M
ost fathers want to show their children
the world, but American inventor Bran
Ferren took that dream a step further.
He designed his camper van with an offi ce,
kitchen and bedroom, and even a pop-up tent on
the roof for his four-year-old daughter Kira, who
the KiraVan is named after.
It can travel 3,220 kilometres (2,000 miles)
without resupply, powered by a modifi ed
Mercedes-Benz Unimog chassis, renowned for
their reliability and cross-country performance.
The diesel engine has been fi tted with sensors to
monitor temperature, vibration and torque so the
driver has a constant picture of how the engine is
performing. A heated fuel tank ensures the diesel
won’t freeze in low temperatures and also fi lters
the diesel so only clean, pure fuel is fed to the
engine for optimum performance.
It’s comfortable for the driver too, thanks to the
special vibration-reducing chair. The cockpit is
surrounded by screens that display road
conditions, GPS mapping and weather details.
Drones even fl y ahead to check on traffi c. At 15.8
metres (52 feet) long and over three metres (10 feet)
high, the KiraVan uses a tractor-trailer design like
an articulated lorr y. This gives the trailer
off-roading capability by adding a hydrostatic
drive system, enabling six-wheel drive at speeds
up to 40km/h (25mph). Hydrostatic drives use
pressurised fl uid in order to drive a motor,
negating the need for a drive shaft, which
would restrict movement between the
two units.
The insulated trailer unit has a
bedroom, offi ce, kitchen, living
quarters and an eco-friendly
bathroom. Slide-out
compartments and a motorised
rising roof section doubles the
internal living space when
deployed. You’ll fi nd home
comforts such as a media librar y,
fl at-screen TV and seating area,
and enough supplies for to last
three people three weeks before
having to restock.We reveal the tech
behind this million-
dollar truckKirahouse
A roof-mounted
pop-up tent provides
four-year-old Kira with
her own bedroom.Bedtime
The main sleeping
area is a mezzanine
deck toward the rear
of the trailer.Luxury living
Living area includes
high-tech kitchen,
seating area and a
media library with a
satellite HDTV.Bathroom
A shower, sink and separate
toilet room. The toilet
incinerates all waste into
non-toxic sterile powder.An inside look
Inside the
ultimate RV
This camper van has
everything you need
for an adventure
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