Harvester Talk: Q&A

[Chaparral]

I imagine the Harvester will get a snorkel to maintain the 3ft wading capability.

I’m not sure if skid plates are going to be optional extras but since the Harvester is tucked in behind the rear skid plate that skid plate may be necessary on Harvester version.

Also since the Harvester takes up space where the optional under vehicle spare would go, this may mean the rear tire carrier option is probably required on the Harvester version of the Traveler.

So they may be factors that raise the price of the entry level Harvester.

 

[OIBScout]

How much does it cost to have a level 2 charger installed??

The Traveler will not fit in our garage

We bought our Tesla Destination Charger for under $500 and paid an EC $250 to install it on a two-pole 30A breaker with conduit back to our 200A main panel.

Tesla’s Level 2 charger is outdoor-rated for wet location use.

 

[Gurble]

I'm thinking the battery will be notably smaller to offset the costs enough to make the Harvester option viable. There's been speculation that the Harvester will be the cheaper of the two models.

A ~130kwh battery pack has got to be on the order of $20k, no? I would think even saving 1/3rd of that would pay for a small ice.

 

[Logan]

If we assume a roughly 2miles per KW efficiency (between a Rivian R1S, and a hummer EV. Maybe not perfect, but a ballpark number that makes math easy) we can figure out the battery size differences actually.

We know the harvester model has 150 miles of EV only range. If that is the max range, then we know the effective size of the battery pack has to be ~75kw or thereabouts.

The EV only option has 350 miles of range. If we assume the same efficiency of 2 miles per KW, then the battery will have to be about 175kw, give or take. Which interestingly that battery is about the same size as a Rivian Max pack.

Which means we’re talking about a battery pack size savings of ~60% (100kw savings). Which has got to save quite a bit of money. The harvester variety will have a battery size similar to that of a small suv (Ioniq 5-ish).

 

[speedrye]

A ~130kwh battery pack has got to be on the order of $20k, no? I would think even saving 1/3rd of that would pay for a small ice.

Once you remove peripherals not needed in this case, it gets even cheaper and the space needed gets smaller. No alternator needed, no A/C compressor needed, no stupid plastic covers hiding all the working bits, no power steering pump needed (though most cars are electric now anyway), heck, I don't even know if a water pump is needed in this scenario. Sharing plumbing with the battery would be interesting while also allowing the ICE to precondition the battery in the winter via both electrons and the heat it produces. Using the heat from the ICE for battery conditioning and HVAC could help combat the typical winter-time range losses of EVs.

 

[CarTechGeek]

I'm thinking the battery will be notably smaller to offset the costs enough to make the Harvester option viable. There's been speculation that the Harvester will be the cheaper of the two models.

I expect the Range Extender being the middle cost of the three drivetrain options.

IMO, they will need about 160 KWh pack, for 350 mile range. IMO there is ZERO chance of getting a pack this large in a $60K truck.

I expect, in order of pricing:

~100KWh entry level Pack - With ~220 mile range. Entry level price.

~70KWh Range Extender Pack - with the announced 150 mile EV range). Mid Price option.

~160KWh Big pack option - with announced 350 mile range. Highest price drivetrain option.


I think a lot of people are assuming the $60K truck will have 350 mile range, and they are going to be very disappointed when reality is revealed.

 

[pwrofgrayskull]

I’m keeping my eye on this discussion. I get off pavement on trails exploring pretty deep in some remote areas fairly often and sometimes I tow a travel trailer long distances to set up a base camp to go do it. I’m concerned with what the Harvester will and will not be able to deliver in order to allow me to continue the adventures my family and I love.

 

[pwrofgrayskull]

The problem for me as a EV Newby is the Harvester Range Extender sounded like the solution to Range Anxiety. I’m sure I’m not the only one who put a deposit down thinking this was the perfect EV for my usage. All EV for most daily activities and commutes, but when the 500 plus mile days come, it’s as simple as topping off the gas tank and being on my way.

You’re definitely not the only one.

 

[pwrofgrayskull]

I imagine the Harvester will get a snorkel to maintain the 3ft wading capability.

I’m not sure if skid plates are going to be optional extras but since the Harvester is tucked in behind the rear skid plate that skid plate may be necessary on Harvester version.

Also since the Harvester takes up space where the optional under vehicle spare would go, this may mean the rear tire carrier option is probably required on the Harvester version of the Traveler.

So they may be factors that raise the price of the entry level Harvester.

A few good points here, good thinking. I hadn’t thought about snorkel and skids in reference to the Harvester - definitely seems like they’ll be necessary.

 

[OIBScout]

Has there been chatter that Harvester will be a Diesel platform?

 

[CarTechGeek]

Has there been chatter that Harvester will be a Diesel platform?

No, they literally wrote the word GAS in all caps that covered the entire screen, at the beginning of the Harvester reveal. It's a gas engine.

I have seen people ask for diesel, but it really doesn't make sense, it has significantly more cons than pros in this application.

 

[Chaparral]

Has there been chatter that Harvester will be a Diesel platform?

They just said gas.

Scouts images show a very small engine that fits under the truck bed, more-or-less in the space available for the 32 in spare wheel. This retains the cargo space, but will evidently force the spare wheel to be carried on the back of the Traveller or in the bed of the Terra (which is already the case with 35s).

We’ll get all the driving torque we need and more from the electric motors -1000 lb-ft!

Because the system has a small generator and fairly large battery, I don’t expect there to be any significant performance boost at the electric motor, when the Harvester engine is running. The motor will probably be configured to run at a fixed rpm that maximizes the efficiency of the generators output.

Diesel engines tend to be a bit more bulky and the extra torque from diesel wouldn’t provide any extra torque at the wheels. Still, I think a good argument could be made of diesel because it is more efficient. It would also fit with the IH heritage if you can put tractor fuel in it.

However, if Scout use a diesel engine a lot of people are going to right away think of VW’s diesel-gate and they will surely want to avoid that.

 

[Jim Nichols]

I wonder if the generator is 800v AC like the chargers?

 

[KarlT]

So you want to buy an EV to just continually run it on gas??? Is that what you meant?

Not sure what he meant. My question would be - say you’re driving and the destination is 600 miles away. When you hit 500, wouldn’t it be nice to spend 5 minutes at a gas station rather than an hour charging?

 

[J Alynn]

Not sure what he meant. My question would be - say you’re driving and the destination is 600 miles away. When you hit 500, wouldn’t it be nice to spend 5 minutes at a gas station rather than an hour charging?

Gotcha. But most charging now, and more so in 2027 should be right around 20-ish minutes, especially with 800v

 

[Rampy]

Gotcha. But most charging now, and more so in 2027 should be right around 20-ish minutes, especially with 800v

We have been going to Boca Chica and SPI several times a year (hopefully to watch starship launch this month in Mexico) & that’s roughly 1400 miles in 2 days and we only stop to gas up/potty and at the hotel. On these trips the less time spent on the highway the better

I’ll look for chargers this next trip, none of the hotels we stay in have fast chargers from what I’ve seen, but will look closer in a couple weeks

We also stay in military hotels on different bases and currently it’s unauthorized to charge privately owned EV’s on military bases

Trying to get a feel for what it’s like doing this trip in a EV, know Mexico does not have any chargers & you need a 4x4 on the beach

 

[mattbrew]

It's where my mind is now, and perhaps they'll eek 400 miles out of the battery-only option by the time production models are moving. I assume Scout will happily change my reservation type!

Yep, I reserved a Terra but I’m sure they would let me change it to a Traveler and or Harvester option.

 

[J Alynn]

Yep, I reserved a Terra but I’m sure they would let me change it to a Traveler and or Harvester option.

They’ve said you can change at time of order

 

[Geronimo]

Was there ever any conversation about using the frunk space for the harvester and keeping the original size battery pack? I might have missed details, but it looks the harvester location required a smaller battery pack. If the harvester is capable of adding 350 miles range, and a battery has 350 miles range, well 700 miles combined seems like an over the top number. I'd sacrifice the frunk for that in a heartbeat, and if the frunk lid added the benefit of making it easier to access the generator for maintenance purposes, that also seems like a win. Obviously I don't know whether there were engineering challenges present or what other factors that went in to the decision to place the harvester in the rear, but would love to hear about any of the process that happened during the design phases.

 

[Chuckles]

Was there ever any conversation about using the frunk space for the harvester and keeping the original size battery pack? I might have missed details, but it looks the harvester location required a smaller battery pack. If the harvester is capable of adding 350 miles range, and a battery has 350 miles range, well 700 miles combined seems like an over the top number. I'd sacrifice the frunk for that in a heartbeat, and if the frunk lid added the benefit of making it easier to access the generator for maintenance purposes, that also seems like a win. Obviously I don't know whether there were engineering challenges present or what other factors that went in to the decision to place the harvester in the rear, but would love to hear about any of the process that happened during the design phases.

Scout has said all along the Harvester will not affect the frunks. All information has indicated the Harvester is in the rear, with a fuel tank possibly in the front. The fuel filler neck is on the front passenger fender. The system is still being engineered: we don't know much more at this time.