In 2015, Russell Eppright embarked on a mission to create a new class of hunting, safari and off-road vehicles founded on hybrid-electric drivetrains and clean sheet designs that emphasize performance, efficiency and safety.

All of our vehicles are designed with a passion for hunting and the outdoors. From humble beginnings in the garage, to our new state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing facility in San Antonio, UTD stands out among the rest.

The current operating model in the utility-terrain vehicle industry involves the use of loud, gas-powered modified vehicles that disturb nature and were not created to meet the needs of the modern outdoorsman. At Ultimate Top Drives, we custom engineer all of our vehicles to perform at the highest level in any off-road hunting context and we’re always looking to move the industry forward through new and innovative features like the patented articulating cab found on our flagship offering, The Cabra. 

The most significant design challenge was figuring out a way to build an elevated viewing platform while maintaining safety and stability given the higher center of gravity.

Many years prior, Russell was hunting in a modified truck with a hydraulic lifting blind. When trying to come down from an elevated position, the lift system bound up and wouldn’t come all the way down. As he was climbing down, the system came free and dropped 3 feet creating a hazardous situation.

In building the first Ultimate Top Drives prototype, substantial consideration was given to a scissor-type lift, however this design created shear points deemed too dangerous for this specific application. After extensive research and testing, the current lift system was designed and patented to include safety systems to prevent free fall of the cab with no shear points.

To meet the stealth goals, an electric drivetrain was selected with an included lithium-iron phosphate battery pack used in many electric vehicles on the road today. Because charging stations aren’t always available on ranches, a Cummins gasoline generator was added to the powertrain to bring total range to 120 miles.

Russell Eppright retired from homebuilding in 2015. At 50 years old, he needed a new challenge so he set out to design and build the greatest top-drive hunting vehicle ever created.

The Design Goals:

• Safety

• Simple to maintain

• Stealth 4 wheel drive

• Ability to drive from an elevated position

• Configuration flexibility

• Robust heavy-duty chassis 

• Ample driving range

• Ease of entry/exit

• Storage for dogs and equipment

The first proof of concept prototype was built in his garage. The first protoype worked and proved the viability of the systems but he knew that to get the vehicle set up for large-scale manufacturing he would need expert help. He partnered with Jeff Garvens at Rolltechs Specialty Vehicles to design and build additional prototypes. After three and a half years of prototyping and testing, the final product was ready for manufacturing and sales.

Today, a majority of the work is still done in-house and by hand at our new 15,000 sq ft manufacturing plant in Selma, TX right off I35.