In 2020, Vanderhall introduces a new electric 4×4 called the Navarro. In July this year, another teaser revealed a few specs and a new name, Brawley. The Utah-based e-bike maker is finally ready to take pre-orders for a model that will push it into new segments, which means opening up a bit more data sheets and pricing. The Brawley that can be reserved now is the GTS version we’ve read about a bit before, which has to be one of the trim vehicles. The four-seat, two-door unit packs the electronics, inverter, geartrain, brakes and cooling system into a single interior, Vanderhall says, which Vanderhall says will be maintenance-free, Vanderhall says. within 10 years.
Battery packs run along Brawley’s spine between engine units, in 40 or 60 kWh types. The 300 kW architecture and built-in 6 kW charger enable fast DC charging that can restore 80% of the battery in about an hour. We’ve been told that the larger pack can have a range of up to 200 miles, but we’ll bet only after it’s safe to drive. This isn’t road legal, so motorists looking to overland in the sand are better off keeping an eye on the range.
With a motor to spin each wheel, Brawley’s is engineered with eCrab-like off-road technology, which turns all four wheels in the same direction; eSteer, which is a four-wheel drive system; eTank, to turn in place by turning the wheels on opposite sides in opposite directions; and eCrawl, for allowing Brawley to inched his way through slopes and drops. For a rig that’s just 147.1 inches long – 10 inches shorter and two inches wider than the four-seat Polaris RZR Turbo, and 20 inches shorter than the two-door Jeep Wrangler Sport – it ought to have unparalleled agility.
More traditional traction comes with internal shock absorbers, 22-inch travel and 18-inch wheels on 35-inch tires that provide 18-inch ground clearance. However, now that Vanderhall has become a four-wheeler, we are still waiting to see where the fifth wheel will go; There are no pictures provided so far that show where the spare wheel will fit.
As the Brawley fits into an enclosed bodywork, the interior feature set includes heated and air-conditioning that blows through the cabin filter, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and Bluetooth-enabled audio. Options will include a skylight above the front occupants, a removable roof, heated seats and, in the future, ViDAR optical radar.
Pre-order the Brawley GTS for just $100. Buying one will cost $34,950 ahead of destination and options. Vanderhall did not provide a delivery date, with the reservation page saying the $100 upfront payment “is non-refundable unless Vanderhall does not begin production of the Brawley model within a year.”
