The world’s first flat-pack truck – with the steering wheel in the center of the cabin – is launched in London, designed as a low-cost, all-terrain vehicle for remote parts of Africa and the developing world.
The Global Vehicle Trust says its prototype Ox will meet the demand for improved transport for everyday living as well as for emergencies.
The Ox can be flat-packed within itself, allowing it to be shipped more efficiently. It takes three people less than six hours to create the flat pack in the U.K. prior to shipping, and six of these flat packs can be shipped in a cube container 40 ft. (12 m) high.
Assembly labor is transferred to the importing country, where local professional companies will be employed to assemble and maintain the vehicles. Three skilled people can put an Ox together in about 12 hours.
The Ox’s cabin seats three people with the driver located in the middle. This allows the truck to operate in countries regardless of whether traffic drives on the right or left.
The truck is designed for applications including collecting drinking water and transporting grain, fertilizer or building materials.
The Ox is the brainchild of Sir Torquil Norman, who five years ago founded the Global Vehicle Trust to pursue his ambition to help people in the developing world by providing cost-effective mobility.
The trust turned to automotive designer Gordon Murray to come up with a revolutionary lightweight truck. Specifications called for high ground clearance, excellent approach and departure angles, large wheel movement, a multipurpose layout and a 3-person cab.
The overall vehicle length is far shorter than that of a large SUV, but it can carry a payload of 4,188 lbs. (1,900 kg) – about twice the capacity of most pickups – with a load volume of 247 cu.-ft. (7.0 cu.-m).
Based on European Union size guidelines, the bed can seat up to 13 people or carry eight 44-gallon drums or three standardized Euro-pallets.
The Ox is powered by a 2.2L diesel engine making 100 hp at 3,500 rpm and 229 lb.-ft. (310 Nm) of torque mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Ox is engineered to match or exceed the performance of an all-wheel-drive vehicle across a range of surfaces, while offering durable mobility with two driven wheels.
The design allows for the tailgate to detach completely from the Ox or be rotated lengthways to double as a loading ramp.
The rear bench seat bases also have a dual purpose: The long frames can be removed from the vehicle and placed under the wheels to help the Ox cover challenging soft ground.
The trust believes the Ox project will attract interest from a wide range of potential backers. Norman says feedback from contacts in Africa and with aid agencies has been positive.
“Our priority now is to raise the funding to complete the testing and take the project to fruition,” Norman says. “We believe that the Ox has huge potential for charities, aid organizations and development programs. My dream is to one day see an Ox in every village in Africa.”
