What's the difference?
Hybrid campers tread the line between caravan comfort and camper trailer-manoeuvrability and are touted as somewhat of a new thing; almost an evolution of comfort as more people look for a perfect camping experience.
But camper-trailers like the Cub Longreach LE prove that the concept has been around for decades.
It hasn't always been called the Longreach, but this high-walled, super-sized, off-road camper-trailer was one of the first to offer caravan-like comfort and space in a product that'll go anywhere off-road*. (* In terms of reasonable use and having obviously scrutinised your camper's warranty conditions before setting off to make sure you're covered for that sort of usage.)
The 2019 LE takes the comfort levels even further, so we grabbed one for a night to check it out.
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter range of vans and cab-chassis models competes for buyers in the Light Duty (3501-8000kg GVM) segment of Australia’s highly competitive Heavy Commercial vehicle market.
In 2024 the German manufacturer expanded its diverse turbo-diesel van range by launching a full-electric variant called the eSprinter, which for the first time offered local buyers the opportunity to drive with zero tailpipe emissions.
We recently spent a working week with this unique offering to assess how competently it could fulfil the diverse job requirements of private tradie buyers and fleet operators.
This isn’t the camper for everyone – my guess is that plenty of people look at this and find it too sparse, too basic. I kinda get it.
But there are very few campers which offer the same amount of open, internal space, or that are as easy to set up.
That the Longreach, albeit with a few different names, has lasted so long on the Cub Campers' product roster is a testament to its versatility and ability to accommodate a small family on off-road camper trips.
It's arguably one of the forerunners of the hybrid camper scene, and it's now starting to evolve with campers' desires for more comfort.
With the convenience of back-to-base charging the eSprinter would be well suited to last-mile logistics or other urban delivery roles, as its driving range is ample for many of these urban tasks with the added benefit of zero tailpipe emissions. However, at more than $100K it is a big spend (like its full-electric rivals) so only a thorough cost-benefit analysis can decide if it’s the right choice for your business.