Temptation Too Great

[T1 Terry]

T1,
Any idea what the Rivan’s price OTR would be?
I’m willing to bet it will be significantly higher than the top-spec Landcruiser!

A tow rating of 1600kg for the Mitzi would be OK for a camper trailer, and maybe a little teardrop van, but yer normal Jaything or offroader is out of the question!

When they reach a tow rating of 3500kg — and are price competitive with ICE 4WDs — they might be talking business…

ps. Do you know how many EV charging stations there are on the Tanami Track?

Just for clarification, a Toyota 300 Landcruiser Sahara is $131,500 plus on road costs, the Rivian is $106,700 plus on road costs, but no idea of the spec levels for that price ...... was there a $$ value on that bet Ray?
Should we add in the fuel and servicing cost for the first 200,000kms?

T1 Terry

[Greynomad]

Hmmm…
Looks like I just became shirtless.

Surprised it’s $25,000 cheaper.
With the monstrous torque available from an electric motor it’s no surprise that it’s rated towing capacity is 5t.

Is it a PHEV or full hybrid with small ICE powering a genny?
(Son-&-Heir drives a hybrid Lexus — 1000km/l!! — and no plug-in required!)

Unfortunately it is slightly beyond our budget… by about $100,000.

[Noggins]

With the Rivian tow capacity, a number one accessory when going bush with limited power available would be the max of solar on the van / a large generator, and I don't mean a little must-have Honda.
So you pull up in the evening, see that the power factor is down, start the genni for a couple of hours, then you have enough to continue on.
I'm sure with a capacity of 5T a generator wouldn't be a worry.
And for them that are a bit picky I don't mean a huge 200KVA generator.
No Generator, well camp up for a while till the solar does its thing.


Ron

[T1 Terry]

Hmmm…
Looks like I just became shirtless.

Surprised it’s $25,000 cheaper.
With the monstrous torque available from an electric motor it’s no surprise that it’s rated towing capacity is 5t.

Is it a PHEV or full hybrid with small ICE powering a genny?
(Son-&-Heir drives a hybrid Lexus — 1000km/l!! — and no plug-in required!)

Unfortunately it is slightly beyond our budget… by about $100,000.

100% BEV (battery electric vehicle) so no fuel powered motor at all. As Ron said, lots of solar and/or a 3kva Honda generator where there is a big gap between charging stations.

I expect gas turbine gensets will soon be available in small capacity as well as the big output ones. A gas turbine is around 70% fuel efficient, a diesel around 35% and petrol down around 28% these days. The hybrid electric trucks that will soon hit the market will have multi fuel turbine gensets where the big diesel was originally and the genset where the gearbox is at the moment. No more huge differentials and power dividers, electric drive in each axle along with the trailer axles. Bogie drive tri axle trailer, 100kw per axle would give 500kw on the road with full traction control and regen braking, no more Jake brake down the long hills and in towns upsetting the locals.
Add another tri axle trailer and 800kw, a B triple, 1100kw and the new quads, 1400kw, no more brake over heating or crawling up hills, or the prime mover tyres tearing up the road surface because the drive would be across all the wheels .....

T1 Terry

[Greynomad]

Sounds like paradise, T1!

When do you reckon we will we see retrofit kits to replace the diesel V8 & auto gears on Girt?

At least losing the diesel fuel tank will be a plus… we could replace it with more fresh water storage.

[T1 Terry]

Sounds like paradise, T1!

When do you reckon we will we see retrofit kits to replace the diesel V8 & auto gears on Girt?

At least losing the diesel fuel tank will be a plus… we could replace it with more fresh water storage.

Where were the batteries gunna go Ray But actually, the auto can be retained to make the job easier, just do away with the torque converter and add an electric pump for when the motor was not spinning when stopped in traffic or at an intersection (the torque converter also drives the pump so the idling diesel engine maintains the pump drive and gearbox pressure)
Could replace both axles and fit electric drive axles and make it a 4 x 4 motorhome .... just need a big bank account

T1 Terry