These Are Your 'Mad Max' Apocalypse Rides - Jalopnik

July 2026 · 4 minute read
Melbourne, Victoria Australia - 08242019: Mad Max Festival Mad Max Doof Warrior musician playing the guitar with fire coming out of it at night surrounded by speakers.

TroyBoy21/Shutterstock

The Ghost Camaro

The Ghost Camaro used by Danish Special Forces in the Bosnian War. I already have an '81 Z28 to convert.

Submitted by: Pabst302

A solar-charged EV

Electric car power charging, Charging technology, Clean energy filling technology. 3D illustration

Sarawuth702/Getty Images

Some form of EV + solar. If the oil stops pumping today, the difficulty and risk of getting gasoline will increase very quickly in a short amount of time.

Submitted by: Stephen.

A sailboat

Silhouette Of A Pleasure Boat Moored In The Harbor Of The Coastal And Touristic Village Of Collioure (Cotlliure). France During A Beautiful Sunrise On The Waters Of The Mediterranean Sea. Orange Sky.

Manel Subirats/Getty Images

Sailboat. Humans are going to pew each other until they run out of bullets. They are going to run each other over until they run out of gas. Then comes the part where we look at each other like tasty burritos. Best to get as far from everyone as possible, without the need for fuel and go fishing. 

Submitted by: Biff Magnitude

Is that what you would do, Biff? Immediately turn on your neighbors until you end up eating them? Do you think so little of humanity?

Mercedes 240D

Khenifra Province, Morocco - September 27, 2019: White motor car Mercedes-Benz E-class (W123) in the town street.

Darthart/Getty Images

Mercedes Benz 240D

Bugatti that are worth millions will become paper weights. The 240D will keep running without any parts support or proper diesel fuel. 

Submitted by: Tex

A TDI swap

MARKT PIESTING, AUSTRIA - SEPTEMBER 2: 1980 Fiat X1/9 1500 in the '6th Ebreichsdorf-Classic' oldtimer rally at Markt Piesting on September 2, 2017 in Markt Piesting, Austria. (Manfred Schmid/Getty Images)

Manfred Schmid/Getty Images

Something small with a VW TDI in it. Maybe an early Rabbit/Scirocco/Jetta. Funner would be a Fiat X1/9. You'd be fast enough to get away from the zombies, but still running diesel that you could make from all the deep fat fryers from abandoned fast food restaurants.

Submitted by: Clay Horste

Did your copy of "Mad Max" have zombies? I think we may have watched different versions. 

Nothing

OCHOPEE, FLORIDA - JUNE 01: A Florida High Patrol Trooper pulls out from the front entrance of the immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," on June 01, 2026 in Ochopee, Florida. Reports indicate that the facility will be closed, possibly as early as this month. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has not officially confirmed that the closure is taking place. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

It doesn't matter for me. I'm sure I'd be amongst the first wave to succumb to the sociopolitical ills of a collapsing society.

Submitted by: DiRF

It's my pleasure to announce that, if you're still commenting on Jalopnik, you're not in the first wave. 

Ram Long Hauler

Ram long hauler concept

Ram

Not a Dodge guy or a big truck guy, but the 2012 Long Hauler concept had a 170 gallon tank that gave it up to 2,800 miles of range. That would help make the life-or-death battles for fuel further and fewer between. Add a camper and travel the barren wastelands in search of the next fuel supply.

Submitted by: Norm DePlume

A horse, eventually

Chestnut Horse Running in Green Pasture with Flowing Mane

Cacio Murilo/Shutterstock

I'd start off in my current vehicle, a fairly built 4Runner. Use that as long as possible then take out the first tech bro I see with an ev truck or suv and run that until I get sick and tired of solar charging, then most likely swap out to a horse which I should have done from the beginning.

Submitted by: Justin

Unimog

Schuld, Germany - 23rd May 2026, Three different Unimogs against the backdrop of Schuld

thosgra/Shutterstock

An 80s or 90s medium duty Unimog with the straight 6 diesel engine. Can run it on heating oil pumped from the basements of New England houses for the next 100 years

Submitted by: Rob-gittins

Community and a bicycle

A blue hardtail mountain bike

Salsa

My current mountain bike. Salsa Timberjack frame with Drop bars and a fox 130 fork. Brakes and shifters are mechanical so they're easy to fix and no batteries necessary. It's got all the mounts for my bags and racks so it can easily carry my camping gear and food and water as well as my fishing gear so I can supplement foraging with fish.

BUT:

Let's be honest: the lone wolf in the face of the apocalypse is not a thing that's ever actually mattered in the history of the world. Lone wolves get picked off, starve to death and are quickly forgotten. What matters is banding together and building communities where you can grow food, protect each other and trade with other communities. This is how humanity has survived for as long as it has. The lone wolf is a fantasy, nothing more.

Even in Mad Max, the real survivors are the communities, be they the folks who have a refinery or Lord Humungous' crew. Even Imortan Joe built farms. 

Submitted by: Buckfiddious

You will not survive the wasteland alone! You need a community.