TouchéDunno, I think this is pretty damn funny.
The kind of off-roading most people actually do.
And the kind we enjoy watching on TV but very very very few people actually participate in.
Fair unbiased set of assumptions. Also fair recognition that CT isn’t a Baja1000 designed offroad vehicle. Best contribution to the discussion of offroad vehicles dividing into trail, watercross, adventure AND competitive track, high speed desert, racing.Also depends on your idea or style off "off-roading".
For the most basic "common" definition, it is things that most SUVs/jeeps do. trails, some hill climbs , muddy holes here and there, a few rocks to "get over", shallow water crossings ... essentially the slow things that most SUVs/jeeps are suited for or you need to do in order to get to places for adventure/camping. For an EV like the Rivian or cyber, that should be just fine. Slow speeds and many stops is actually perfect for EV range.
However, there is another type of off roading that EVs are absolutely garbage at (for now). "High speed" or baja type off roading. Their massive weight, and limited range when operating at high speeds, is not good at all. I think at the recent San Felipe 250 race where Lordstowns motors ran their EV pick up , it only saw them make it 40 miles on the racecourse. When you are out in the dunes or going through the woops there is major drag on the car and in order to keep the speed and fun up you have to mash that pedal. I know there are custom EV race vehicles that have raced in rally events and desert racing but the results are not encouraging for range. Also they are purpose built race cars with proper suspension. The direction both the rivian and cyber went with suspension is for normal use / low speed off roading. Air ride is the worst possible spring set up you can have for high speed stuff. Within 10 mins of desert trails in the cyber truck , that poor air chamber +dampener will be 300+F. super hot! I think both trucks will only have 8-9" of total wheel travel (not "lift" or "adjustability" , which means nothing when your suspension is cycling through harsh terrain). this is insufficient. Basically these EV trucks went the opposite direction of what a Ford Raptor was built to do.
Fair enough. most people don't off road like that or even know that's possible outside places like the South West.
edit*. motor sports or pushing a car to the extreme is not pointless. Under these conditions you can see what a car is capable of and improve upon it. Imagine how many practical car things that are in use for street cars now days were born out of motor sports (disk breaks...). For now, it is still kind of discouraging that at the top of almost all motor sports , ICE is still the best. think about it. F1 car vs Formula E? look at their top speeds and race distances. Rally/desert racing? Even what EVs are supposedly "good" at, drag racing, gets absolutely crushed by something like an NRHA drag car. There is way way way more energy per time by pumping nitromethane in and engine vs the best EV batteries being discharged in a drag ! It highlights the fundamental draw back...batteries. their range and energy density
No kidding. My 2014 Volt can't really handle "Off roading" up my paved driveway due to ground clearance. I replaced the air dam with a shorter one at first, but then when that ripped off I didn't bother doing it again. The bottom still scrapes 1/2 the time.
You should come out to glamis or ocotillo wells during desert season. Some big weekends see 100,000 (thanksgiving or New Years) people out there . That jeep , over landing stuff is cool and all , and many people still do that out here in CA/AZ but the market and people who rip across the desert here is many many many . Rzr, sand rails , Baja bugs, prerunners, race vehicles all sell here and are not some “niche” thing where we can actually use them . I mean even manufacturers saw this like Ford raptor, Ram trx and originally the lame Tacoma “prerunner” and Nissan Frontier “desert runner”. So it’s not uncommon for people to want to drive faster off road and not putt along like a turtle .
If a Raptor and TRX are not “niche” then I don’t know what is.
ICE will not be surpassed for extreme uses until the next major battery innovation.
Those are the weekends I avoid, but I suppose it's worth seeing once. But such a zoo. At the last event in Ocotillo, a friend has his Jeep totaled by a drunk cop.
Tesla does not make cars for this sort of event. Nobody does at this point.
Those are the weekends I avoid, but I suppose it's worth seeing once. But such a zoo. At the last event in Ocotillo, a friend has his Jeep totaled by a drunk cop.
. I'm all in on EVs. Going for the CT and I have no doubt it's the only sane choice for a family truck. It's just that part of me that love high speed desert off roading!. That solution is way more practical than modifying a unibody stainless steel brand new cyber truck.
LOL! I got my learner's permit on a Friday, and then the next day I learned to drive our 24' motorhome with a 16' boat attached to, from Hacienda Heights to Salton Sea.
I love running the washes night at "float" speed, when you're still in control but edging it. In a Jeep, that's slower than purpose-built machines, but fun.
I think you are going backward with this idea. You are better getting a damaged Model 3 or Model Y and converting it for desert running.I think realistically the best option for an EV "prerunner" Is buy a built , baja bug, prerunner - tacoma/ranger/full size (with suspension roll cage and all) then pay a shop like EV West to do a full EV conversion. It will be 20k to convent and probably will only get 50 miles range out in the dez, but I guess you can always bring your 220 V gas generator along
