12v Battery: Not an afterthought

[Logan]

Random thought (prompted by @Scoutsie ).

Sadly, the 12v battery is something of an afterthought for many EV's. Often leading to them being buried somewhere random/hard to access. And it failing can often be a big pain in the butt. You often can't even get into the vehicle, it might not drive (even though the high voltage battery is charged), or other pretty major disruptions there.

For instance, on the updated Rivian R1 series, the 12v battery is... under the front passenger seat (requires removal of the passenger seat to access). That seems... suboptimal.

I'd love for the 12v battery to be more than an afterthought for the Scout. I'm not sure how it would be best handled, and I'm fine leaving that to the Scout Engineers.

Some random ideas/thoughts:

• If we could gain access to the frunk with a physical key, and if the 12v battery was somewhere under a panel in the frunk, that would be great (easy to get to/replace).
• If part of the high voltage battery is segmented off and acts as the 12v battery?

All in all, its a relatively minor thing. But its a quality of life thing for longer term owners, and people that find themselves off the beaten path more often, which means its something thats on my mind.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

The Lightning and Mustang both have the low voltage battery accessible under the frunk, but unfortunately they require a brief pulse of 12v energy to open the frunk if the LVB is dead. A mechanical lock of some sort would be better, IMO.

I would love to see Scout embrace a 48V system for LVB. There are too many benefits of this to ignore, IMO.

 

[Chaz26]

Do we actually know if Scout will be using a 12V or something different? Tesla use a 16V battery for example.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Do we actually know if Scout will be using a 12V or something different? Tesla use a 16V battery for example.

I don't think we know.

 

[J Alynn]

Do we actually know if Scout will be using a 12V or something different? Tesla use a 16V battery for example.

Nothing at all has been stated to this point

 

[Logan]

I don't think we know.

Nothing at all has been stated to this point

Yeah, maybe I should change the title of the thread. We don't know if it will be 12v, 16v, or even 48v.

But whatever the low voltage battery is, I don't want it to be something that is an afterthought/impossible to get to (I do NOT want to go to a service center to get a 12v battery replaced, like many Rivian owners are doing). Thats all I'm saying.

 

[TreeKiller]

Yeah, maybe I should change the title of the thread. We don't know if it will be 12v, 16v, or even 48v.

But whatever the low voltage battery is, I don't want it to be something that is an afterthought/impossible to get to (I do NOT want to go to a service center to get a 12v battery replaced, like many Rivian owners are doing). Thats all I'm saying.

I know I am making a lot of assumptions when I say this, but I keep going back to Scout's stated plan that 80% of the vehicle will be user serviceable. I would have to imagine that the low volage battery would be included in that 80% and if so, that it will be easy to access by the average user which means no overly complex process to swap it out.

Edit, I concur with you and really do hope this is the case.

 

[Logan]

I know I am making a lot of assumptions when I say this, but I keep going back to Scout's stated plan that 80% of the vehicle will be user serviceable. I would have to imagine that the low volage battery would be included in that 80% and if so, that it will be easy to access by the average user which means no overly complex process to swap it out.

Edit, I concur with you and really do hope this is the case.

Same page here.

I figured this was likely covered in that 80%. But... uh, I'd rather make sure that they know this is something we care about before the vehicle configuration tool goes live .

 

[J Alynn]

I’ve always been told the key fobs in most new cars are set that if you hold them right next to lock or ignition they will operate in the case of dead battery. I do t know if that’s true but heard it several times. If that’s the case it would be good to have a fob

 

[Logan]

I’ve always been told the key fobs in most new cars are set that if you hold them right next to lock or ignition they will operate in the case of dead battery. I do t know if that’s true but heard it several times. If that’s the case it would be good to have a fob

Interesting, I’ve never heard that before.

My 2022 Hyundai Tucson has a fob, but when the 12v battery is dead, there is a physical key hiding in the fob, and a hidden lock on the door handle (under a cover).

 

[J Alynn]

Interesting, I’ve never heard that before.

My 2022 Hyundai Tucson has a fob, but when the 12v battery is dead, there is a physical key hiding in the fob, and a hidden lock on the door handle (under a cover).

Yeah, mine has the pull out key too. My dad (82 years d) worried when he bought his Honda a number of years ago and was convinced he needed a spare physical key. He was told fob has a reserve if IT dies-like a last charge dispersal but not sure if it would work if primary battery dies. Probably different functions so my thinking may be flawed

 

[THil08]

I’ve always been told the key fobs in most new cars are set that if you hold them right next to lock or ignition they will operate in the case of dead battery. I do t know if that’s true but heard it several times. If that’s the case it would be good to have a fob

My Countryman S does it. If the Key is dead I have a key in the fob that will open the door. And on the side of the steering column there’s a mark that I hold my key to that will start the car.

And then if my 12v battery is dead under the hood is a quick access point that have a Positive terminal and then I connect the Negative to a ground point on the body.

I would like a quick Access panel for the battery under by the frame or even in the wheel arch in case of anything it makes life so much easier.

 

[Scoutsie]

I’ve always been told the key fobs in most new cars are set that if you hold them right next to lock or ignition they will operate in the case of dead battery. I do t know if that’s true but heard it several times. If that’s the case it would be good to have a fob

Yup, that’s how mine works (unless the battery is totally dead, which has happened, in which case you’ve got that emergency key hidden in the fob for unlocking the door/s).

 

[Ike]

I’ve always been told the key fobs in most new cars are set that if you hold them right next to lock or ignition they will operate in the case of dead battery. I do t know if that’s true but heard it several times. If that’s the case it would be good to have a fob

That is for when the battery in the fob is dead. When dead the fob basically turns into an rfid/nfc tag. Those are unpowered by themselves and are actually powered from a coil in the phone. It gives the chip in the tag enough power to be able to send it over very tiny distances. This is why there are specific places in vehicles that the dead fob has to be placed for it to work.