The History of Arctic Trucks

1988

Our story begins in Iceland at the end of the 1980's when we started re-engineering four-wheel drive vehicles so larger tiers could be fitted. Demand was drive by the very challenging terrain, bad roads, rocky tracks, snow, sand and rivers. 

Larger tires allow much greater flexibility to reduce tire pressure and increases ground contact area which in turn, improves traction, flotation and provides a softer side over rough terrain both for the passengers and for the vehicles itself. 

1990

In 1990, after two years of study. Toyota Iceland added these re-engineered vehicles to their model ranges for both the Hilux and Land Cruiser. This sharply increased sales and further enhanced the image of the already legendary off-road performance of the Toyota four-wheeled drive vehicles.

This was the birth of Arctic Trucks Iceland

1997 - 1999

In 1997 Arctic Trucks was commissioned to provide two Arctic Trucks AT44's built on the Land Cruiser 80 series platform to support a scientific expedition in Antarctica scanning glaciers. The vehicles were also used for transporting personnel and equipment to the high plateau for a research drilling project.  

In 1999 three AT44 vehicles became the first vehicles achieve crossing of the Greenland ice cap, and even drove back just for good measure! The same year Arctic Trucks opens is Norwegian division. 

2003 - 2007

Between 2003 - 2007 Arctic Trucks was commissioned to use their unique engineering and expertise to develop and produce specialist four-wheel drive vehicles for the Norwegian defense forces. 

In 2007 in Drammen, a specialist facility was built to product vehicles specifically for civil defense use and special forces. 

2008

In 2008 Arctic Trucks launched its Russian division in conjunction with one of the largest Toyota dealers in Russia. Arctic Trucks are equally at home in the wilderness of Siberia as they are in the highlands of Iceland and since launch, Russia has become one of the largest markets for the company.

2009

In 2009 Arctic Trucks established a division in the United Arab Emirates. The original engineering methodologies adopted by the Arctic Trucks engineering team were applied with only slight changes to make the vehicles ideal for these very different but similar extreme environments.

2017

Launch of the new and current generations of Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35

2018

Launch of the new and current generation of Toyota Hilux Arctic Trucks AT36

2022

In 2022 Arctic Trucks established a division in the North America.