The EREV vs BEV debate on this forum is sort of like the 75mm vs NTN debate on the telemark forums I follow (Free Your Heel, Ski for Real!). I guess every tribe eventually grows into multiple camps.
I imagine that when the Venn diagram of "Scout Enthusiasts" and "Decarbonation Supporters" is drawn, there will be a substantial intersection with relatively narrower bands outside the intersection. That's fine, that's cool. While we wait for 2028 to arrive, I found this podcast to be very interesting: https://www.volts.wtf/p/the-fate-of-fossil-fuel-systems-in It goes deep on a recently published study of how we all mostly imagine a graph indicating electrification to be going slowly, steadily up, while fossil fuel usage is slowly, steadily going down. More than likely, it won't happen like that. The transition will be lumpy. It will be inefficient. It will likely cost everyone more time and treasure than it should.
So, if you want to drive your first (new) Scout for 20 years, then get a BEV because eventually it will be harder and harder to find a gas station and you'll be carting around a tank and an engine it will be hard to find fuel for. But, if you are like most Americans and will probably buy your second (new) Scout within about 5-10 years of your first, you'll probably be OK starting with an EREV and then switching to a BEV.
What would be super cool is if Scout Motors designed a retrofit system that could allow for a Gen 1 EREV to be retrofitted to full BEV one day. Maybe by then, we'll have super capacity solid state batteries and it will just be a matter of removing the engine and hooking the leads to a new controller sitting on top of a battery pack that is also connected to a battery pack that replaced the fuel tank. (Although, let's face it, probably easier and more profitable to sell customers a new car than a retrofit kit).
Holy sheet awesome post. Makes me wish I hadn't have dropped out of college. Was a fellow free healer starting in 1978 at Alta Utah. Hate to admit this but gear was to heavy for backcountry skiing and I got old so i shaved 8 pounds and went AT. You know decents while backcountry skiing is were one rests and the old telly takes more energy. Kudos if you have the drivers to handle it.
I am not upset with the folks who ordered the Harvester just Scout for switching the build order.