Magellan Overland Trucks is a dedicated chassis and hardshell body designer and manufacturer. We put together the finest 4×4 Overland Trucks we can think of, for the best user experience possible.
Our 30+ years of knowledge of special materials, meticulous assembly techniques and real world testing speak quality from within. Weather you are an upfitter looking for a top quality base vehicle, or an explorer ready to hit the trail in a turn-key 4×4 Overland Truck unit, you are in the right place.
Innovation and R&D
Building new ideas, better concepts and not settling for run of the mill cookie cutter designs.
Continuous Support
Every Magellan Overland Truck comes with a link to a passionate team of builders and users.
Technical Info Access
Technical details about how your Magellan Truck is built and what it’s designed to do.
Consulting
Knowledgeable people you can reach out to for understanding your needs and demands.
Project Management
Experience the fusion of sound engineering and quality product assembly right in front of you.
Manufacturing Solutions
Every Magellan Overland Truck is a passionate work of engineering excellence, one by one.
A love for Overlanding
We understand the freedom and exhilaration you get from overlanding. We overland too. Continuously improving our trucks is a way of life. Redefining standards for capability, resilience, security and comfort is our goal.
Magellan services
Collaborate with the design and build crew
Showcase your Overland truck
Get off-road driving training and winching certifications
Magellan Newsletter
Stay in touch with the Magellan news and releases
Links to evaluations and R&D testing sessions
Links to Magellan trail rides and events
Magellan Way
More is not always better, live by your own essentials
Be respectful of nature and wildlife, thread lightly
Leave no trace of your passage or stay
Blend in for total immersion
Magellan Technology
All the right tech for non-stop overlanding
Focus on security, comfort and capability
Reliability and functionality built right in
Equipped and ready for any expedition
Magellan Mindset
Prevention is the golden rule
Always be prepared for anything, it’s life
Do it once, do it right, the first time out
Be proud of your values and what you do
July 30th 2025, latest advances in design, now featured in camo. Dimensional changes are longer 235″ wheelbase, bigger windows, but basic 9’6” tall profile remains. Switching to more nostalgic look, with standard add-ons like D-ring bow shackles, jungle bars, split windshield with protector grille and much more. Getting very exciting as progress moves forward.
Supporting 200KWh of latest Sodium-Ion battery technology, chassis and cabin desin is into phase 9 changes now. Fitted with up to an incredible 12000 W (!!!) of deployable solar up top, it’s enough for a serious remote recharge. Truck is still 30′ long bumper to bumper. Spare 58” tire hiding halfway into the rear door, with protector lip up top, incorporating third eye brake light.
One big 65 000lb winch and roller fairlead are fitted with 250ft of cable, along with an array of 35ton D-style bow shackles for front and also ‘side’ winching. New super high-end insulation from a Canadian supplier reduces thickness to just 2” everywhere (R40, yes R40!!!) but the roof and floor getting 2 1/2” (R50). It also doubles as sound insulation! Bring on those -45C chilly winters and 45C hot summers!
SSAB Hardox* monocoque chassis is such a better design and resists crazy torsional stresses like a pro. Goal is to copy that stiff ‘car like’ feel with the truck, unlike most slinky ladder frame twisters out there. Hardox* steel is also there for safety, to counter hits, scrapes and debris ( rocks, branches, etc ) falling onto bodywork. Just got hit with a 60mph 3” stone yesterday driving my motorhome on the road, fiberglass damage, and also scary a bit.
Have been camping in Pincher Creek, Abraham’s lake and other wild places in Alberta for past month, awesome scenery, helps design inspiration a lot.
Looking back at the original white board design specs, I haven’t veered too far off. There will be changes along the way, normal evolution, but it will still be close to the original statement. More news and updates later, stay tuned.
Rene Gagner, Magellan Overland Trucks
* details and technical specifications subject to changes
“Magellan Overland Trucks is born out off all the hours spent behind the wheel of the wrong truck, usually stranded.”
Rene Gagner, owner
Magellan Overland Trucks
Watch, Read, Listen… Latest from Magellan Overland Trucks
November 3rd 12h25 am, FEA is wonderful! Made incredible advances with the monocoque chassis design. The new AMD GodLike Series overcloked computer makes it so much easier, minutes instead of hours waiting for rendering. Testing with over double the nominal payload ( 44000lb payload to be exact, yeah I know crazy load ), and it does not break a sweat. Has potential to go from 44000lb GVWR to 50000lb GVWR. The one thing I was very keen to achieve is chassis integrity and rigidity, just like a modern car. It is so different than a normal class 8 truck, yet similar to a smaller modern SUV. Feeling a lot better about capabilities now. Working on bringing weight down as much as possible without breaking any promises. More later.
October 15th 1h12am, pushing on slideout final design. I’m so loving it. It is just so different and so dramatic compared to… anything! FEA monocoque chassis work involves redesigning everything to maximise structural strength and resistance to torsion, while providing proper fitment for all components. It’s a fight, no it’s a war. Add easy maintenance access to that and you have a decent headache. 3D CAD is a lot more detailed lately, bringing smaller parts into the light. Design for manufacture is on full tilt. Latest Magellan Truck pics will have to wait a bit since we are getting closer to the real final size and look of the beast. Intellectual protection comes into play now. Interior details next.
October 3rd, back on the suspension for a final push. Finally hit 28” of true wheel travel today! Took some real effort but it’s done. Controling toe change and suspension side sweep are the great culprits, adding some bit of lean-in at the right spot for better on-road behavior too. Keeping a fair bit of caster can make your life a much more pleasant one. Trick ‘huge’ custom Uniball joints were vital, as nothing actually exists to provide that much travel with such heavy unsprung weight. Really crazy suspension action, very very uncommon for that size truck. Security and comfort.
September 29th 2:48 am, still doing slideouts! Took a while but they look damn good now! That big hole on each side is fixed too, no torsional issues, FEA verified. It’s going to be more than 36” per side too… This will shock a few people I think. Making sure there were no potential leaks anywhere was crucial and tedious work. Still wrapped in 2” insulation all around too, for great -45 to +45C protection. Waiting on Tech help from Cummins* for the brake and suspension, latest CAD models essentially, would love to squeeze a few more inches of wheel travel if possible. Battery count has gone up, we’re a fair bit over 200KWh now. Bus bar connectors and clamping going into chassis, lots of small dedtails. Still on Sigma* powertrain ( TR4 motors and Sigma gearbox ) they fit perfect so far. Love em. More later.
August 28th, doing structural work around A-B-C-D and E pillars. Optimizing slideouts and operating scenarios. Slideouts demand a big hole on the side of the truck, the last thing you’d want really, for structural and torsional strength. Great attention is devoted around these special pillars. Various thicknesses have to be selected with care, making the monocoque chassis stay rigid and tight as a brick. Yes, the truck has two big slideouts, one on each side, making it wider by some 72”, for a total of 14’6” wide overall when deployed! Front seats turn around, and suspension can lower to accomodate easier access. It’s a game changer right there. Setup is very quick and effortless, perfect thing after a long day offorading. Within a single minute you’ve setup camp!
August 24th 3h00am, working on doors some more. But jumped on suspension too to stir things up. So far, 24” of clean wheel travel is confirmed. It was not easy and I’m not out of the woods yet, but it’s really impressive on such a big truck! Race inspired elliptical motion suspension based on what I’ve been developing and testing for a number of years now provides the smoothest action ever, even on the big bumps, making it much easier on shocks and occupants. Zero toe change the whole way (bump steer), perfect Ackerman geometry and no sweeping either til the very last few inches of bump, a very tough thing to do, time consuming. Turning radius is kept at 25 feet ( ! ) very tight for a 30 foot long truck.
August 15th, working on doors. Again. They require quite a bit of attention and cause changes to pretty much all adjacent structures. Yet, a perfect sealing, easy opening, quiet closing door, just a small ‘thud’, is something to enjoy. Not a 100 lb door unit nope, she’s more like 700+ lb. Remember, 3/16” thick Hardox* everywhere? Some tent campers almost died last week where we camped in Manitoba. Wind took down a full size tree, 18” diameter, 50 foot tall tree! Landed right next to them, very lucky folks. That’s just one reason for using Hardox* steel on a Magellan truck.
August 13th, back in Qc. About 12000 km round trip. Just to make things crystal clear about Magellan Overland Trucks ( getting FAQ ), the vehicle is meant as a ‘running overland base truck’ for skilled upfitters, mainly. It comes with a boat load of optional equipment you can choose from to complement the base truck. If you want one completely done straight at Magellan Overland Trucks, we will deal with our own local upfitters to finish up the interior layout, leathers, interior finishes and design for you, exactly like you want it! In any case, the base truck comes with a ton of built-in standard features, hardshell body, anti-vandalism-intrusion glass, added road clearance, true 4×4, 58” tires, 44000 GVWR, etc.
– August 12th, in Renfrew On. Lots going on with the sheetmetal design. Wheelbase gone up to 240” or 20 feet, front doors are almost final, rears are next. Triple door seals, not duals like most out there. Having worked in the OEM automotive seal design and manufacturing buisness a few decades ago helps a lot now. Water is not getting in. Reducing overall weight to more acceptable levels in general, my normal design procedure. Always start fat a bit and trim as you go, best. Roll down side glass for all doors, all the way down too, even with 1.875” thick protective glass! the fronts weigh over 175lb each! Doors require quite a bit of effort if done well. Dampers, bumpers, bottom stops, slides wickers, seals, hinges, door set adjustable bump stops, door ahndle, lock mechanism, drains, etc. Do it once, do it right.
– August 2nd, Borden SK. Love highway 16 prairies. Today trying to make the thing float in water. It does. Although it’s not a boat, I’d love for it to cross a small lake without worries. Float line is 6” under the doorhandles at max 44000lb GVWR, so up to those, it will claw on the rock bottom. Water can kill a lot of things on your rig if you are not aware, like a direct drive cooling fan chewing your radiator, engine water ingestion, and so on. Making sure water only gets to the areas you want is a serious job. More on that later.
– July 30th, back in wonderful Alberta for past month. Big help with the design side of things, great inspiration. Things are moving veeery fast with the mechanical design, and a lot of suppliers are coming forward with great products. Quite a few big hurdles have been traversed too lately. Iteration 9 undergoing FEA testing. Chassis is a big thing on this truck, has to perform a lot of various tasks perfectly. That SSAB Hardox* steel is becoming mighty handy now. Also working with drivetrain people to come up with big low range gearing for slow crawling on rough terrain. Found how to pack 12000W of deployable solar on roof, just what I need for a full boondock style recharge. Looking for lighting options now.
– May 22nd, sadly, my 14 year old Shih tzu Boubou has left us today at 11:30. Godspeed my good boy.
– Mai 20th, 3D CAD design is picking up today along with new tools added to help progress. New overclocked liquid cooled computer is way faster than anything I ran these past 35 years, making things happen a lot quicker. Love it. One Magellan member will be leaving us very soon, my 14 year old Shih tzu has terminal bone cancer. Very good boy, he will be missed.
– March 25th, extra funding is coming in, slowly but surely. Every bit helps.
– March 10th, New latest version SolidWorks Premium CAD software coming in the next few days, big FEA module, new more powerful puter too. Finally, more power for the trick heavy stuff! Will be getting all the details done, getting intense…
– January 25th 2025, Happy New Year everyone! Hoping that 2025 will be a determinant one. The US trade taxation isn’t going to help things right now, we’ll just have to deal with it like everyone else. Working on glass and special protective paraments. Making sure everything is just perfect. More to come for 2025…
– December 20th, Xmas Holiday season will be used to rest and recharge. Spending quality time with family is the target this year, as we were away traveling during past Holiday seasons. Family always comes first, no matter what. I wish all of you a great Holiday season, sharing peace, love, good health and all your family with you, from Magellan Overland Trucks.
– December 15th, looong time since last post. Things are slowly moving the right way, very busy time of the year. The nice folks in Pincher Creek finally reached out, real glad. Things are shaping up nicely. Closely following the state specific US ban on bigger ICE fuel/gas RVs come 2025. Magellan Trucks are EVs as you know, running dual electric motors and gearboxes.
– November 23rd, financing is underway and it’s looking brighter now. Keeping constant movement is essential to growing a business. With prototype launch dates all set, it’s time to get working. Lots of collaborators will be pitching in soon –
– November 21st, North American RV market is at 19 Billion usd in 2024, expecting to grow past 29 Billion usd by 2029, for a 8% CAGR! The motorized RV sector is the strongest one too. With major RV manufacturers ( Winnebago, Forest River, Thor, Rev and Tiffin ) going through all sorts of quality issues lately, the timing could not be any better for this all Canadian made and assembled quality Magellan Overland Truck. When looking at North American comparably sized overland trucks and builders out there all doing very well btw ( StoryTeller, EarthRoamer, 27 North, BlissMobil and many others ) it’s clear there are many advantages to this new dedicated Magellan mid sized offering in that specific high-end overland truck market segment –
– November 20th, watertight hull, oups bodyshell. If you build it like a boat, it should float right? Part of the effort is to prevent water from entering the interior during water crossings, ruining precious cargo and interior accessories/features too. Not saying it’s an amphibious vehicle, but water will not be coming in… Ventilation considerations are the biggest concern going this route, has to be done right and proper. There is a lot of systems happening between the inner and outer body layers. Thermal/sound insulation, ventilation, heating and cooling, wiring, sensors, actuators and more. All have to resist water infiltration –
– November 19th, very good talk today with renown expert designer Jon Pope from Jon Pope-design. Long time coming. Looking to use talented outside resources for imagining/polishing up exterior-interior appearance and integrating several features necessary to move towards P0 prototype readiness –
– November 16th, looking for Angel or VC funding pre-seed level support. I have been bootstrapping for a number of years now, but it’s getting bigger than what I can hold by myself. Long diversified experience and fast CAD design work are in stock for the magic to happen. With baby boomer market exploding right now it’s never been a better time to launch this hi-value product, even if a lot of RV manufacturers are experiencing setbacks ( very poor quality builds ) these days –
– November 15th, Magellan Overland Trucks production numbers will be limited to 25 units yearly, per truck model. Important to note that Magellan had already been working on another truck model for a long time. This slightly smaller second unit ( 25 footer ) riding on 445-65R22.5 tires will come at a later date. The new bigger 4×4 version was chosen ( 30 foot model ) to come out first. Both are designed using the same mindset, focussing on security, comfort and capability –
– November 14th, all leather interior for a comfortable feel and increased noise control. The Cardston, Alberta area is known for having exceptional leather artisans and high end saddle/carriage workshops. Counting on it for some hand made custom leather work –
– November 13th, Magellan Truck build explained: A Magellan Overland Truck is essentially; 1) a custom chassis and hardshell body, 2) custom ballistic glass and 3) a wiring harness. That’s pretty much the extent of the custom stuff! All the rest is made of common off-the-shelf parts. Wheels, tires, brakes, bearings, steering system and components, shocks, lighting, gauges and so on. It’s also assembled using normal class-8 heavy truck wear parts that are easily available pretty much anywhere. The built parts ( body-chassis-glass and wiring ) are all expected to last the life of the truck, but can still be replaced at Magellan if need be –
– November 13th, trying to hit 36” of suspension travel, now at 30” moving to 32”. Biggest problem? OEM ball joints! In racing applications we use Uniball joints known for their durability and crazy angles they provide. They just don’t make them big enough ( 50mm bore ) for this size truck yet. Why so much travel? It’s what provides control and ride quality by keeping your tires in contact with the road longer –
– November 12th, more on safety. If you haven’t witnessed how fast an intruder can get inside your RV by simply breaking a side glass, it’s just 2 or 3 seconds. Your truck ( your home on wheels ) should be equipped with tamperproof polymer glazing. It is your first layer of protection. No one is getting in without your consent. No one, period. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9BGDXr5_ww –
– November 12th: October 28th class-A RV attack and invasion in Panama ( I know not really around town but still it happened ) https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6559119 No one expects to go through that experience, but you don’t get to decide that really. With either carbon fiber or Hardox-500* steel body costing about the same, which one would you pick for any kind of protection you think? –
– November 11th, lest we forget. Bury, Quebec, Canada. My mother’s home town. Also the town that sent the most men and women to WWII per capita… in Canada! Very impressive patriotism. Very glad my family is from that little town of Bury, Qc. –
– November 8th, Elliptical suspension geometry: Elliptical geometry suspension is such crazy technology. We spent hours testing and ramming concrete parking blocks at high speed, befooled by the suspension’s incredible capacity to soak up huge obstacles without transferring any jolting to the body whatsoever. It’s been tried on racing ATVs first, then UTVs and off-road trucks. It’s easy on tires and components. Shock oil does not boil over like before in high speed whoops. Tires stay in contact with the road longer for way more control. It has variable caster option included, it’s just the ticket for railway steady high speed straight line accuracy. I already know this suspension geometry will be a masterpiece on this new truck. Tested –
– November 7th, inviting Pro exterior-interior designers to participate in creating the final look of the beast. Standard procedures require some heavy FEA ( finite element analysis ) computer testing to occur in the next few months using the most advanced and evolved version possible, for accurate chassis-body adjustment and fitment. Currently, truck body is Version 4.0, chassis is under V15.0 with latest suspension and drive updates –
– November 6th, Town of Pincher Creek Municipal District for registry and permits –
– November 6th, ‘ Why a Magellan truck? ‘: Most RV ‘base truck’ offers out there are from big pickup truck or class-6-7-8 heavy truck manufacturers. Today, light trucks are built using foreign low grade parts and focus on a profit strategy entirely based on service labor charges and replacement parts. Big companies use ‘designed obsolescence’ or predictive failure ( oh yes, they do ) to boost profits by ‘deciding’ where and when your truck will fail! I felt like driving a brand new predictably decaying ‘time bomb’. And I really did not have to wait long for the first problems, right in the dealer’s lot! So let’s use a heavy truck then. Guess what, class-6-7-8 heavy trucks are gradually being built the same way now! Alright, let’s face it. None of these are originally designed or intended as Overlanders. That’s why Magellan trucks are new dedicated Overland Truck units designed to perform just this one task, perfectly. No thoughts or time spent on obsolescence or service parts scheme –
– November 5th, ‘ Why such a strong steel chassis and body? ‘: A strong and rigid chassis, just like in any racing application, allows suspension to do it’s job more precisely in a controlled way, transferring very accurate feedback to the driver. Ladder type frame rails don’t react the same way, skewing suspension inputs and causing a very bad ride quality, with all kinds of binding issues and eventual damage over time. Not good. For the body, I strongly believe a rigid impact resistant steel shell is the only option. Composite materials may be lighter but do not tolerate any impacts or scrapes. All Magellan Trucks are designed with ballistic steel body material ( 3/16” thick SSAB HARDOX*, 1/4” thick doors and 3/4” thick full belly pan ) even if the truck is not identified as ‘armoured’ per say. SSAB HARDOX* is a wear resistant steel, very good for… hits and scrapes! Like I mentioned before, quality happens by design, built right in, in a very intentional way –
– November 4th, Quality and Innovation: Innovation is at the core of this Overland Truck project, reuniting advances from different industry sectors into one truck. Having a few (5) world records and numerous patents in several industrial disciplines over the years, I understand the path to successful innovation management and lasting product quality. Speaking of quality, I strongly feel the Overlanding industry is in for a serious reality check. There’s a lot of poorly built RVs out there. Nowadays, dealers rely on extended warranties but do not provide any acceptable maintenance or repair services, leading to some very painful user experience, like in my case right now with a faulty RV engine. Let’s be honest, RV quality does not come from customer service nor expensive extended warranties. It comes from within, by design, by doing it right the first time. A good quality very dependable truck is what you need when you are out there –
– November 3rd, ‘why such big tires? ‘: IMPORTANT! Larger diameter tires have to be the most dramatic improvement you can do to a 4×4 truck. They play a big role in the ride quality strategy. They are the only part of your truck in contact with the road! Bigger tires also last much longer due to less rotations per mile. 58” tall Bridgestone* VHS E2 525/80R25 24-ply highway legal DOT tires confer you extraordinary benefits, making obstacles feel much smaller by contacting over a longer time period. Tighter ‘inch and a quarter‘ deep A-T tread pattern lets you enjoy sand dunes as much as rock climbs and dirt roads too, without the dreaded Mud-Terrain loud road noise on the highway. Tire road noise gets old fast –
– November 3rd, With the plethora of exceptional resources and specialty shops around Southern Alberta, settling in Pincher Creek is a no brainer. Focus is also on local suppliers and talented artisans. From heavy truck repair shops, custom leather work, upholstery, cabinetry, laser cutting, welding, its all right here! –
– November 2nd, famous quote from Portuguese explorer Fernand de Magellan, 1480-1521: “The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient reason to remain ashore… Unlike the mediocre, intrepid spirits seek victory over those things that seem impossible… It is with an iron will that they embark on the most daring of all endeavors… to meet the shadowy future without fear and conquer the unknown.” Exceptional inspiration –
– November 1st, having designed class-8 Mack and Freightliner heavy vocational trucks, heavy construction machinery and off-road 4×4 trucks for years, these Magellan Overland Trucks are a natural evolution, using all previous experiences. With a base ‘upfitter’ Magellan truck model going out the door for high 6 figures, they’re built very strong to stand the test of time, unlike most offers out there, and offer genuine protection. Having been used as target practice in Phoenix, Arizona, run off the highway in New Mexico and rammed into in a California parking, security means a lot more now than what comes to mind initially –
– November 1st, ‘ Why do you follow desert racing series like BITD King of Hammers? ‘ King of Hammers is not only the toughest race on the planet, with hi-speed 160 km/h sand runs and crazy rock crawling, it showcases the best suspension, axle and tire innovations. Staying on top of technology is key, I think –
– NOVEMBER 2024 –
– October 31st, ‘ Why did I choose Pincher Creek, Alberta? ‘ The gorgeous little town of Pincher Creek, Alberta is also known as the Wind Capital of Canada! With 50-90 km/h winds on a daily basis! Wind resilience is one of Magellan Trucks prime features. Pincher Creek is also strategically located 1 hour from the Montana US border, 2 hours from Calgary and 7 hours to the Pacific Ocean. Southern Alberta is also home of the most breath taking landscapes in all of Canada! –
– October 31st, obtaining latest UL 752 SSAB HARDOX-500* hardened steel plate ballistic data, with optional Line-X* coating applied for frag control. Yes, truck’s entire skeleton chassis and twin-layer hardshell body is made entirely of HARDOX* steel, metal I’ve been using regularly for past 30 years now –
– October 30th, latest suspension design based off my BITD* racing series King of Hammers* desert racing suspension R&D program. Made to swallow huge bumps at 140 to 160 km/h and climb steep rocks, same tech is used here. Trick geometries and precise motions provide the absolute smoothest ride –
– October 30th, Magellan Overland Trucks project has been waiting in the wing for the right moment to come out, first prototype build starts by mid 2026. Now in it’s 4th full redraw for 2025, to keep up with the latest innovations in controls, new racing suspension geometries, new brakes and hi-tech materials mainly –
– October 29th, Vehicle Safety Inspection regulations Alberta. Setting up an inspection checklist with inspection facility supervisor, just to be crystal clear –
– October 29th, website is up! Basic form but still up. With just enough info to get the job done, for now… Working with suppliers ( winches and suspension components today ) for specs and 3D CAD models. Everything has to fit just right, accessible for maintenance, 3D CAD models is the only way to go –
– October 26th 2024: 3h09 am
HELLO WORLD!!! From Magellan Overland Trucks!
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