UK-based Overland-E has announced the introduction of its Gen2, an electric all-terrain vehicle with an incredible travel range of 750 miles. The company plans on bringing two models to market; known as the Urban and the Explorer. The former will be a striking, road-legal EV with a luxurious interior while the latter will be a more focused product, "capable of going anywhere over anything."

Prototypes of both models are expected to be completed by the end of the year, with production-ready versions ready to hit the dunes by mid-2023. CEO Arron Rawding remarked, "We've got a fantastic team together and we are looking forward to getting the vehicle built. We are also very keen to sell the vehicles B2B (Business-to-Business) to [clients] such as the military, but also participate in motorsport, especially in the United States, where I recognize that off-road, desert racing is a major sport."

While we're not sure about military applications, the Gen2 would make for an ideal off-road racer. Indeed, we've seen just how successful Audi's RS Q e-tron has been in recent events. No mention of performance has been made, but the brand does note that the upcoming EV boasts an impressive payload of 1,500 kg, which will certainly come in handy on Overlanding trips.

In recent months, we've seen just how well-received electric off-roaders have become. The Rivian R1T, for example, is in high demand, with demand outstripping supply. While the Overland-E Gen2 will be far more niche, demand for quirky, eco-friendly off-roaders will certainly grow in the years to come. The little-known company has previously built a model called the Mk1 Overlander, a no-nonsense off-roader with Volkswagen Beetle underpinnings. It's this vehicle from which the Gen2 draws its design inspiration.

Aware that many countries will be implementing a ban on fossil fuels is what led the company to an electric vehicle. Like the performance figures, powertrain details and technical information will, most likely, be released closer to the Gen2's release. Interestingly, the company is backed by Pario Ventures, a global venture capital fund that has previously invested in Rivian. Investor and CEO of Pario Ventures, David Murray-Hundley, remarked that to remain net-zero, Overland-E "will have to manufacture in local markets like the US."

The idea behind the Gen2 is rather cool and we really hope it does make it into production. Previously, the automotive industry has been promised numerous exciting EVs which never see the light of day. It's not just small companies, either. Tesla, perhaps the best-known electric carmaker of them all, has had to repeatedly delay several models in the past, with the eagerly awaited Cybertruck now pushed back to 2023.