EV Jeeps

[Rvinyl.com]

Hi everyone,

I was just reading a post on the future of EVs in off-roading and four-wheeling circles and was left wondering what Jeep owners and enthusiasts think (see here for the article: http://auto-trim.org/2013/12/24/offroading-in-an-ev/). Will this catch on anytime soon? There's no question that the benefits for the environment are there but the tech is not quite ready yet. In addition there is the recent prediction form the US Dept of Energy that states that most cars on the road by 2040 will still use gas. So, is it just wishful thinking to assume that sooner rather than later we will be getting Jeeps and rock crawlers which are true EVs?

[ocnblu]

I was glad to see the US Dep't of Energy hasn't lost their marbles. Fossil fuels are, and will be king for many, many decades to come. YAY!

[Drew Dowdell]

I think making a torque monster Jeep EV rock crawler would be fun.

[SAmadei]

Knowing that battery packs don't like water or impacts with hard, pointy objects, I question how wise using a EV for rock climbing or river crossing is going to be.

[Drew Dowdell]

They wouldn't be mounted the same way in a Jeep... and a Jeep isn't going to be rock climbing at 65 mph

[SAmadei]

How would it be mounted? On the roof? A heavy battery pack is going to be mounted fairly low in any vehicle, rock crawler, included.

And who said anything needed to be going 65 mph? You can be barely rolling and have the body crash down on the battery pack, either shorting out a cell or causing the coolant and/or electrolyte to drain out. The Fiskers weren't moving at all when water infiltration destroyed them.

Sure, regular 4x4s require special prep, and I'm sure an EV Jeep can be made, I just doubt its going to last.

[Rvinyl.com]

I think the thrust of the article was that the technology isn't there at present but should be there soon. I'm glad to see so many comments though and you've all given me plenty to think about. Happy New Year everyone!

[Drew Dowdell]

How would it be mounted? On the roof? A heavy battery pack is going to be mounted fairly low in any vehicle, rock crawler, included.

And who said anything needed to be going 65 mph? You can be barely rolling and have the body crash down on the battery pack, either shorting out a cell or causing the coolant and/or electrolyte to drain out. The Fiskers weren't moving at all when water infiltration destroyed them.

Sure, regular 4x4s require special prep, and I'm sure an EV Jeep can be made, I just doubt its going to last.

They make fuel cells to mount higher in Jeeps for the exact same reason... if you're going to trash your Jeep by landing on some rocks, does it really matter if you hit a gas tank and bend the frame or hit a battery pack and bend the frame?

[SAmadei]

They make fuel cells to mount higher in Jeeps for the exact same reason... if you're going to trash your Jeep by landing on some rocks, does it really matter if you hit a gas tank and bend the frame or hit a battery pack and bend the frame?

You can put a dent in your gas tank or your frame and keep going. Putting a hole in a gas tank is something you can fix with a bar of soap. Denting or poking a battery pack and having it short out or overheat and catch fire is something different entirely.

One of the hallmarks of 4x4ing is that you can't have your 4x4 destroy itself. You need to limp out. Being stuck out in the wilderness can be a matter of life and death. Though I suppose that the column of smoke coming from one's 4x4 EV burning might bring some attention.

A wrecked 4x4 is something of an environmental mess. A burned out 4x4 EV is a bigger environmental mess.

For these reasons, and many more, an EV 4x4 is going to be a hard sell to the hardcore 4x4 crowd.

[Drew Dowdell]

Only the Tesla Model-S had suffered from any of the symptoms you're talking about. The Nissan Leaf hasn't and the only known fire in the Volt only happen after it was wrecked and left on its back for days as part of an experiment.

The Telsa's battery is mounted where it is for ease of fast swap-outs as they get their battery swap network up and running.

There is no reason a Jeep EV would have the battery in the same place.