Current EV owners: are you sticking with full-EV or switching to EREV Harvester Scout?

[VolInGa]

I had asked about this in another area of this forum when Scout said the battery size would be reduced in the Harvester model. I was told that 150 miles would be the battery-only range and the rest would be from the gas generator.

From the Scout website.

 

[OscarPhilips]

Full EV or Harvester will depend on the specs closer to the time of manufacturer ... I have attended a number web casts with the DOE, EV researchers, EV designers, etc. and know that motor or no motor is not a simple question, and the design choice is more complex than "let's get rid of 60% of the batteries, add a 60 HP Volkswagen engine and generator, oh and 10 gallons of gasoline."

The engine choice adds 3-4 hundred pounds, which is partially or wholly offset by the battery reduction, but the reduce battery is worked harder, but due to its size and the dead weight of the Harvester hardware when not running. This proportionally higher duty cycle will be harder on the batteries that are left, and the remaining batteries may not be "capacity wise" large enough to absorb all the regenerative breaking.

With the Harvester "add" you now have all the complexity and maintenance of two drive systems, plus the system that integrates the two. Part of the Tesla success is not having to provide thousands of service centers to perform regular oil changes and all the other "stuff" required for an internal combustion engine.

We have almost two years for all the Scout designs to be complete and I am really hoping for the best in battery technology, so I am convinced to go all in on the EV model Traveler.

 

[pcpacker]

Battery only for me. I have a 3500 diesel truck and a MachE. This will be an added vehicle to my home. My wife drives the MachE and we love it. The 3500 truck isn’t a good daily driver but I need it for my truck duties. So the Traveler will be my daily driver and hunting and fishing vehicle for stuff in the 350 mile range. If it’s longer than that or I need to tow a lot, I will take the truck.

 

[NukeDukem]

They aren’t saying that both models will have 350 miles of battery range. It’s not possible given they’ve stated they are reducing the size of the battery in the Harvester model. I had originally hoped, like you, that the Harvester added 150 miles of gas range but that isn’t the case.

 

[Timmdodge60]

Where did you see 150 miles range? Scout is saying 350 miles EV range and 500 with the Harvester.

Here is a related article:
https://electrek.co/2024/10/24/scout-ev-available-pre-order-500-mile-range/

 

[atebit]

Never going back to gas again.

 

[Lakesinai]

Where did you see 150 miles range? Scout is saying 350 miles EV range and 500 with the Harvester.

Yes, but the Harvester option has a smaller battery, and the engine kicks in at 150 miles, meaning that if one gets Harvester, it will be used alot with the smaller battery. I wish they offered the full size battery and Harvester, but there's not room for it . . . And it would be pricey. Harvester design means that on trips over 150 miles, it will always be a partial gas vehicle . . . Begging the question, Why get electric at all? With a home charger and short trips, it's a battery car . . . But a typical (for me) 180 mile round trip day will always require the gas engine to work, unless I find a charger on a 100 mile trip . . . That's pretty inconvenient!

 

[rivianwho]

Question inspired by the stats on the reservation tracking sheet:

It'd be interesting to see how “Own an EV” and “Full electric or electric and gas” correlate.

If you're an EV owner, please answer the attached poll.

And please share what you drive and why you're sticking with full-EV or changing to EREV Hybrid Harvester?

Currently own a 2023 Rivian R1S quad-motor Gen 1 with max range ~308 miles and my daily commute is 100+, so Scout EV 350 max range is plenty.

I have no desire of going back to a gas station and all the required ICE maintenance and fluids/filters changes.

 

[RCannon]

This is a terrific question/poll. Thank you for posting it!

 

[rfk]

FWIW - we have a Grand Highlander Hybrid for family road trips. So Dad's next care will be pure EV - no gas, fluids, oil changes, filters, plugs, exhaust, etc.

If I need to road trip solo out of EV range (which seems to never happen at present), would swap vehicles w/ wife. I'll assume public charging infrastructure is nonexistent.

 

[NukeDukem]

Yes, but the Harvester option has a smaller battery, and the engine kicks in at 150 miles, meaning that if one gets Harvester, it will be used alot with the smaller battery. I wish they offered the full size battery and Harvester, but there's not room for it . . . And it would be pricey. Harvester design means that on trips over 150 miles, it will always be a partial gas vehicle . . . Begging the question, Why get electric at all? With a home charger and short trips, it's a battery car . . . But a typical (for me) 180 mile round trip day will always require the gas engine to work, unless I find a charger on a 100 mile trip . . . That's pretty inconvenient!

That’s my thought too. Current hybrids are the worst of both worlds. Might as well drive a gas vehicle unless all your trips are short. That’s why I’m so disappointed in the Harvester’s battery only range.

 

[maynard]

Here is a related article:
https://electrek.co/2024/10/24/scout-ev-available-pre-order-500-mile-range/

great article - thanks!

 

[DaveGunter]

We have been all EV for three years now, no complaints. It works well for each of our ~60 mile round trip commute. My work has free charging too, so i only charge occasionally at home. We have had no issues with road trips either aside from occasionally having to wait for a charger.

The plans in the next 3-5 years are to travel the US/Canada/Mexico with a camping trailer in tow, pick an area to stay, possibly “work camping” and explore the area in depth with some trips deeper into the backcountry doing some tent camping/backpacking/mt biking/kayaking. At home we are developing some raw land into a homestead and plan to do some “farming” when we are not traveling or get tired of traveling. Seems a good fit for an EREV truck especially one with some decent towing and off road capability. I am hopeful that Scout can follow through with what they have presented as a Terra Harvester would be a great fit. I have a reservation for a Ramcharger but am not really excited about owning a Ram in general or the Ramcharger specifically. Rumors are Ford will be making an EREV Superduty, i will definitely be following that.

 

[mgarciaknight]

Currently own a 2023 Rivian R1S quad-motor Gen 1 with max range ~308 miles and my daily commute is 100+, so Scout EV 350 max range is plenty.

I have no desire of going back to a gas station and all the required ICE maintenance and fluids/filters changes.

I laugh and get irritated at the same time when I still see people posting max range when we all know that is not attainable. EVERYTHING we read about all EVs is the 80% charge point. Meaning at 350 max for the Scout, then the realistic daily chargeable distance is only 280 miles. So lets talk about real world terms. I find the 80% myth ridiculous! I charge my iPhone overnight to 100% and it works just fine the next day. And I do this EVWRY single night, so why not in an EV?

 

[RMK!]

That’s my thought too. Current hybrids are the worst of both worlds. Might as well drive a gas vehicle unless all your trips are short. That’s why I’m so disappointed in the Harvester’s battery only range.

Yes and no. My wife drove Chevy Volts which use the Harvester gas generator method and as her commuter car +/- 25 miles a day she loved her Volts (she had 3 of em). Once she had not added fuel for a full year and the Volt made her drive on gas to empty the tank before she could resume electric only use. The Volt did require oil changes and were in for service related issues several times but overall much better than ICE vehicles.

I originally ordered the Harvester (day after reveal) believing that is was 350 base BEV range for both and another 150 EREV. The 150 mile BEV range for the Harvester was a no go for me.