Disaster recovery crews who routinely encounter hurricanes, flooding and wayward debris know that the choice of service vehicle is a crucial one. Amphibious, off-road and versatile, FAT TRUCK by Zeal Motor is specifically designed to transport people and equipment to and from rugged job sites.
“Where the pickup [truck] stops, we continue,” says Amine Khimjee, Zeal Motor vice president of sales and marketing. “Muddy areas, flooded areas, icy, hilly areas … you need to go over obstacles? The vehicle will be able to tackle that and more.”
FAT TRUCK is named for the hefty set of tires equipped with hydraulic motors that propel the vehicle onward through challenging terrain, cruising up to 25 mph on land and 3 mph floating on water. In addition, internal air compressors allow operators to adjust tire pressure according to the terrain, accessible through an automatic push-button design.
“Those wheels have only between 2 and 4 psi in them,” Khimjee says. Despite payloads of half a ton up to 5,000 pounds, depending on the model, a FAT TRUCK driving has a lighter footprint than a person walking, says the manufacturer.
Zeal Motors expanded its lineup last December to a five-vehicle fleet, including the 2.4 Pickup, 2.8 Pickup, 2.8 Wagon, 8x8 Hauler and 8x8 Wagon.
Khimjee says, at a glance, “If you need to transport a lot of people, then the 8x8 [trucks are] the solution. If you want something, just to get on a job site and work, or just to rescue people, the 2x8 platforms are the best. And if you want something narrow and compact, then use the 2x4.”
The 8x8 trucks, which hitch to a hauler or wagon rear car, are also designed to transport materials to difficult-to-reach job sites at a 5,000-pound payload.
Expanding on previous models, the 2.8 Pickup and Wagon boast a new 74 hp Hatz 1.95L Turbo diesel engine, Power Take Off capability and an overall 11% power increase, all in a quieter cab. Contractors can also expect safety features to confront natural disasters, such as impact-resistant windshields, sliding side windows and, across all models, front-end entrances.
“When you have an emergency situation, you can have winds blowing up to 30 mph,” Khimjee says. “Before it was a door that was opening sideways like a car, and we changed that.”
The FAT TRUCK is ROPS-certified, EPA-compliant and designed with OSHA, ASME, ANSI, ISO and SAE standards in mind. 579-594-2794; www.fattruck.com
