Scout Harvester PHEV tows 50% lower than EV, completely different battery chemistry

• Scout Harvester plug-in sequence hybrid will use LFP battery chemistry
• Harvester variations will not tow as a lot or speed up as rapidly as EVs
• Rear-mounted range-extender confirmed as a non-turbo 4-cylinder engine

The Volkswagen Group’s new Scout Motors model is not scheduled to ship its first autos for an additional two years, however particulars proceed to trickle out.

Scout unveiled idea variations of its Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck final fall, with all-electric powertrains and a plug-in hybrid model dubbed Harvester. A drivable prototype of the Traveler just lately appeared on Jay Leno’s Storage, with Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh fielding technical questions from comic and automotive presenter Jay Leno.

Scout has beforehand quoted a complete vary of 150 miles all-electric, amounting to a complete of 500 miles of mixed gasoline and electrical energy for the Harvester fashions. With their plug-in series-hybrid powertrain, a gasoline engine acts as a generator to constantly cost the battery pack, just like the Ram 1500 Ramcharger.

Scout Traveler prototype on Jay Leno’s Storage

The Scout CEO additionally confirmed that Harvester fashions will use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells instead of the nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells for use in all-electric Scout fashions that purpose for 350 miles of vary. That is an odd selection for a plug-in hybrid, the place NMC is usually the usual as a result of its extra versatile energy supply traits, plus their greater vitality density in order to not add as a lot weight. However it might assist preserve battery prices and carbon footprint low, one thing Scout has indicated are priorities.

The Harvester fashions’ range-extending generator shall be a naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine, Keogh confirmed, seemingly from the VW Group steady. Harvesters may have 15-gallon gas tanks and, along with all-electric and hybrid modes, a “Heavy Obligation Mode” meant for severe-use purposes like towing, Keogh mentioned.

Nevertheless, towing functionality shall be considerably much less for Harvester fashions than for all-electric fashions, Keogh indicated. He mentioned the plug-in hybrids would tow as much as 5,000 kilos, in comparison with 7,000 kilos for all-electric variations of the Traveler SUV and 10,000 kilos for the Terra pickup. That is seemingly as a result of selection of LFP battery chemistry, which is much less capable of produce bursts of energy when known as upon like NMC chemistry.

Plug-in hybrids may even be 1.0 second slower from 0-60 mph than EVs, Keogh mentioned. However at 4.5 seconds, they’re going to nonetheless be fairly fast for large off-roaders. And in an interview revealed in January, Keogh mentioned the principle motivator for purchasers reserving the Harvester plug-in hybrids is avoiding vary nervousness, so these prospects is probably not as bothered by a dip in efficiency. 

On the time of that interview, Keogh mentioned reservations for plug-in hybrid fashions had been outpacing all-electric fashions. He additionally informed Leno that the Traveler SUV at present accounts for 70% of reservations, with simply 30% of shoppers choosing the Terra pickup.

Scout is actually dwelling up its title throughout the VW Group, which does not at present have any range-extended EVs amongst its many manufacturers. Nor do these manufacturers use a body-on-frame structure like one developed for Scout to make sure real off-road functionality. Scout may even make use of the VW Group’s 800-volt experience whereas adopting Rivian’s zonal electrical structure, which VW now has entry to underneath its partnership with that automaker. As soon as pioneered by Scout, these options may very well be scaled to different autos throughout the VW Group.