Article: Why More People Are Ordering The Hybrid Scout Harvester (EREV) Than The Electric One

[MadGreek]

Why More People Are Ordering The Hybrid Scout Than The Electric One

If 2024 was the “Year of the Hybrid,” then I think it’s fair to say that the next ten years in the United States will be the “Decade of the EREV.”

https://www.theautopian.com/why-more-people-are-ordering-the-hybrid-scout-than-the-electric-one/

 

[Jrgunn5150]

The reason is straightforward enough.

People are highly dishonest with themselves.

In spite of decades of data about how little distance people cover per day, how often their pickup hauls anything, how often it tows anything...

People insist they tow the USS Nimitz up the Eisenhower pass everyday on their 1100 mile trip to work, and need range to match that.

Then say, you drive 39 miles each way to work, thats so far!

No particular reason Scout, and Ram, shouldn't capitalize on that.

 

[joewilk45]

https://apple.news/AZAN-zqCeQQ6cFVKcmRqYnQ

 

[joewilk45]

https://jalopnik.com/2028-scout-terra-pickup-and-traveler-suv-revealed-as-re-1851679898

 

[Fins160]

https://apple.news/AZAN-zqCeQQ6cFVKcmRqYnQ

Love a misleading article title.

Zero people have ordered a Harvester Scout. Or a BEV Scout. Orders are not open.

Absolutely, it makes sense that most users that reserve a Scout, all things being equal, are going to tick the “Harvester” option. It’s a differentiating feature against most other electric offerings. It costs users nothing today to select that. What will be interesting is the cost difference and actual functionality when ordering.

Will the harvester option with smaller battery be more or less expensive than the BEV version when it finally debuts? Will it allow you to run just on gas, or will it require some battery charge to keep going? I’ve seen lots of speculation but they haven’t released any details. What is clear is Harvester option will add a lot of engineering and maintenance complexity. Whether users will actually pull the trigger on a real order, with thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in the balance, remains to be seen.

 

[fuhseeshuss]

Love a misleading article title.

Zero people have ordered a Harvester Scout. Or a BEV Scout. Orders are not open.

Absolutely, it makes sense that most users that reserve a Scout, all things being equal, are going to tick the “Harvester” option. It’s a differentiating feature against most other electric offerings. It costs users nothing today to select that. What will be interesting is the cost difference and actual functionality when ordering.

Will the harvester option with smaller battery be more or less expensive than the BEV version when it finally debuts? Will it allow you to run just on gas, or will it require some battery charge to keep going? I’ve seen lots of speculation but they haven’t released any details. What is clear is Harvester option will add a lot of engineering and maintenance complexity. Whether users will actually pull the trigger on a real order, with thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in the balance, remains to be seen.

I think this is the key. If the EREV has the same battery capacity as the BEV, I can totally see going that route if you want to put down the extra $$$. If not, why? The vast majority of people do not need more than 300 miles of range.

Have done multiple long-range trips with our EVs (C40 and Polestar 2). Think 800+ mile one way trips. Just no real issue - especially post Supercharger access.

 

[quikster]

I think this is the key. If the EREV has the same battery capacity as the BEV, I can totally see going that route if you want to put down the extra $$$. If not, why? The vast majority of people do not need more than 300 miles of range.

Have done multiple long-range trips with our EVs (C40 and Polestar 2). Think 800+ mile one way trips. Just no real issue - especially post Supercharger access.

They've said current estimates are 300 EV, 500 EREV 150 Electric only + 350 gas to me that seems like a perfect amount. Around town if plugged in regularly (+ my solar panels I already have) it would cost almost nothing, but then if I want to drive up to my cabin which is just over ~310 miles away and uphill to the mountains from sea level it would do it without having to stop at a charger, which is especially great when I want to bring my kayaks with me on the trailer so I don't have to unhook my trailer, then charge it, then hook it back up.

 

[Overproof]

With some people it's as simple as range anxiety. If you don't have an EV currently the range extender makes for an easier choice to transition into a electric vehicle.

But many of us actually need the extra range and flexibility as well. It doesn't matter if you don't need it every day. If you tow a boat or a camper once or twice a year you will still get benefits from the extender. If you take extended trips to off grid places on occasion you will benefit even if it doesn't matter for daily driving.

Consider a two week trip into the Maze District of Canyonlands (one of my favorite places). An overlanding rig is going to be heavy. It's going to be weighed down with gear and have a lot of crap hanging off of it like possibly a rooftop tent, an awning, etc. Then put it in 4 low with aired down tires and go over obstacles for hours. The range of gas or electric is going to drop dramatically. A pure EV will almost certainly leave you stranded before you find your way back to civilization and a charging station. With a gas option for charging you can bring along several extra cans.

 

[vivaphx]

The reason is straightforward enough.

People are highly dishonest with themselves.

In spite of decades of data about how little distance people cover per day, how often their pickup hauls anything, how often it tows anything...

People insist they tow the USS Nimitz up the Eisenhower pass everyday on their 1100 mile trip to work, and need range to match that.

Then say, you drive 39 miles each way to work, thats so far!

No particular reason Scout, and Ram, shouldn't capitalize on that.

I 100% agree with this. But I didn't really even realize it until I had an electric car. My craziest 'normal' days I drive like 100 miles in the city. I'm down to like 40% in my ID.4 and then I plug in and it's back to 80% before midnight. In my first week of ownership I signed up for all of the Fast Charging companies apps and did tons of charging speed research. I've only used a DC fast charger like 3 times after the initial first week of me just using it to teach my self. I'm so in on EV only for my Terra that I'll use to never tow anything, but excited to have my first truck to help myself move every 4-8 years. /s Also, I want that front Bench seat.

 

[colinnwn]

The reason is straightforward enough.

People are highly dishonest with themselves.

In spite of decades of data about how little distance people cover per day, how often their pickup hauls anything, how often it tows anything...

People insist they tow the USS Nimitz up the Eisenhower pass everyday on their 1100 mile trip to work, and need range to match that.

Then say, you drive 39 miles each way to work, thats so far!

No particular reason Scout, and Ram, shouldn't capitalize on that.

I think saying everyone is dishonest about it is an inaccurately dismissive way to view it.

If it's pure anxiety then yes it's a little bit silly and wasteful not to be able to objectively change your viewpoint. But that's what anxiety represents until an outside influence makes you more comfortable.

Then there are people like me who tow my camper out to west Texas twice a year where I can see there are not always available chargers within my towing range and there are plenty of reports of broken chargers that would ruin my vacation and cause a big expense if I encountered it.

There are a couple ways to think about this. 95% of the time I don't need that huge expensive 350 mi battery.

A cheaper combo of 100 mi battery to use on 95% of city trips and a range extender for the 5% makes a lot more sense.

Some people argue you should just rent a car the 5% of the time when your EV isn't adequate. I'm not going to spend 60k on a vehicle that doesn't 99.9% meet my needs. Renting a tow capable truck with electric brakes installed is very expensive irregular expense, sometimes what you ordered isn't available when you go to pick it up, I'm not familiar with driving it, it isn't set up how I like, and they are generally meant for contractor use and are not comfortable. It's a really bad option.

The EREV is the best option for me other than buying another 10 year old ICE vehicle which is what I normally do, and the only other thing I would consider.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Then there are people like me who tow my camper out to west Texas twice a year where I can see there are not always available chargers within my towing range and there are plenty of reports of broken chargers that would ruin my vacation and cause a big expense if I encountered it.

With or without the range extender, you're not going to tow anything over 3500 lbs or so more than 200 miles with an EV or Range Extended EV.

If that's the most important thing to you in your vehicle purchase, no EV is good enough.

If you're willing to make the stops every 2 hours to charge for one hour, then any of the trucks are good enough.

 

[quikster]

With or without the range extender, you're not going to tow anything over 3500 lbs or so more than 200 miles with an EV or Range Extended EV.

If that's the most important thing to you in your vehicle purchase, no EV is good enough.

If you're willing to make the stops every 2 hours to charge for one hour, then any of the trucks are good enough.

except he doesn't have to stop to charge while towing, he can just get gas and get back on the road.

 

[colinnwn]

With or without the range extender, you're not going to tow anything over 3500 lbs or so more than 200 miles with an EV or Range Extended EV.

If that's the most important thing to you in your vehicle purchase, no EV is good enough.

If you're willing to make the stops every 2 hours to charge for one hour, then any of the trucks are good enough.

We have no confirmed evidence from Scout to base that statement on. Though I am worried it is a possibility, and it would mean I don't fulfill my reservation.

I've done the calculation to figure out what KWh rating the Harvester needs to maintain towing approximately that amount on flat ground with a depleted battery.

EREVs absolutely can do this if appropriately speced. In fact the coming Ram Charger is designed for this and I would consider it as an alternative if the Scout Harvester isn't big enough. Though Ram is using a very simple 3.6 L Pentastar V6, which is an EREV and not a parallel hybrid, versus what we think Scout may use of a 3 or 4 cylinder turbocharged VW group engine.

And it isn't just 'willing' to stop to charge. Where i go at least twice a year they simply don't exist, or maybe there is one, barely within range, that if it was broken I would be screwed for multiple days charging at 110v or doing a long distance tow of my truck leaving my trailer behind.

 

[smboogie]

The reason is actually very simple, living with an EV as a primary vehicle is challenging and time consuming, and this is from an owner of an Tesla Y in the Bay Area with lots of charger options. The simple, hard and uncomfortable truth is that for around town driving they are great IF you can plug in at your home and speed to charge is not a factor.
When the miles need to be a bit farther that's where the trade offs become very obvious. If you are doing any sort of long distance driving over say 150'ish miles, yes they can go over 200 on a charge but the logistics dictate you can't wait that long so you will need to think about charging long before you would have in a gas car.
Also the length of time at the charger will be much longer than filling up with gas, yes it's cheaper but isn't your time worth something? On a recent trip with my wife and group, all in EV's over 3 days we spent at least 3-4 hours charging our vehicles. That's just us sitting at chargers or going in the morning before an activity.

I'm not saying EVs are bad just that there are trade offs to be aware of and for some I understand that they are not worth it. For me hybrids seem to be the best of both worlds and I hope to see more vehicles offered with these options.

 

[M3_R2]

Hybrids and EREV's are just a distraction at this moment in time and for the next 3-5 years. Once battery and charging tech is advanced enough, it will be BEV from that point forward unless something better comes along.

You can always rent a truck to do your trips once or twice a year. That alone solves it for many people.

I can't help but think there will be a good chunk of Harvester buyers that end up with remorse.

I'd rather buy a 3/4 ton diesel truck than a RAM EREV. This is a product for the mfg, not the buyer.

I will be holding out for a solid state BEV. Whether that's a Scout (doesn't need to be at launch) or something else, remains to be seen. Will be interesting to see where the QuantumScape batteries go among the VAG vehicles.

I'm not saying Hybrids/EREV's are bad, just that there are trade offs .