This post makes me think of the animated movie Wall-E where human life is autonomous resulting in obesity and environmental collapse.
Top Five Accessories For The New Scout
- Thread starter Jamie@ScoutMotors
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Most of the things to suggest have been suggested, but I did want to say something about the utility of comfort features. I can see how thinking up of ways to snazz up the Scout might seem like going off-script on a simple, utilitarian car, but consider that this may not be someone’s weekend ride. Consider how the market has evolved and what people want. This would be my everyday ride, and I would want it to feel comfortable while idling on the highway during all four seasons *and* have helpful features for camping. To me, this makes total sense.
My current car has a rooftop solar panel that has one function and one function only: it powers a ventilation system during the summer months that keeps the car from getting stuffy. That’s it. It seems so wasteful. Newer models actually help charge the battery. THAT is useful.
I’ve always wanted a car with a built-in refrigerator. I know you can get coolers with freezers to plug into your car: that’s great. I hear they all kind of stink. I want one that’s reliable.
Every seat, every steering wheel, every side-view mirror should have the option to be a warmed surface. It’s just the decent thing to do. Think of the Canadians. Think of the people in Buffalo.
As the world gets hotter, it would be nice to touch a cooled steering wheel. I’m just saying there are engineers, there’s MIT, there’s licensable technology: surely someone knows something.
My favorite suggestions: tow hitches, attachment for a plow, utility boxes, retractable awning, etc etc etc, potential ability to hose down interior and not short things out, etc etc etc.
Adaptors for the disabled would be rad: wheelchair ramps or lifts, options to remove seats for accommodation of wheelchairs or motorized chairs, hand controls, stuff like that. Disabled people also enjoy outdoor fun and are limited to a few stinky vehicles that can be adapted right now.
My current car has a rooftop solar panel that has one function and one function only: it powers a ventilation system during the summer months that keeps the car from getting stuffy. That’s it. It seems so wasteful. Newer models actually help charge the battery. THAT is useful.
I’ve always wanted a car with a built-in refrigerator. I know you can get coolers with freezers to plug into your car: that’s great. I hear they all kind of stink. I want one that’s reliable.
Every seat, every steering wheel, every side-view mirror should have the option to be a warmed surface. It’s just the decent thing to do. Think of the Canadians. Think of the people in Buffalo.
As the world gets hotter, it would be nice to touch a cooled steering wheel. I’m just saying there are engineers, there’s MIT, there’s licensable technology: surely someone knows something.
My favorite suggestions: tow hitches, attachment for a plow, utility boxes, retractable awning, etc etc etc, potential ability to hose down interior and not short things out, etc etc etc.
Adaptors for the disabled would be rad: wheelchair ramps or lifts, options to remove seats for accommodation of wheelchairs or motorized chairs, hand controls, stuff like that. Disabled people also enjoy outdoor fun and are limited to a few stinky vehicles that can be adapted right now.
What about offering right hand drive? Subaru used to offer such a vehicle marketed to rural mail delivery persons that had to supply their own vehicles. Or it could lead to exports, not just to the UK or Australia but also to two of the USVI, St Thomas and St John where traffic is bass ackward and where the #1 rental vehicle is a 4 cylinder Jeep Wrangler
I think Jeep offers as well as I’ve seen those delivering mail with driver on the right hand side. I would think with an EV that would be pretty easy to do though take rate would be tough but like the idea. Would open up a potential for Europe to then export as a specialty vehicle like Americans do with certain European brands
We have the Emporia wall charger in the garage now. Nice and reliable but if a NACS + proprietary to the Scout Wall charger is available we'll swap out the Emporia.
Hopefully It'll have a local on/stop Charging feature for when the WiFi goes down.
Hopefully It'll have a local on/stop Charging feature for when the WiFi goes down.
@Jamie@ScoutMotors - Here's a top 5
- TAILGATE, ideally with a roll down window. Bonus for the option to drop OR swing the tailgate like an old Country Squire
- Make it full size like a modern Tahoe. Only 2 rows of seats! Nobody wants to sit in the way back or drive that many people ;-)
- Air suspension like a Range Rover to raise & lower. Daily drivers need to fit in parking garages
- A side rack system to put bikes and boards on the side of the truck as well as the top.
Design Goal: Carry 4 full size bikes without a hitch rack - Only then, go Bronco on it with wheel, bumper, light and lift options. These are easy and can be done after market. We need the mfg to make structural decisions
The items I would like are not really accessories for a worthy off road vehicle. These items would be:
Roof rack with built in cross rails. Functional racks that can support weight and tie-downs.
trailer hitch with power taps.
Heavy duty multi purpose front bumper.
Electric wintch. I realize this option might not be advisable on an electronic vehicle do to high current draw.
All weather floor mats. Even better. A composite floor covering option that replaces the carpet.
Roof rack with built in cross rails. Functional racks that can support weight and tie-downs.
trailer hitch with power taps.
Heavy duty multi purpose front bumper.
Electric wintch. I realize this option might not be advisable on an electronic vehicle do to high current draw.
All weather floor mats. Even better. A composite floor covering option that replaces the carpet.
The variety of options Scout offered was inspirational and unique I think. The “doll ups” provided a vehicle for everyone’s preferences : the Midas, the Aristocrat, the SSII, Red Carpet, Rallye package, etc. They gradually broadened the spectrum to include vehicles designed for town, country and wilderness.
I like some of the accessory ideas mentioned previously:
A cb radio or portable comms system seems smart.
The drone landing pad and storage seem useful, like the homing pigeon of the Mach 5 in Speed Racer. If a small drone was an option , users could deploy it to get an ariel view of the terrain and their course. It could help them get out of situations or safely show them what’s up ahead. It could be a safety item that deploys in an accident to find signal and alert first responders.
Fire extinguisher.
Drop down windsheild.
Rooftop seating , like safari Rovers.
Cigarette/cigar lighter/ashtray- smokers package.
Old factory color and interior options.
The ‘turbine’ polycast wheels!
I like some of the accessory ideas mentioned previously:
A cb radio or portable comms system seems smart.
The drone landing pad and storage seem useful, like the homing pigeon of the Mach 5 in Speed Racer. If a small drone was an option , users could deploy it to get an ariel view of the terrain and their course. It could help them get out of situations or safely show them what’s up ahead. It could be a safety item that deploys in an accident to find signal and alert first responders.
Fire extinguisher.
Drop down windsheild.
Rooftop seating , like safari Rovers.
Cigarette/cigar lighter/ashtray- smokers package.
Old factory color and interior options.
The ‘turbine’ polycast wheels!
Drop Down Windshield AKA Safari Windshield would be sooo cool.
Scout should copyright that name.
Scout should copyright that name.
Another simple idea. Was loading car tonight for an archery tournament tomorrow and was packing the battery powered fan. While a converter “false battery” insert to plug it in directly to the vehicle would be very cool. The other simple idea could be a recess/cut out to allow the fan’s hooks to hang from the frunk or rear hatch when open so the fan could hang and be used for camping or tailgating and maybe be able to hang forward or reverse at the back so the fan could run over night if you were sleeping in the rear of the SUV
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Yeah, I really like this point. I'm genuinely really surprised to see how many people support this "jerry can" idea. Not only would it be a $5,000+ option (which is approaching the cost of a larger battery pack) to achieve maybe 30 miles of additional range, it'd be completely impractical to lug around an additional external battery that takes up space and would likely be very difficult for one person to remove from the vehicle (could be in excess of 100 pounds).
Also, you'd need additional HV wiring to allow the "jerry can" to provide to deliver energy directly to the powertrain. Then that would also mean that HV wiring/plugs are easily accessible to the customer, no? I feel like that'd be a bad idea.
I do think that NACS will solve any lingering "range anxiety." I think if the Tesla supercharger network stays as reliable and fast as it is now (and continues to grow), any manufacturer that adopts NACS will have the charging infrastructure concerns mostly sorted out.
I at first thought with both the Tesla 4680 battery and the Cyber truck are doing double duty.
The 4680 battery was designed for something better later on than it's current formula, and the Cyber truck is on an eventual Van platform.
The 4680 battery was designed for something better later on than it's current formula, and the Cyber truck is on an eventual Van platform.
I would hope the top is removable and have built in floor anchors for securing loads. I would like a sunroof (could be removable glass?) Have a smart tow system (load indicator). Washable interior/floors
If I heard correctly a neighbor who recently got hired by the USPS told me that he had to attend a week long course before the Post Office would allow him to drive a RHD vehicle. And I recall being told that Jeep wouldn't order you one unless you had a letter from the Post Office certifying that you had a rural route that needs one. I have the sense that somewhere in the bureaucracy there are folks who really don't want RHD vehicles on the road in the USA. Contrast that with my experience visiting New Zealand where the rental agency didn't even ask if I knew that the country was RHD and the round-a-bouts were clockwise. // In the Scout 80/800 bodies the footwells were different width on the left and right, and when the bucket seats came along they too were different widths. Standard shift RHD Scouts had the three pedals in a much tighter space, and if you were wearing big (snow) boots, clearances between pedals became tricky. (Good reason for the Postal Scout Contract to order automatics.) I would hope (and suggest) that if SM plans on including RHD at any point they should make the cabin design truly equal on each side so that the RHD to LHD manufacture is truly flippable. (Indeed for me the clearances in my LHD 80 & 800 are pretty tight these days because so much current footware has flared soles.) I hope SM eventually does give us a Service Utility Vehicle, and that it will have a RHD option available.
Keypad inside the charge port door to enable locking the keys/FOB in the cab or frunk even with the doors off.
A decent Frunk one could lock their stuff in when surfing, swimming camping would be great. I could see my scout having a Bimini top and no doors so this really needs to be a thing.
A "No cloth and carpet" option would be great.
A decent Frunk one could lock their stuff in when surfing, swimming camping would be great. I could see my scout having a Bimini top and no doors so this really needs to be a thing.
A "No cloth and carpet" option would be great.
Because it bears the name "Scout" I'm going to assume that Adventure/Offroad capability, toughness and fun should always be a top priority design guidelines, possibly at the expense of comfort, luxury, convenience, and technology for the sake of technology. That means that any vehicle bearing the name Scout (at any trim level) should come with high ground clearance, fat tires, ample horsepower, advanced torque vectoring, exceptional visibility, and toughness out-of-the-box. As the owner of very capable on and off-road EV currently (Rivian R1S Quad Motor), I have a pretty good idea of where the industry is currently, but for a re-imagined Scout, I'd like to see the following:
1) Don't make ANY feature decisions for your customers. None.
Make ONE highly modular Scout EV, not a bunch of different trim levels, names, and "editions." Every Scout should start with the exact same drivetrain and frame. The same power and offroad capability. Give us EVERYTHING else a-la-cart and modular from the batteries, to seats, to the electronics.
That means, if I want a bare-bones Scout pickup (Seating for 2, no roof, no radio, 200 miles of range) I should be able to get that for $35k. It's an empty tub and an absolute demon offroad.
If I want to spend $80k, let me configure a Scout 7 passenger SUV with 400+ miles of range, custom paint, custom wheels, bigger tires, long travel suspension, satellite navigation, communication, and wifi, cooled/heated seats, rooftop tent, and awnings - I should be able to do that too.
Here's the most important thing - If everybody's Scout is the same "hub" and every accessory/feature is modular, you can always add more batteries and range when you need it...or take it off when you don't. Convert your passenger seating to a truck bed when you pick up furniture. Add a 3rd row when you go to the movies. Maybe you can even borrow some of your neighbor's batteries for the week you go camping and They're just commuting to work. Think of the community you could build if every scout could share features with any other Scout.
From a manufacturing standpoint, think of how cheaply you could manufacture and sell one base product. Think of how much easier it would be to service ONE model of car. All of your profits come from add-on sales and this year's hottest new accessories. Suddenly Scout would be the only EV manufacturer making money the way the auto industry used to, with parts and accessories for used cars and fleet that keeps evolving, upgrading, and riding new trends.
Think of the loyal community and following you'd create if everyone could choose exactly the features that were important to them. Features that could be upgraded, bought, sold, and traded with others in the Scout community, whenever they wanted or needed to. That would be the game changer that could lure all of the Jeeple and TRD Bros right to your local Scout Outfitter.
Don't try to pre-package and market a lifestyle EV to me. Sell me a platform that I can personalize. Let me build MY Scout, exactly the way I want it.
1) Don't make ANY feature decisions for your customers. None.
Make ONE highly modular Scout EV, not a bunch of different trim levels, names, and "editions." Every Scout should start with the exact same drivetrain and frame. The same power and offroad capability. Give us EVERYTHING else a-la-cart and modular from the batteries, to seats, to the electronics.
That means, if I want a bare-bones Scout pickup (Seating for 2, no roof, no radio, 200 miles of range) I should be able to get that for $35k. It's an empty tub and an absolute demon offroad.
If I want to spend $80k, let me configure a Scout 7 passenger SUV with 400+ miles of range, custom paint, custom wheels, bigger tires, long travel suspension, satellite navigation, communication, and wifi, cooled/heated seats, rooftop tent, and awnings - I should be able to do that too.
Here's the most important thing - If everybody's Scout is the same "hub" and every accessory/feature is modular, you can always add more batteries and range when you need it...or take it off when you don't. Convert your passenger seating to a truck bed when you pick up furniture. Add a 3rd row when you go to the movies. Maybe you can even borrow some of your neighbor's batteries for the week you go camping and They're just commuting to work. Think of the community you could build if every scout could share features with any other Scout.
From a manufacturing standpoint, think of how cheaply you could manufacture and sell one base product. Think of how much easier it would be to service ONE model of car. All of your profits come from add-on sales and this year's hottest new accessories. Suddenly Scout would be the only EV manufacturer making money the way the auto industry used to, with parts and accessories for used cars and fleet that keeps evolving, upgrading, and riding new trends.
Think of the loyal community and following you'd create if everyone could choose exactly the features that were important to them. Features that could be upgraded, bought, sold, and traded with others in the Scout community, whenever they wanted or needed to. That would be the game changer that could lure all of the Jeeple and TRD Bros right to your local Scout Outfitter.
Don't try to pre-package and market a lifestyle EV to me. Sell me a platform that I can personalize. Let me build MY Scout, exactly the way I want it.
There is a lot of appeal to what you write. Unfortunately Jamie has already stated that there will be several editions/models/trims. Somehow I hope that SM will find a middle ground between that method of manufacture and merchandising vs. the build it to suit method you (and I) hope for.
Today I took my bare bones 65 Scout on a trip over the mountains to a doctor's appointment. It is as pure and simple as they come, except that when I bought it I ordered it with the Warn overdrive. I have driven it about 180K in 59 years and 2 months that I have owned it. The seats needed re-upholstery, and living in the Northeast it has seen many of the standard rust repairs, but it remains true to purpose. No back seat, just an empty space that held my geologist's tools and samples, or dogs and kids going to school or kennel, or camping gear for places from Florida to northern Quebec (and places in between). It towed U-Hauls when we moved, and with an added a tow-bar and canoes on top it got towed to the pull-out site when we canoed longer rivers. But today, totally empty, with the windows open, so noisy I had to turn down my hearing aids, but of all my Scouts it is still my favourite drive.
I purchased new three Scouts (2 80s and 1 II) and one Travelall back then, and in each case I recall setting with the salesman as we went over the options. I recall starting with doors: did I want them? Roll-down or sliders? Simple bail handles or arm-rests on the inside? On and on through a long list. He listened to my needs, and educated me when it came to choosing transmissions and axle gear ratios. The first two were bare, the third set up for snow plowing, and the Travelall for family camping across the continent. In all cases I purchased from truck dealerships, so the sales people were already attuned to dealing with customers about details. Not sure marketing today could find the practical, educated people that staffed those dealerships 60 years ago. I look back on a very satisfying and educational experience buying my IH's; and of the three I own now, the one I spec'd with Sheffy Motors in Easton, PA remains my favorite.
From what I read about the computerization of the manufacturing process and the supply chain capabilities to get just the right part there exactly when needed, it seems that the assembly plants are fully equipped to implement "built-to-spec". I imagine it must be the marketing and sales forces that are holding this back.
Amazing history you have with this iconic brand. I've been watching EV manufacturers pretty closely over the past ten years or so, but admittedly, I don't even have a fraction of the experience you have with IH. I love the original and restored Scout and Scout II vehicles that I've seen around the small beach community where I live and I'm excited to see the brand "revived" as an EV. I want the Scout EV to be more than just another truck, SUV, or crossover. Scout has the opportunity to come to market with something really unique and special, befitting the name and legacy that they have taken up. They owe it to people like yourself who never stopped being Scout owners. I suppose I could have gone on the same rant about another manufacturer like Land Rover producing an iconic EV (as I would have hoped for the return of the Defender), but as I see it (and as their name implies), Scout has lead the way and been an inspiration for several generations of purpose-built, utility-first vehicles. I have much higher hopes for them than an electric VW skateboard wearing early 1970s-inspired body panels. I'd love to see the Scout come back as part of a really groundbreaking and completely new vehicle and business model.
I guess we'll all stand by and see what happens.
I am onboard with these thoughts -HOWEVER, as a designer in the building industry -and it relates to vehicles too-people as a whole find it very hard to commit to a purchase when multiple decisions need to be made. Many refer to it as “paralysis by analysis”. People get overwhelmed, then frustrated and then they either A-bale all together or B pick something that’s readily available even if they don’t like it.
We are all enthusiasts here and ironically in the big scheme of things we are the 5-10% that will buy Scouts based on emotion and legacy of the vehicle. The majority of buyers-albeit sadly will buy the black on black dealer showroom model because it’s safe and easy.
The irony of it is sad but this is a major reason why parts are packaged rather than optioned. Same thing happens with every bulk builder in the US.
It’s also easier to package from a parts on site POV. Easier to know you’re going to need 4,000 LED front light sets based on the top selling package vs having to inventory the same number and guess whether it will be 10 or 5,000 buyers who will select it as an al a cart option.
Wish it wasn’t that way!
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I sure do understand the psychology you describe, our rushing society living in a deluge of info often lacks the time and resources to support study and consideration. That's why my first graph hopes that SM will eventually find a middle ground.; and my last graph hints at why it should be possible.
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