Externally mounted Harvester - Ridiculous?

[Miranda]

We've all seen this photo, but I find it inspiring. My fantasy configuration would be a custom inverter generator shaped like a suitcase. It lives in your garage most of the year, but when it is time for that cross country vacay, the Harvester slides into the tailgate spare tire mount looking all Scoutey. (The spare can go in the frunk or the cargo area)

No need to reduce batteries and electric range to make room for the motor and gas tank, the Harvester is self contained, removable and trickle charges your batteries for the first 350 miles of EV range. Adds about as much extra weight as picking up a hitchhiker. Too far fetched?

https://www.scoutevforum.com/forum/attachments/img_9170-jpeg.36894/

 

[Yamapro]

Or just put a diesel engine in the truck and get better range, good mileage, good torque and not have to worry about the EV problems

 

[mcm4ss]

Or just put a diesel engine in the truck and get better range, good mileage, good torque and not have to worry about the EV problems

EV have less problems by far. Just range everyone worries about. As if they all sit behind the wheel for 8 hrs straight. Like truckers. Never move. And there is no electricity anywhere.

 

[colinnwn]

To get a decent amount of energy to be worth it, it needs to be nearly double that size and weigh closer to 300 lbs. Then you have to deal with flexible releasable fuel lines that are idiot proof and don't risk a future lawsuit, and meeting emissions requirements unless they could figure out a workaround for an OEM vehicle manufacturer.

To get close to the size and weigh needed to be practical they'd need to look into a new engine technology like LiquidPiston.

It's a cool idea, but impractical for a new vehicle manufacturer trying to derisk their launch by 2027.

 

[Yamapro]

I’m on my 4th Ford 6.7 diesel and over 1 million miles driven between those 4 trucks. Not one of them ever needed to go to a shop. I also don’t spend multiple hours refueling. If a diesel was offered it would outsell the EV 2 to 1……