Powertrain Wants

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IdahoJOAT

Scout Community Veteran
1st Year Member
Nov 15, 2022
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403
I'll keep it short. The new Scout should be EV. I caught serious flak from the old guys on binderplanet.com several months back for announcing I'd like, as a dream vehicle, a Scout Traveler converted to EV.

Since then, I've realized that pure EV may not be the best.

With this in mind, and a member's comment about a longer front end with a bigger front boot(froot), I'd like to suggest the following:

The Scout should have a full-hybrid option with a small ICE engine. Not as a true powertrain, but as a generator. The biggest complaint you'll hear from EV skeptics is, "What happens when that battery runs out?" and this is more out of fear than anything else. No one wants to be stranded.

The hybrid option would alleviate this fear.

Now would it take away from froot space? Of course. But are we really losing that? If it had a 2.0T or a 392 V8, we wouldn't have that space anyway.

I can tell you. I'd enjoy the hell out of a rig that was fully EV, but when I'm out in the woods I know I have a little ICE as a backup up front.
 
I'll keep it short. The new Scout should be EV. I caught serious flak from the old guys on binderplanet.com several months back for announcing I'd like, as a dream vehicle, a Scout Traveler converted to EV.

Since then, I've realized that pure EV may not be the best.

With this in mind, and a member's comment about a longer front end with a bigger front boot(froot), I'd like to suggest the following:

The Scout should have a full-hybrid option with a small ICE engine. Not as a true powertrain, but as a generator. The biggest complaint you'll hear from EV skeptics is, "What happens when that battery runs out?" and this is more out of fear than anything else. No one wants to be stranded.

The hybrid option would alleviate this fear.

Now would it take away from froot space? Of course. But are we really losing that? If it had a 2.0T or a 392 V8, we wouldn't have that space anyway.

I can tell you. I'd enjoy the hell out of a rig that was fully EV, but when I'm out in the woods I know I have a little ICE as a backup up front.
If they made something like the edison logging semis but in a more compact form Id be in love
 
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Reminds me of the little BMW i3's range extender. I think it was a little 650cc 2-cylinder connected to a generator in an otherwise electric vehicle. Nothing crazy, but enough to give you additional range.
 
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I'll keep it short. The new Scout should be EV. I caught serious flak from the old guys on binderplanet.com several months back for announcing I'd like, as a dream vehicle, a Scout Traveler converted to EV.

Since then, I've realized that pure EV may not be the best.

With this in mind, and a member's comment about a longer front end with a bigger front boot(froot), I'd like to suggest the following:

The Scout should have a full-hybrid option with a small ICE engine. Not as a true powertrain, but as a generator. The biggest complaint you'll hear from EV skeptics is, "What happens when that battery runs out?" and this is more out of fear than anything else. No one wants to be stranded.

The hybrid option would alleviate this fear.

Now would it take away from froot space? Of course. But are we really losing that? If it had a 2.0T or a 392 V8, we wouldn't have that space anyway.

I can tell you. I'd enjoy the hell out of a rig that was fully EV, but when I'm out in the woods I know I have a little ICE as a backup up front.
Mazda has a Wankel Rotary that's compact and lightweight enough to use as a generator rather than a connected part of the powertrain... a strong point of the Rotary is good performance at a high constant rpm.
 
My advice is offer both: internal combustion and an EV option. Perhaps a 2.0~ish turbo four, ala the BMW and Audi offerings. Lots of power in a small package. And a twin scroll or twin turbo I-6 or V6. An extended range EV version would be great as well. Look at the Ford Lightning, people are standing in a line 100 miles long to buy them.
 
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My advice is offer both: internal combustion and an EV option. Perhaps a 2.0~ish turbo four, ala the BMW and Audi offerings. Lots of power in a small package. And a twin scroll or twin turbo I-6 or V6. An extended range EV version would be great as well. Look at the Ford Lightning, people are standing in a line 100 miles long to buy them.

More evidence to Blue Oval Brainwashing lol
 
I highly doubt we will see any sort of ICE engine or generator. I have had a Tesla for several years and the charging situation is no big deal. Now, before you jump on me, I can charge at home or work. I also know that Tesla has their excellent supercharger network. I also know that charging infrastructure is no where near what gas and diesel is. But, it’s happening quickly. I would also bet that many potential scout owners will have the capability to charge at home. Waking up to a full “tank” every morning with the climate preconditioned it pretty sweet!
 
I highly doubt we will see any sort of ICE engine or generator. I have had a Tesla for several years and the charging situation is no big deal. Now, before you jump on me, I can charge at home or work. I also know that Tesla has their excellent supercharger network. I also know that charging infrastructure is no where near what gas and diesel is. But, it’s happening quickly. I would also bet that many potential scout owners will have the capability to charge at home. Waking up to a full “tank” every morning with the climate preconditioned it pretty sweet!
I have a 4xe bruh, you won't see me jumpin on your back. Promise.

Currently we're making do with the Level 1 provided, but ideally I'd like to get a 220v installed in the garage and a Level 2. This is why I asked for the J1772 plug to be used on the Scout, as it'd be great to have 1 charger that could be used for both rigs or future rigs.

And currently in Idaho, the Treasure Valley, only have Tesla stations right by the airport and then way over in Ontario. There's extremely limited J1772 stations as well.

We're super behind the curve...
 
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I highly doubt we will see any sort of ICE engine or generator. I have had a Tesla for several years and the charging situation is no big deal. Now, before you jump on me, I can charge at home or work. I also know that Tesla has their excellent supercharger network. I also know that charging infrastructure is no where near what gas and diesel is. But, it’s happening quickly. I would also bet that many potential scout owners will have the capability to charge at home. Waking up to a full “tank” every morning with the climate preconditioned it pretty sweet!
My house is only wired for 110 (I know it’s weird) so with as much driving as I do Theres no way I could fully charge over night
 
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My house is only wired for 110 (I know it’s weird) so with as much driving as I do Theres no way I could fully charge over night
You can get an adapter/splitter and combine two 110s as long as they are on separate circuits. Not the cleanest setup, but it will work.
 
I work in the EV space, we want this to be full EV. The complexity of engineering ICE into this for only 10 years worth of production time would ruin this vehicle.
The reason so many startups are succeeding where OEM’s are failing is the ability to design around a skateboard not retrofit where an ICE goes.
Another massive reason to leave it EV is storage space. Even if a generator style addition like the I3 would require the generator, a fuel tank, more harnesses, exhaust and routing, an ECU, and firewall. More stuff to break and hike the price.
 
I work in the EV space, we want this to be full EV. The complexity of engineering ICE into this for only 10 years worth of production time would ruin this vehicle.
The reason so many startups are succeeding where OEM’s are failing is the ability to design around a skateboard not retrofit where an ICE goes.
Another massive reason to leave it EV is storage space. Even if a generator style addition like the I3 would require the generator, a fuel tank, more harnesses, exhaust and routing, an ECU, and firewall. More stuff to break and hike the price.
Just to clarify, the new Scout will be a full EV.
 
Just to clarify, the new Scout will be a full EV.
Yep, echoing this, the new cars have already been decided to be fully EV.

The industry is shifting over to fully electric, with a handful of states banning new ICE vehicles by 2035. Going full electric off the bat allows us to put total focus on the future of where automotive will be, and lead that charge, vs making vehicles that we'll then not be able to sell 10 years down the line. We also don't have any ICE production at the moment, and as @Phenix mentioned, putting the time into engineering a combustion engine to then transition resources over to full EV, wouldn't make sense when we can start off with full EV and build from there.

While we know there is some range anxiety out there, EV development has come a long way, even in the last few years, and is progressing quickly. And while the charging network and infrastructure may not be where the gas infrastructure is, for now, it's growing quickly, and that rate of growth will only speed up.

A few extra things to take into mind in terms of trail riding and off-roading - EV's don't burn fuel the same way ICEs do when stagnant (no burning fuel while idling), and they also have instantaneous max torque (and a lot of it) from the electric motors, so no need to rev and burn extra fuel to get into power bands when wheeling. One more thing they have to their advantage are regenerative abilities, allowing them to recoup some range when braking, which happens pretty frequently offroad and in urban driving scenarios.
 
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I have always a wondered why an electric series hybrid power train wasn’t utilized more for personal auto’s. The Owen’s electric used it in the 1920’s, diesel locomotives use a version of it now. It seems like a very efficient way to get both efficiency and reliability that most customers are looking for.
 
I have always a wondered why an electric series hybrid power train wasn’t utilized more for personal auto’s. The Owen’s electric used it in the 1920’s, diesel locomotives use a version of it now. It seems like a very efficient way to get both efficiency and reliability that most customers are looking for.

Part of the resistance (at least initially) in the automotive industry was the idea of essentially having two powertrains in the vehicle and the added costs and complexities. Many of the initial Hybrids had to be sold with significant incentives or at a loss. Bob Lutz of GM fame once famously said he would take millions of marketing dollars and subsidize GM hybrids to get it off the ground because Toyota was getting so much PR buzz from their hybrids at the time. Over time, the costs of Hybrids have gone down somewhat, but they are still more expensive to produce. Most of the automotive industry was headed toward a hydrogen powertrain future, but EVs have proven viable very quickly.

Batteries will get smaller and lighter, store more energy and become more eco-friendly, especially at the current rate of battery research and development. We are in the early cellphone years right now, and things will only get better.
 
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