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Commando Caravan Can Be Considered Australia's Peak Off-Grid Habitat for Good Reasons

It's no secret that Australia is responsible for some of the toughest off-grid living habitats the world has ever seen. Well, one Aussieland crew, Kokoda Caravans, has announced their freshest and nearly indestructible travel trailer and lineup, the Commando.
Commando Caravan 20 photos
Photo: Kokoda Caravans / Edited by autoevolution
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For most folks around the world, what happens in Australia, stays in Australia, including news of habitats like the Commando F226 from Kokoda Caravans. If you've never heard of this crew, not a problem, but they've been around since 2011. Since then, they've focused on nothing other than building bulletproof machines meant to make you feel at home in some of the harshest terrain on the planet.

Now, whenever you build something like this and to these standards, you can bet your bottom dollar that the result isn't cheap. What does 'not cheap' mean? Well, Kokoda has always been known for pouring countless features, systems, and capabilities into every unit they craft, but the Commando F226, the one and only unit in the fresh lineup, is starting at a whopping $180K Australian. That's the equivalent of $119K American. Quite a bit, no matter the country you live in. Why so dang much!?

Let me start by saying that the Commando class is responsible for autonomous units, meaning they're self-sustaining. Each habitat is equipped with a 7.1 kWh battery bank and 1.65 kW of solar processing, made possible by the presence of four solar panels. Let's not forget about the 5 kW inverter. Then there are the two 110 l water tanks, but an atmospheric water-capturing system could take things further.

Part two of why this machine is so dang costly involves the way Kokoda arranges the interior and what that means for current and future owners of any Commando. A quick review of the floor plan should help you understand what's happening. To do so, let's start with the rear of the F226.

Commando Caravan
Photo: Kokoda Caravans
It's here that the interior offers a king-size bed and lift storage overhead. Toward the opposite end, guests can access a spacious galley and dinette vis-a-vis. All the while looking at the world outside, made possible by countless windows tattered all over the shell. This also helps flood the interior with natural light. Continuing our journey, the front of the F226 is home to two areas, a bathroom with separate features, no wet baths here, and a bunk-bed space that can accommodate up to three berths. I'm just going to skip over all the storage options because, well, take a look at the images in the gallery.

For a moment, I want you to imagine yourself inside the F226. Please take note of the wooden surfaces and the composite panels making up the walls. Go ahead, touch everything, and really take it in. Once you're finished here, let's head back outside because there's plenty to talk about.

Suppose you're aware of how Australians like to explore the greater outdoors. In that case, you know that they're all about spending as much time outside as possible. On that note, Kokoda includes an outdoor pantry decked out with mobile galley features, a fridge tray, a washing machine, and an outdoor shower are also added to the mix. Ensuring that you can see what you're doing, day or night, outdoor lighting is in place, and lots of it.

Put all that together, throw in a list of countless features and options, and the result is the F226. However, some of your money also goes into how this thing is built and the terrain it can handle. Overall, insulated composite/fiberglass panels make up the shell, and once you throw in the chassis and a Tuff Ride airbag suspension, you'll be looking at a machine weighing 3,100 kg (6,834 lbs) dry. to ensure a long life, stone flaps with a rubberized coating reduce damage and corrosion.

Commando Caravan Interior
Photo: Kokoda Caravans
Now, it's rather hard to understand what all this means for you as you're just reading this text. So, to get a better idea of what the Commando can mean for you, picture yourself owning it, even if only for a few moments. See yourself and four other family members running around the F226. Picture you and your significant other preparing dinner while the kids gather wood for tonight's bonfire. Hear the music blaring through sound speakers; maybe you like the sound of the local wildlife. If it's early in the day, fill your time with e-bike sessions, kayaks, and perhaps some good ol' hiking. Don't worry; there's room for all that and a bit more in the storage bays tattered thought-out the F226. All the while, your habitat will be powering itself up with precious sunlight.

Sounds pretty neat, but there's a catch. As far as I'm aware, habitats built for Australia are to be used in Australia. From electrical input and output to how units are crafted for Aussieland roads, it's all destined only for the land down under. What can you do to get your hands on one of these? You can either move to the southern hemisphere or beg Kokoda to craft a unit just for you and your country. Just note that the latte is sure to be a long shot, and if it happens, you'll be looking at quite the extra buck.

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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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