Thula Solutions' Electric Safari 4×4 Enters Production — SkimNews
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- Thula Solutions launched the ESV 4×4, a purpose-built electric safari vehicle from South Africa engineered from the ground up rather than converted from diesel safari trucks.
- The ESV 4×4 pairs a 225 kW (~302 hp) electric motor with a 65-kWh battery for a claimed 200-km (~125-mile) range, which Thula estimates covers up to three full days of game-reserve operation between charges.
- Thula touts vibration-free, silent running as the 'killer app,' arguing the drivetrain enables ultra high-definition wildlife photography and lets guides converse with passengers without competing engine noise or diesel fumes.
- The vehicle rides on a purpose-built off-road chassis with long-travel four-wheel independent suspension driving all four wheels — designed for crawling through reserves loaded with passengers and gear rather than highway commuting.
- After years of development, including a testing video posted three years ago, Thula has moved into series production and is exporting vehicles across borders, positioning the company as an international electric truck brand.
Why it matters: For safari operators, the ESV 4×4 directly tackles two long-standing pain points — diesel noise that spooks wildlife and exhaust that pollutes the air in game reserves — with a purpose-built EV platform. The claimed three-day range per charge matches a typical game-reserve duty cycle, and Thula's shift from prototype to cross-border sales suggests purpose-built off-road EVs for niche tourism uses are now commercially viable.
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