Choosing the long road

A slow drive along the world's superhighways

At 15,000km the Big Lap of Australia is the ultimate road trip. It’s a route the Australian adventurer Spida has driven several times.

Having fallen in love with road adventure, Spida is ready to take on the world – an expedition which is driven by his love of remote places, long-distance driving, and chance meetings with people along the way.

We love driving, meeting new people and experiencing different cultures – especially in the remote parts of a country. I love the preparation, the learning, the challenges it brings; and I love the excitement of the unknown. He says.

He and his camera operator have set themselves the challenge of a four-year overland journey which takes in Australia, New Zealand; North and then South America …and after that the historic Silk Road between Europe and China.

After completing a tour of the Antipodes, the vehicle – a Mercedes-Benz 2018 X250D fitted with a Wildtop Canopy and Faulkin all-terrain tyres – will be taken by ship to Alaska to begin the famous Pan-American Highway, travelling south through the Americas to Argentina.

The final stage of his planned adventure will follow the Silk Road, a 4,000 mile land and sea route which connects Europe with China, and which was established over two thousand years ago.

For a journey that will take them far from campsites and mains electricity, exciting modifications to his truck were necessary. Under the canopy a self-contained Victron Energy power system has been installed.

Spida shares his journey on social media – to support which, the power system has been designed for everyday living plus his content creation and upload using a Starlink internet connection during his four years on the road.

Their overnight Accommodation will vary from sleeping in a swag under the stars, to campsites, cabins, tents or roadside roadhouses – depending on where the journey takes them.

The electrical installation was carried out by Red Dog Campers – who are based on Australia’s Gold Coast – using Victron Energy equipment supplied by Outback Marine Australia who also designed the system.

At the heart of the installation is a 400Ah lithium battery bank offering 5.1kWh of stored energy. There’s a MultiPlus-II 3000VA inverter/charger which provides 240V AC power. The truck has a 365W rooftop solar array and SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 solar charge controller to harvest solar energy.

The dual battery system powers a portable fridge/freezer together with both 12V DC and 240V AC appliances, allowing the team to work and live comfortably however remotely they’re camping …documenting their journey, providing charging for cameras, drones, laptops, tablets and mobile phone and of course the Starlink Mini satellite internet terminal.

Solar energy is not the only source of power to recharge the installation’s batteries – there’s an Orion XS 1400 DC-DC charger which safely maximises charge current from the vehicle alternator whilst on the road.

Grid power, too, can also be used whenever it’s available. Having multiple charging sources allows the vehicle to remain largely self-sufficient for extended periods, whatever the weather.

The battery management system for the Lithium NG Batteries is provided by a Lynx Smart BMS NG 500 – it optimises charge current, monitors cell voltage and temperature and protects the bank with an automatic shutdowns if conditions ever go out of the batteries operational range.

Spida can see what what his system is doing at any time by using his GX Touch 50 – a display which provides finger-tip monitoring of the battery state of charge and live system operation, together with programming adjustments, firmware updates and to analyse historical use. At the heart of the system is a Cerbo GX MK2 data communications centre which allows devices to talk to each other.

Integrated protection and isolation switches ensure that the electrical system will be reliable during years of continuous travel.

Across four continents with differing climates, remote tracks and long distances the ability to generate, store and manage their own electrical power wherever the vehicle happens to be ensures the team can be confident if they choose to remain longer in isolated locations which have caught their imagination.

They can produce their content and remain in touch with family and followers around the world.