Some suggestions that I believe would make Scout the best Electric Offroad option

[konnorrclark]

Like many of these forms, I am very excited for the soon-to-be-released Scout Traveler and Terra. I am also impressed to see that there is a suggestion page for the purpose of trying to add features to the vehicle before it enters production. I think what excites me most about the new Scout is the direction the company is heading and its founding ideology of being an all-American electric offroader. In furtherance of that idea, I feel the need to give some suggestions that I believe will help further Scout in that direction.
Firstly and this may be my only issue with the new Scout coming out is that it has a solid rear axle and independent suspension out front. Having both a Rubicon and a 1978 Scout II my favorite feature of both vehicles is the solid front axle due to its reliability having larger tires on there and its offroading/rock crawling capabilities. I do understand that many individuals who are looking to buy a Scout care more about ride quality than off-road capability and that Scout has already developed both vehicles with independent front suspension in mind. With that being said I would definitely be willing to pay extra to have a solid axle for the front as an option. For Scout, I believe it would help capture some market away from the Jeep brand due to their lack of an electric vehicle in this market and for those who are not bothered by this, they do not have to pay extra for what is already promised. I also believe that this would fit the entire culture Scout is trying to create by allowing future owners to create their own Scout and allow a level of offroad customization that no other brand offers.
Second with Volkswagen’s current investment with QuantumScape and solid-state batteries seemingly being right around the corner for the company I would hope that there is a plan to either integrate them into the lineup if they are released before the first Scouts hit the road or an option to upgrade to them after such as a battery swap. I think the amazing potential that solid-state batteries have for electric vehicles, especially Scouts, has to be factored into near-future plans for the brand. Greater longevity, lighter weight, better charging, and better energy dynamics among many other bonuses would turn Scouts into the ultimate silent offroaders/overlander vehicles giving them much longer rangers before adding a Harvester to them if one is even deemed necessary. I have already reserved a Scout Traveler but I hope that if a solid-state battery option becomes available I will be able to add it or upgrade to it later.
Third, look to Rivian and do not copy Rivian. Rivian is an amazing company and their current/future lineup of vehicles is awesome but I believe that someone who would buy a Scout and someone who would buy a Rivian are similar yet very different. I think their many unique storage features are a highlight of the vehicle along with their ability to self-level and the R2’s completely flat folding seats. These are features I would like to have in a Scout, I already know it is likely planned to have a self-level feature but the completely flat seats I have yet to see. I noticed in a video that the Traveler had some sort of sliding rack system similar to what may be seen on the floor of a cargo jet for securing payloads. I think that would be an awesome feature that Scout aftermarket could take advantage of. I think it would be cool if the seats could fold flat and there would be a bed attachment I could hook in the back with a sliding galley kitchen turning my Traveler into a small camper while I hit the trails. It appears that this is already the direction with auto leveling seen in one of the videos explaining the UI and a satellite wifi panel (amazing idea). What I do worry though is that many are asking that more features be included from a Rivian that I do not think fits the model of the Scout. Many in previous comments have talked about including more tech for on-road driving or more features designed for a better road-use experience. I think adding all of these would be a mistake because it would likely drive up costs, turn Scout into a direct competitor with Rivian which should not be the case, and take away from off-road options that I believe fit the brand better. I think Scout should be the Audi to Rivian’s Porsche. What I mean by this is that they both develop similar vehicles but at different price points to a different crowd. If people truly desire all of those features found on better road-going cars go buy a Rivian they are awesome but what I am looking for is a serious offroader that will beat Jeep to the punch on offering a fully electric rock crawling machine.
Smaller features that may be a cool addition but aren’t a massive deal to me include the addition of red lights to both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. For the interior they would be used to read maps or move about the vehicle without ruining your natural night vision and on the exterior they would only be used while the vehicle is parked and in a sort of camp mode so it does not disturb others at the campsite. I also think the addition of removable top panels similar to the front ones found on a Jeep or Bronco would be cool as well.
In conclusion, I am very excited about the new Scout and I am very happy that I made a reservation for one. I think this community is going to be amazing and I think the revival of the Scout brand and its current direction is going to be one of the greatest success stories in the EV era. I hope that some of these suggestions are considered and I wish all the best as they develop this new brand! Thank you!

 

[mattbrew]

Welcome and thanks for the good thoughts. Based on the feedback over the past two years, the intent is for the Scout to be a multi-tool and serve all masters. The reality is the serious off-road buyer segment is a very small group of buyers. While it seems like there are a lot of off roaders here it is because the enthusiasts have found the forum and are ahead of the crowds. There has been a significant increase in reservations since CES which is mainly the tech crowd. There is also a large group of buyers wanting the vehicle because of the EV aspect and again, “extreme” off road features won’t appeal to them.
I have fond memories of my first vehicle being a Scout but I have no intention of off roading. My parents never did either but it was the family car and we did a lot of trips which hold memories. I am interested because of the heritage, the 35+ year desire to own another Scout and the flexibility of the Scout being a multi-tool. That said I have no interest in a Rivian as it is way too tech heavy for my wants/needs and the nostalgia of the Scout means different things to different people-but means a lot to me.
The bulk of buyers will spend 80% or more of their time on the pavement so that needs to be factored in. The majority of buyers in general will buy this for looks and the “dream” of the off road adventure but never do so. If the ride quality ends up equal to or worse then a Jeep then SM risks losing a significant buyer pool. At $60K to start it will price out a lot of younger people-then significant upgrades like front solid axles would raise the price significantly. Realizing you are willing to pay for a front solid axle as an option is great but at what extra cost does the take rate become too minimal to make it worth while along with reworking additional parts and electrical architecture?
I think red lights are a simple idea that could benefit those that need them or an easy aftermarket option. SM has commented and suggestions have been made for perimeter lighting. Having camped and worked in a campground I believe a soft light would be more effective for after dark set up with ability for red swap if folks like yourself are interested. Soft light would be beneficial for other activities as well. The roof options have been nailed down to date as solid metal, fixed giant pano or the operable cabana roof. Removable front panels will not be in the mix.

No disrespect to the Off roaders but I have been wanting to say that for a long time. If i had an old Scout I would take it off roading but i’m definitely not taking a brand new vehicle off roading ( at least in South Carolina)
Most people today want the off road look but stay the road.

 

[J Alynn]

True I think the Bronco crushed that and has a good market share because of it. I don't think it is a one or the other type of situation I just think that having the option for a solid front axle would fill one hole and if there are extra on the lot I guess you could say many people probably wouldn't bother. Maybe a better example are those who buy 3/4 and full ton trucks to get groceries and never pull anything. Along with solid axle I am really interested if there are any plans to integrate solid state batteries when they become avaliable. IDK what everyone else thinks.

Some of the casual unofficial talk at the reveal is they are very interested in solid state but it comes down to launch timing and what will be available? It’s a tough position to be in right now as a new EV manufacturer because SS is on the cusp of being validated but choosing SS and delaying another year or so -IMO-would kill interest in Scout. 2 years from now, already being involved 2 years already is a long time to wait!

 

[konnorrclark]

Some of the casual unofficial talk at the reveal is they are very interested in solid state but it comes down to launch timing and what will be available? It’s a tough position to be in right now as a new EV manufacturer because SS is on the cusp of being validated but choosing SS and delaying another year or so -IMO-would kill interest in Scout. 2 years from now, already being involved 2 years already is a long time to wait!

This is true! I hope they have a program where you can pay to swap the battery out.

 

[konnorrclark]

This is true! I hope they have a program where you can pay to swap the battery out.

Also, love all of the conversation on this thread! I think that when the time comes there will be a Scout for everyone and it starts here! I appreciate everyone giving their thoughts and inputs!

 

[TaconicBear]

Like many of these forms, I am very excited for the soon-to-be-released Scout Traveler and Terra. I am also impressed to see that there is a suggestion page for the purpose of trying to add features to the vehicle before it enters production. I think what excites me most about the new Scout is the direction the company is heading and its founding ideology of being an all-American electric offroader. In furtherance of that idea, I feel the need to give some suggestions that I believe will help further Scout in that direction.
Firstly and this may be my only issue with the new Scout coming out is that it has a solid rear axle and independent suspension out front. Having both a Rubicon and a 1978 Scout II my favorite feature of both vehicles is the solid front axle due to its reliability having larger tires on there and its offroading/rock crawling capabilities. I do understand that many individuals who are looking to buy a Scout care more about ride quality than off-road capability and that Scout has already developed both vehicles with independent front suspension in mind. With that being said I would definitely be willing to pay extra to have a solid axle for the front as an option. For Scout, I believe it would help capture some market away from the Jeep brand due to their lack of an electric vehicle in this market and for those who are not bothered by this, they do not have to pay extra for what is already promised. I also believe that this would fit the entire culture Scout is trying to create by allowing future owners to create their own Scout and allow a level of offroad customization that no other brand offers.
Second with Volkswagen’s current investment with QuantumScape and solid-state batteries seemingly being right around the corner for the company I would hope that there is a plan to either integrate them into the lineup if they are released before the first Scouts hit the road or an option to upgrade to them after such as a battery swap. I think the amazing potential that solid-state batteries have for electric vehicles, especially Scouts, has to be factored into near-future plans for the brand. Greater longevity, lighter weight, better charging, and better energy dynamics among many other bonuses would turn Scouts into the ultimate silent offroaders/overlander vehicles giving them much longer rangers before adding a Harvester to them if one is even deemed necessary. I have already reserved a Scout Traveler but I hope that if a solid-state battery option becomes available I will be able to add it or upgrade to it later.
Third, look to Rivian and do not copy Rivian. Rivian is an amazing company and their current/future lineup of vehicles is awesome but I believe that someone who would buy a Scout and someone who would buy a Rivian are similar yet very different. I think their many unique storage features are a highlight of the vehicle along with their ability to self-level and the R2’s completely flat folding seats. These are features I would like to have in a Scout, I already know it is likely planned to have a self-level feature but the completely flat seats I have yet to see. I noticed in a video that the Traveler had some sort of sliding rack system similar to what may be seen on the floor of a cargo jet for securing payloads. I think that would be an awesome feature that Scout aftermarket could take advantage of. I think it would be cool if the seats could fold flat and there would be a bed attachment I could hook in the back with a sliding galley kitchen turning my Traveler into a small camper while I hit the trails. It appears that this is already the direction with auto leveling seen in one of the videos explaining the UI and a satellite wifi panel (amazing idea). What I do worry though is that many are asking that more features be included from a Rivian that I do not think fits the model of the Scout. Many in previous comments have talked about including more tech for on-road driving or more features designed for a better road-use experience. I think adding all of these would be a mistake because it would likely drive up costs, turn Scout into a direct competitor with Rivian which should not be the case, and take away from off-road options that I believe fit the brand better. I think Scout should be the Audi to Rivian’s Porsche. What I mean by this is that they both develop similar vehicles but at different price points to a different crowd. If people truly desire all of those features found on better road-going cars go buy a Rivian they are awesome but what I am looking for is a serious offroader that will beat Jeep to the punch on offering a fully electric rock crawling machine.
Smaller features that may be a cool addition but aren’t a massive deal to me include the addition of red lights to both the interior and exterior of the vehicle. For the interior they would be used to read maps or move about the vehicle without ruining your natural night vision and on the exterior they would only be used while the vehicle is parked and in a sort of camp mode so it does not disturb others at the campsite. I also think the addition of removable top panels similar to the front ones found on a Jeep or Bronco would be cool as well.
In conclusion, I am very excited about the new Scout and I am very happy that I made a reservation for one. I think this community is going to be amazing and I think the revival of the Scout brand and its current direction is going to be one of the greatest success stories in the EV era. I hope that some of these suggestions are considered and I wish all the best as they develop this new brand! Thank you!

I'm glad to see your call for red lights in the cabin to preserve night vision. In the early days of aviation there was a general rule "red forward" which meant that all dials, gauges, etc. that the pilot's eyes normally would see had to be red -- to preserve night vision. Plus there's a secondary virtue to red lights for those who use their cars as a blind for wildlife observation. For the majority of wildlife, red is not in their visible spectrum. (That's why exhibits of many nocturnal mammals in zoos are lit with only red light.) I suppose that for urban and suburban driving where there is so much ambient light and we are constantly having >4000K headlights in our eyes it doesn't make much difference, but for us more rural folk, 'red forward' would be safer and easier on the eyes.

 

[Chuckles]

I'm glad to see your call for red lights in the cabin to preserve night vision. In the early days of aviation there was a general rule "red forward" which meant that all dials, gauges, etc. that the pilot's eyes normally would see had to be red -- to preserve night vision. Plus there's a secondary virtue to red lights for those who use their cars as a blind for wildlife observation. For the majority of wildlife, red is not in their visible spectrum. (That's why exhibits of many nocturnal mammals in zoos are lit with only red light.) I suppose that for urban and suburban driving where there is so much ambient light and we are constantly having >4000K headlights in our eyes it doesn't make much difference, but for us more rural folk, 'red forward' would be safer and easier on the eyes.

I watched a demo of the Rivian R2 camp mode. It showed the ability to switch the screen red for all the reasons that were just mentioned. I don't know if that's available on the R1 or not. It does seem like a great idea that doesn't require much effort.

 

[konnorrclark]

I'm glad to see your call for red lights in the cabin to preserve night vision. In the early days of aviation there was a general rule "red forward" which meant that all dials, gauges, etc. that the pilot's eyes normally would see had to be red -- to preserve night vision. Plus there's a secondary virtue to red lights for those who use their cars as a blind for wildlife observation. For the majority of wildlife, red is not in their visible spectrum. (That's why exhibits of many nocturnal mammals in zoos are lit with only red light.) I suppose that for urban and suburban driving where there is so much ambient light and we are constantly having >4000K headlights in our eyes it doesn't make much difference, but for us more rural folk, 'red forward' would be safer and easier on the eyes.

I saw that nucamp campers have them now and I thought it was a pretty bright idea lol.