Just in time for Burning Man – Jellyfish 12000 up for grabs

By Bruce Brown August 26, 2016

Jellyfish 12000 - Jellydome 4.0 - Halloween 2016

If you’re heading to Burning Man next week, you still have a chance to be a major participant with your own art car. Also called mutant vehicles, these fully customized mobile parties include lights, sound, and dance floors. One of the most well known, The Amazing Jellyfish From The Year 12000 aka Jellyfish 12000, is for sale on eBay for $88,000.

Essentially, the winning bidder will get a portable two-level dance studio with audio, lights, and DJ booth set up and ready to go. The designer/builders described Jellyfish12000 as a “mobile, technological, interactive piece of mid-century modern sci-fi sculpture.” The mutant vehicle is powered by a quiet Honda EU3000 generator hidden under the floor with a breathing snorkel.

According to the eBay listing, Jellyfish 12000 is built on a 1978 Dodge Sportsman van chassis with a 1-ton axle and V8 engine. It’s 12.5 feet tall, 17 feet wide, and 24 feet long — all listed measurements describe the vehicle when it is set up to party. It has an airbag suspension and weighs 9,500 pounds.

The motorized mutant seats 18 and can carry 23 people, even when moving slowly across the desert. The 5,700-watt audio system is lighted and animated by an “audio-reactive network of 3600 24-bit RGB LEDs” running custom software.

According to the listing, Jellyfish 12000 cost more than $140,000 in materials, audio equipment, computer equipment, and electronics. Labor included more than $200,000 in time value for more than 7,500 person hours from software, electrical, and mechanical engineers, artists, craftspeople, welders, and mechanics.

Jellyfish 12000 is already registered for Burning Man 2016, held this year from August 28 to September 5. If you buy it, the purchase includes training. A one-year support contract is negotiable.

Jellyfish 12000 isn’t only suitable for Burning Man. You can take it to other events or parties. If you’re not interested in buying your own mutant vehicle but want to head out to Burning Man, ticket info is here.

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Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…

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