Scout by... Volkswagen ?!?!?!? Electric, no less.

[charles todd]

I Fear The Volkswagen Scout Will Be A Cowardly Joke

No, I was not surprised to learn that Volkswagen plans to resurrect the Scout nameplate with electric pickup trucks and SUVs. We live in a world where the Ford Mustang is a V8 sports car and yet also, somehow, a five-door, all-wheel drive EV. Words mean nothing and we live on the worst timeline...

jalopnik.com

I love this site. I wish that they wouldn't have succumbed to political correctness. "Nice Price or Crack Pipe" sounded better than "Nice Price or No Dice"...

CT

 

[barts]

Last summer, I was driving up a 'local hill' and was behind a very slow vehicle, with nowhere to pass. (Read: Toyota Prius drawing a trailer). All I could think, my God, I am so glad that I am not behind a Hybrid or EV truck hauling a full size camper through the Rockies! EV's might just kill the desire to haul any camper!

The EV pickups will be plenty fast until they run out of change; unlike gas engines or (and to a less extent) turbo diesels, power doesn't drop w/ altitude. I've hauled our Airstream over Sonora Pass in the Sierra Nevadas (26% grade, 9600 feet) w/ our 90's turbo diesel pickup; we were in 4 low range with the front hubs unlocked to save the automatic transmission from dying from the heat, and doing 25 mph or so. Our Tesla would happily do 5 second 0-60 times there if we could find a straight enough section of road.

Here are the specs for the F150 Lightning: Standard-Range Battery (426 HP / 775 LB-FT TQ) or Extended-Range Battery (563 HP / 775 LB-FT TQ)

Those power rating would not drop at all at altitude.

The slowest vehicles I see are never hybrids or EVs; they're 1970-1980s overloaded RVs with laboring gas engines.

- Bart

 

[cqaigy2]

Sadly, our government has everything to do with the price of oil by increasing regulations, canceling drilling permits, canceling the pipeline, canceling loans and outright declaring that they will cancel the oil industry. To believe that the price of oil is based on the market would mean ignoring everything that is currently being done to restrict drilling in the US where we have more oil then every other country out there. There is so much known oil available that there is no reason for it to cost over $40 a barrel, or have to import it from Russia or Iran.

Except the "government, canceling drilling, permits," etc have nothing to do with the price of oil, that's just a red herring the industry propaganda pumps out. Ask how many millions and millions of acres of public land that are already permitted for drilling and isn't being exploited. It's called making a profit. Price gets too low, stop extracting and bring the price up.

 

[HAR]

I have a good friend who lives near Zurich, Switzerland, and he recently (2019) bought a newer car there. A 4DR Hatch SUV, with 4cyl turbo diesel engine with 6spd automatic, which he says gets great mileage (last week he said averages 43mpg) in the mountainous terrain which he frequently drives in. He has a cottage, approx 2 hours drive from Zurich, which is in ski territory. A week or so ago, when we were discussing fuel price, he said diesel there was about $9.10USD/Gal, which sounds high, but their gasoline prices are just a little bit less expensive ($8.48USD-$8.84USD/gal for 95-98 octane). He said many people there, outside of urban centers, opt of diesel.

I wonder how many of us here would opt for diesel in a vehicle if it was offered by the manufacturers?

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd flip out if I could get a diesel car as reliable as my Yanmar.

 

[nickfank]

I like the fact that the motor only has only one moving part. I understand why mechanics and many 'car guys' don't.

I consider myself to be an amateur mechanic/car guy. I've rebuilt about a dozen engines just because I enjoy tinkering and appreciate well-made machinery. It's hard not to appreciate an EV if you truly enjoy well made machinery. With our EVs, I haven't had the chance to do any repairs yet because they don't need it. However, when I think about the inevitable day when one of them quits working, I'm just as eager as I was when I tore into my first IC engine. This is exciting stuff to people who enjoy tinkering.

I can understand why people who have spent a lifetime learning to work on ICEs are worried about their livelihood... but if you've got the brains to rebuild a tranny or an engine, you can learn the skills to keep an EV running.

 

[kenmbz]

Since the US is dependent on gas and refines much less Diesel, the price of Diesel fluctuates more.
When I see so many Diesel cars and trucks in Europe that we can't get here....

I drive my cars/trucks into the ground and try to buy used (which used to get a big discount). Now I am just trying to keep everything running and away from bad drivers.

Would I buy an EV? Last three people that I know who bought used ones had nothing but trouble (none were teslas).

So hopefully I won't have to answer that questions anytime soon. My friend with an electric VW really likes his. So maybe this will be as well built, even if it does look funny.

 

[California]

...once had a Scout I w/304. body was weak & flimsy, drive train outstanding.

I bought a used mil-spec Wagoneer with that 304 V8 and floor-shift 4-speed. Excellent for family back country camping at our mining claim in the Sierras, 4x4 was needed to get in there. But no A/C so I sold it when our first kid was born. And there were flimsy components, example the hi/lo-beam foot switch with a third surprise position, no lights.

I finally bought a girlie tranny (Subaru Legacy 2015) and got quite used to it. I reckon I'll get used to the EV as well.

Another of the several 4x4's capable of getting into that mining claim (and getting back out if a snowstorm caught us), was/is a '99 Subaru Outback I bought new. I chose the A/T for its ability to crawl gently up the face of a boulder or a curb, in contrast to lurching or burning a clutch. 23 years now and its still in good condition. (California car, no rust). I towed home my 2 most recent tractors with it.

 

[Jstpssng]

.people dump perfectly good vehicles for some sort of econobox that they don't really want or like, but solely because it's better on gas

I’m still waiting. Maybe I’ll get my F250 yet. Or 2500 Ram or Silverado... I’m not picky.

I just can’t justify what it would cost for a new one, when I’ll probably drive it about 2500 miles/year.

 

[Jstpssng]

The EV pickups will be plenty fast until they run out of change; unlike gas engines or (and to a less extent) turbo diesels, power doesn't drop w/ altitude. I've hauled our Airstream over Sonora Pass in the Sierra Nevadas (26% grade, 9600 feet) w/ our 90's turbo diesel pickup; we were in 4 low range with the front hubs unlocked to save the automatic transmission from dying from the heat, and doing 25 mph or so. Our Tesla would happily do 5 second 0-60 times there if we could find a straight enough section of road.

Here are the specs for the F150 Lightning: Standard-Range Battery (426 HP / 775 LB-FT TQ) or Extended-Range Battery (563 HP / 775 LB-FT TQ)

Those power rating would not drop at all at altitude.

The slowest vehicles I see are never hybrids or EVs; they're 1970-1980s overloaded RVs with laboring gas engines.

- Bart

Funny, the slowest vehicles I see ARE Priuses... yet I’ve always thought that was due to the mindset of the people behind the wheel.
I am curious though;

“ Our Tesla would happily do 5 second 0-60 times there if we could find a straight enough section of road.”
You pull your Airstream behind your Tesla?