a chance to drive around in a convertible electric truck?
Photos used with permission of Rivian Forums
My dad did one of these safaris in a Minerva Land Rover, he said he was more scared of the Land Rover than the animals
I hope they know what they’re doing! I’ve read of situation where engine revving was needed to make elephants and lions back off.
Perhaps they ‘ll need to have recorded noises handy?
Use the battery with a big contact prod on it, like a cattle prod but for larger game
Seems very well-suited to safari work, for the zero-emissions aspect most of all. Rollovers are not an issue with safari vehicles – they’re driving at relatively low speeds on flat grasslands. Even if you’re attacked by an aggressive elephant (it happens) it’s not going to roll the truck over. And if somehow it does, it’s just tipping onto its side. Usually when that happens they ram the front. Animals ignore the vehicles and as long as you stay in the vehicles – which, obviously, you do – you’re just another feature in the landscape. I went to South Luangwa NP in Zambia in 2019 and absolutely loved it. Walking safaris are even better than the. Driving kind. Going to Malawi this fall.
Last year I went on a safari to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia and spent 9 days climbing in and out of these trucks. Diesel Land Rovers & Toyotas mostly. You typically go out on game drives for 8-10 hrs per day but you hardly ever travel more than 20km from your base camp, maybe less. EV range should not be a concern. You also spend a lot of time parked, watching wildlife, with the engine off. Most of the animals are accustomed to the sight and sound of these trucks, and will come very close (I had a real code brown the first time a lion came close enough to touch). The fact that EVs are silent shouldn’t affect those interactions.
Being able to power cameras, radios, lights, etc. with the built-in battery should be a big help to the guides and passengers. Also, using the battery to power auxiliary cooking and heating appliances would be a bonus (no carrying extra flammable fuels into the bush).
Caveats: First, there are no roads in the bush and at certain times of year the tracks are flooded. Our trucks frequently forded 2 feet of water or more, a few times all four wheels were submerged. I would worry about the battery after repeated immersions. Second, parts and repairability. Not sure how many techs in the bush camps could work on these if they break down.
A EV makes sense in an application like this, with the caveats above. My guess is these EVs may be limited to duties nearer to the camps and airstrips. Also, I assume these will be charged with solar systems and not the camp generators.
I think this is an awesome idea and I hope it takes off with more operators. And if you ever get the chance to visit Africa, GO! We loved it so much that we’re considering moving there after retirement.
Good colon !
If you want a bigger version:
https://youtu.be/mApbU-lmbMw
Do you really want to sneak up on a lion/rino/elephant and startle them with an electric truck?
That’s where the instant torque comes in handy.
That was my thought as well. Some animals you want to make a bit of noise when you’re approaching, just so they know you’re there.
This is awesome
I want more deets on the solar array. Does it come with a power wall, since I assume these are in use during the day? I know the animals are active at night, but I’ve never done an African safari so I’m in the dark here (harharhar).
You don’t want to go into the bush at night. Charge up the trucks.
We were restricted to tents after dark and once the sun sets you needed a guide just to move around the camps. Most nights we heard lions and hippos moving around just outside the tents.
Well shit, I’ve gotta sawzall. Anybody got $80K to loan me for the truck?
Now Citroen needs to bring back the Mehari as an EV
Done already
Just a rebadged Bollore Bluesummer, unfortunately.
Rivian really made an 8 passenger golf cart.
8 passenger golf cart that can become a safari runner
that does 0-60 in 3 seconds!