“For sure when I refuel at the gas station, you can’t miss me, it triggers a reaction,” laughs Frédéric Perez. After three years of work, the 59-year-old from Toulouse, who managed a car garage in Tournefeuille (Haute-Garonne) for 35 years, and his partner Sophie Milllieret, who previously served as head of a communications agency, are proud to present the first “expedition truck” made in France.
Parked in the carpentry lot of Plan’in Agencement in Colomiers, which primarily manufactures and assembles furniture for these unusual vehicles, the Kodiak dazzles with its size. With a length of 11 meters and a height of 3.99 meters, this 26 ton “monster” can cover a distance of 2,500 km without refueling and is equipped with solar panels. This luxury heavyweight, named after the largest brown bear of its species, is currently on sale for 1.2 million euros.
“Dream truck” for the couple completing a world tour in a campervan in 2020 and 2021 from Toulouse to the North Cape and then to the east coast of the United States. After another trip to Croatia, they decided to create their own high-end travel vehicle, autonomous and made in France. They then founded the company R Truck-France in 2022 in Plaisance-du-Touch and invested almost 800,000 euros in this crazy project.
“During our previous trip, we saw the limitations of camper vans with too low ground clearance, limited weight and comfort and lack of autonomy, hence the idea for this vehicle to meet all needs,” explains Sophie Millieret, 62 years old. We wanted it to be made in France, designed for large spaces and long distances. And it has all the necessary technology and comfort inside. »
King size bed, walk-in shower and induction cooktop
The Kodiak consists of a Renault Trucks K chassis, an all-terrain construction vehicle with six-wheel drive, on which a four-seater cab and an 18 m² cell have been installed. Inside, we’re a far cry from traditional camper vans where space is limited as travelers have access to a television and take advantage of wi-fi, plenty of lighted storage space to avoid using a flashlight at night, a king bed in a well-defined sleeping area, a lounge area and a bathroom with walk-in shower and dry toilet.
Kitchen-wise, nothing is missing: fridge-freezer, dishwasher, oven, induction hob, coffee bean machine and even a food processor! “Everything is designed to make the journey enjoyable, such as the magnetic disc to avoid noise while driving,” explains Frédéric Perez. All equipment such as air conditioning, heating, filtration and water systems and electrical stations are controlled using touch screens. » The vehicle also has a water reserve of 1,000 liters.
Nearly 70% of the Kodiak was built by French companies, many of which were local. Bodywork, cells, sub-chassis, handles and paintwork were done by Ramière bodywork in Revel, soft ceiling and sofa by Not saddlery in Lespinasse. The pair are now awaiting a buyer interested in this extraordinary vehicle and have been contacted by two people since the vehicle went up for sale on November 13. This will allow them to start producing new monsters of this type and perhaps, in a few years, travel around the world in one of their luxury trucks.
