Is an EV Gladiator Better Off-Road Than a Traditional Gas Jeep - Let's Find Out! [TFL]

[Koryluke]

EVs are coming. I think 4xe is an excellent alt and next step. I personally drive a fuel-friendly daily which I think should be more normalized(I know that's a privilege). I also understand the distrust/reliability issues with EVs or hybrids for off-grid life. Simple combustion engines are easier to mend on the go. That being said, my 2020 Overland is a turd. It has had nonstop electrical issues like failed sensors and is not something I would trust my life on deep in the wilderness.

I implore you to embrace this change and keep a good 'ol gasser as an offroad rig. Something else I learned from old head 4x4 guys is why are you beating the shit out of the vehicle you rely on to get to work? New technology is incredible.

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[ShadowsPapa]

The batteries get memory when not properly maintained and the cost to replace you might as well buy a new car.

Incorrect. That's true for non-EV batteries of certain types, but not EV batteries - or even hybrids, because the in-vehicle electronics handles this. And when driving, the electronics in the vehicle handle that part as well. You can't possibly over-charge them. They also charge the last 20% more slowly. You're getting a lot of bad or old information.

Oh and batteries catching fire is a real thing, reason your home owners insurance will go up if they know you park a EV inside with a charge station.

Wrong again. I know of no one who has had insurance go up due to owning an EV or charging station. My son, in FL, has a pure EV and a level 2 charger and I've got a 4xe with a level 2 charger. Insurance does NOT go up, nor should it. The only issue is that they may not cover the charging equipment - and they may make you secure the charger for safety reasons (well, DUH!!!)

And this BS about fires with EVs - fact is they are not more likely to burn - just that in the rare cases where they do, it's a big deal, makes the news and people who know no better post it on forums as if "here we go again, another EV catches fire!"

In other words, 0.3% of EVs catch fire compared to over 1% of ICE vehicles. So you are 3 times MORE likely to have a fire with an ICE vehicle! There you have it. Apples to apples - percentages compared.
Of every 100 cars, 1 ICE car will catch fire and not even one EV will catch fire.

So please get some facts, stop the fear-mongering and mis-information.

EVs = LESS likely to catch fire. If insurance companies won't raise your rates for having an EV, they obviously know the truth as if there was a bigger risk, you know which way your rates would go!

The batteries in EVs are often shielded, wrapped, to prevent fires from spreading. Newer is even better.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

EVs really only have one major problem for me: no clutch. And with all the EV makers out there working on "one pedal driving" as a feature, and to my knowledge the only EVs on the market that actually have a (2 speed automatic) transmission being the Porsche Taycan and Audi eTron GT... the future doesn't look bright for those of us who enjoy a more engaging drive.

The lone bright spot is the Jeep Magneto concept, which was pure BEV with a 6 speed manual complete with clutch pedal. But that was definitely more a "proof of concept" car than a pre-production concept car.

You may be happy to know that one car maker is working with that and designing a fake manual transmission to give you the control and feel of a stick.

There's no real reason for a transmission on a pure EV, only hybrids. the pure EV has so much torque and power they don't need a downshift for a hill.....

 

[Rahkmalla]

You may be happy to know that one car maker is working with that and designing a fake manual transmission to give you the control and feel of a stick.

There's no real reason for a transmission on a pure EV, only hybrids. the pure EV has so much torque and power they don't need a downshift for a hill.....

Gonna say 2 things that are a little bit contradictory, but i think they both serve their purposes individually:
1. Porsche/Audi seems to think there is a purpose for a transmission on an EV
2. There is no real reason for a manual transmission on modern vehicles at all, except for the fact that I like them and enjoy the engagement of driving them.

As for a fake manual that gives the control and feel, no thanks. I want a clutch with a mechanical pedal. anything short is just lies. I want the Magneto to be real.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I fixed it for you to show that it doesnt work for you. Meanwhile, for a much larger portion of the population, it would work just fine even for offroading.

My typical offroading trip is a 60 mile trip with the camper, hook up (can charge off the nema 14-50 right at the campsite), next day do about 50 miles of trails, return to camp, camp out, do some more trips here or there out of base camp, then come home. I'd actually have less range anxiety as i'm filling up every night off the pole compared to gas when i have to make sure I fill up at the highway exit and fill up on the entryway home.

Also for the fires, the issue isnt lithium, its the electrolyte. A whole bunch of solid state and semi-solid state batteries are coming online in the next couple years that will be substantially less prone to fire since the electrolyte is non-flammable.

Yeah, look at the crazy new tech from Toyota - solid state batteries with wild ranges.

As far as power grids - no problem here in Iowa. We export energy, we are over 80% renewable.

Lithium is being successfully recycled. More companies are buying old phones, laptops and other batteries. roughly 99% of a lithium battery can be recycled.

I'm not suggesting we all go jump on EVs instantly, right now, every one of us - just that by the time it's really widespread, the tech will be better, the prices down, the rage expanded greatly. In the meantime, the 4xe is a great option and even my millennial son says a JT 4xe would be really cool.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Gonna say 2 things that are a little bit contradictory, but i think they both serve their purposes individually:
1. Porsche/Audi seems to think there is a purpose for a transmission on an EV
2. There is no real reason for a manual transmission on modern vehicles at all, except for the fact that I like them and enjoy the engagement of driving them.

As for a fake manual that gives the control and feel, no thanks. I want a clutch with a mechanical pedal. anything short is just lies. I want the Magneto to be real.

I hear ya and can't really disagree. I did keep the T5 in my SX4 for a reason even though I know my wife can't legally drive it that way...........
As for your #1 - did you see Audi is partnered with a Chinese company for their next EV platform because they couldn't come up with their own? I know my son owns one, but geesh, that really dropped my thinking of Audi when I saw the direction they are going.

#2 - yeah, I get that. I need an automatic for my purposes for my truck, but I get what you say.

 

[j.o.y.ride]

The guy did say that it had different springs and shocks to bring it back to the Rubicon ride height which you would expect.
As far as weigh goes yes it does weigh more but with approximately twice the HP and way more torque this thing is capable of a 0 to 60 time of 4 seconds…

The last thing I want to do in this truck, besides drive on a sheer cliff edge, is go 0-60 in 4 seconds.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The last thing I want to do in this truck, besides drive on a sheer cliff edge, is go 0-60 in 4 seconds.

100 likes for speaking such truth!

 

[Lunentucker]

I'm holding out for the tri-media 0 mach capable tic-tac. I do hope I can still take the top and doors off.

https://www.history.com/videos/uss-nimitz-tic-tac-ufo-declassified-video

 

[Chief_jeep]

My takeaway and speculations from this video:

- 6500lbs is very heavy for a "stock" vehicle setup
- The rear axle inverter looks massive and appears to hang very low. You can see it drag or come very close to dragging in multiple spots and this terrain is incredibly mild
- How does this setup handle a 37"+ tire? Both in terms of damage to components and mileage range
- stock suspension & breaking on a vehicle that is now 1500lbs heavier can't be ideal

 

[AmosMoses]

I always find it funny that in these types of threads there are a couple of people who say "we know it's only a matter of time before all vehicles will be EV", as if we are a collective group of drivers/consumers just buying whatever has been mandated no matter how practical it is for our own individual needs/wants.

The problem with collectivists is that they insist that you participate in their worldview.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

- stock suspension & breaking on a vehicle that is now 1500lbs heavier can't be ideal

Yet the stock max tow is rated for that sort of payload and has no troubles........... I'd hope they were smart and increased the spring rates and shocks accordingly.

Retrofits are never ever as good as a factory design. Putting that equipment in a JT doesn't make it the same as if it was designed and made as an EV.
Even Toyota took apart a Tesla to figure out "how'd they do that?!"

 

[smlobx]

Holy Chit! Some people are so anti EV they can’t get out of their own way..

‘It’s pathetic! Really…

I wasn’t advocating that everyone has to get on board RIGHT THE F$%k now. But to believe that this isn’t coming down the pike is just stupidity on your part…

I sincerely hope that Jeep (and the other manufacturers) at least offer something like this to those people who want one AND keep ICE vehicles available for those who prefer those. It’s not an either or but another arrow in our quiver and as consumers we ultimately have the final say.

I have a Porsche Spyder that is the best handling car I’ve ever driven and I will never sell it no matter how much Porsche tries to cram their EV vision down our throats but I think it makes good business sense for the manufacturers to offer EV versions of their products in case people want it.

Off my soap box now..

 

[Freems]

I am pretty informed with EVs and based my own opinions on them. I don't go with the hype and look at real world use. Besides looking Hippie cool or a daily commuter that's all they are good for at the moment.They do not perform in high heat or cold weather, range varies too much based on load, towing capacity is great to get across the parking lot. The batteries get memory when not properly maintained and the cost to replace you might as well buy a new car. To get any range for a semi the batteries weigh so much by time you hook up to a trailer you will exceed all bridges in the USA. The way lithium is mined is horrible and the amount of lithium we have will be gone in 5 years. So tell me again how I need to do more research? EV as of right now needs to stay with cars, they are great for in town commuting and that is it. UNTIL they come out newer battery technology they will just be a gimmick.

OK Dickster, let me help you with some real world use…I bought new a Tesla X 2020, I‘ve got 30k miles on it now, 3 trips to San Francisco and over a dozen trips to Seattle from Boise ID in it. I driven it in the heat of summers and the dead of winters without a single issue in three years of ownership. I had Tesla test the battery when I had it in for a windshield replacement this spring. The battery tested out at 97%, I keep mine on my home charger, and the super chargers when I travel with it. The Teslas battery lithium wasn’t mined here in the US, Australia and Chile is where 75% of the worlds lithium comes from and refined in China. A couple last real world tidbits, my X will runs circles around Anything I’ve ever driven while carrying 6 passengers and their luggage, Killer gimmick. BTW a train burns diesel fuel in a EMD diesel engine to turn electric tractions motors at the axles to power a train taking nothing from the power grid. Yeah, you need to up your effort on research and get out more.

 

[AmosMoses]

Holy Chit! Some people are so anti EV they can’t get out of their own way..

‘It’s pathetic! Really…

I wasn’t advocating that everyone has to get on board RIGHT THE F$%k now. But to believe that this isn’t coming down the pike is just stupidity on your part…

Iam pro EV, pro clean environment, pro consumer/capitalism driven innovation in technology. Iam an individual though that doesn't like people telling me, as a tax paying citizen that it's inevitable that I swallow the turd sandwich that is in the making. Earn our business like a real fucking company does with new ideas, products and technology and not with propaganda from every large corporation and media outlet trying to get a good corporate grade.

What is truly pathetic, is the average consumer in America cannot muster an ounce of critical thinking anymore to understand what our future may become. I however fully welcome the consequences of that scenario as it will further the pace at which more of us will get engaged with life ???

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