Switched from R1T (Gen 1 Quad) to a Ford Bronco

[shamoo]

For 40 years I felt I might want a Porsche 911. I’ve looked at used ones online from time to time. In a coincidence of timing an ideal 2019 used one came up for sale at the local dealer a few days after I took possession of my R2. Scheduled a test drive and went there with my checkbook in my pocket and was prepared to buy it then and there if I liked it. I did not. The R2 is much more fun to drive than even a 911. Can’t see myself ever buying ICE again.

As a fellow 911 owner (along with a few other sports cars), that's crazy talk!

One is a purpose-built rear engine sports car. The other is a practical subcompact family SUV. I suppose "fun" means different things to different people.

Some people enjoy a quick, comfortable car you can hop into and enjoy every day. Maybe it has cooled seats or a nice stereo system. Others enjoy a machine that's prioritizes driver engagement, has razor sharp handling, great feedback, and world class performance. And it comes with compromises in noise, comfort, and practicality.

As a daily driver, it is hard to beat an EV, but I'd hardly call it fun (that's just me). If you're talking about performance driving or carving up canyon roads, even a Miata delivers a better experience than any Rivian (I don't want to say EV because the Ioniq 5 N and some others come close).

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[snowboarder777]

Obviously a very different vehicle and very different driving experience. But I'm loving the Bronco! I forgot how nice it is to have intuitive knobs and switches controlling things inside the car. 30 years of driving-related muscle memory means it just feels like home to have a "normal" windshield wiper control stock or volume knob. I did enjoy driving an EV and I'll buy another one at some point. I miss the ease of plugging in at night. Don't miss the acceleration. That became just a parlor trick after a few months and I never really used all that HP and torque. I realize this will not be a popular post on here, but thought I'd share in case anyone else is thinking of going back in time to a truck that runs on dino juice.

Interesting! I went the opposite. I had a 1st Edition Bronco 4Dr Sasquatch and got the R1S Quad after that. Its very different in their own ways. I love the Rivian and i do miss the Bronco though. But I am moving on from Rivian to the new 3rd generation 2027 Audi SQ7 this fall.

 

[MXA121]

Environmental issues aside, there is currently no direct substitute for a Ford Bronco or Jeep Wrangler. Lockers, 35s, Low range gearbox - a combo that does not exist in the EV world. So for now, we can give you a free pass .
(also, no pics of the Bronco??)

 

[computertom]

While I do miss our old Rivian (‘22 R1T), our Bronco Raptor is just unhinged and significantly more fun that the Rivian ever was. I daily drive I5N - and love all the EV goodness, but the Braptor is a 10/10 in so many ways that I keep trying new Rivians and keep keeping the Bronco… enjoy the new rig.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

Environmental issues aside, there is currently no direct substitute for a Ford Bronco or Jeep Wrangler. Lockers, 35s, Low range gearbox - a combo that does not exist in the EV world. So for now, we can give you a free pass .
(also, no pics of the Bronco??)

The R1S is an amazing vehicle. I will probably always have an EV. But I will definitely always have a Wrangler in the garage. With the lift, 35's, doorless, topless, etc and 12mpg, it is a mountain goat of fun.

 

[Jonger1150]

Interesting! I went the opposite. I had a 1st Edition Bronco 4Dr Sasquatch and got the R1S Quad after that. Its very different in their own ways. I love the Rivian and i do miss the Bronco though. But I am moving on from Rivian to the new 3rd generation 2027 Audi SQ7 this fall.

There are 1500+ HP EVs with 7 minute charge times on planet earth right now. Why not just mothball the plans and snag one of those?

Ok....

 

[Thedude]

Snowmobiles are begging for high density batteries to be useful in the mountains.

When someone asks how much HP your sled has your answer normally begins with --- "here at the parking lot or up at the riding area?"

It's not uncommon to lose 1/4th of your power at the top.

It also not uncommon to ride over 100 miles in a day which electric sleds can’t do. They’re even less capable when ridden and sat outside in the 0° night (on a warm night) while camping, hunting or ice fishing. The near silence is kinda fun but so is ripping around on a 150hp two stroke.

 

[Jonger1150]

It also not uncommon to ride over 100 miles in a day which electric sleds can’t do. They’re even less capable when ridden and sat outside in the 0° night (on a warm night) while camping, hunting or ice fishing. The near silence is kinda fun but so is ripping around on a 150hp two stroke.

It's not gonna happen for a while, but we'll get there eventually.

My daily record is 400 miles.

 

[Thedude]

It's not gonna happen for a while, but we'll get there eventually.

My daily record is 400 miles.

Eventually, but I don’t see 400 miles in a day on an electric sleds in my life time. Where I live internal combustion is an absolute must. It heats our homes, gets your truck to remote areas, powers your ATV or sled once you’re there or lets me take my boat or plane to places where no roads exist. None of those are currently feasible with electric means.

 

[Jonger1150]

Eventually, but I don’t see 400 miles in a day on an electric sleds in my life time. Where I live internal combustion is an absolute must. It heats our homes, gets your truck to remote areas, powers your ATV or sled once you’re there or lets me take my boat or plane to places where no roads exist. None of those are currently feasible with electric means.

I'm 47 and I don't expect fossil fuels to be used at all by the time I'm done on earth.

A solar farm in Arizona can send 90% of the power generated to Maine using high voltage DC lines.

 

[snowboarder777]

I'm 47 and I don't expect fossil fuels to be used at all by the time I'm done on earth.

A solar farm in Arizona can send 90% of the power generated to Maine using high voltage DC lines.

Im 42 and your expectations are quite unrealistic. The whole world cannot afford to switch to electric and EVS and do the happy dance. Its not cheep. I've traveled the world and I have seen that its not easy. Fossil Fuel is from the ground and will always be there.

 

[savethemanual]

Im 42 and your expectations are quite unrealistic. The whole world cannot afford to switch to electric and EVS and do the happy dance. Its not cheep. I've traveled the world and I have seen that its not easy. Fossil Fuel is from the ground and will always be there.

Fossil fuels are a finite supply BTW, so we should use them wisely. Light duty vehicles can easily be all electric. Save the Dino juice for air travel, ocean freighters, rail and so forth until energy storage/generation technology is good for applications like those too.

 

[CrazyOne]

While I would love the no nonsense physical controls, I don't think I can live with a vehicle with live rear axle. That should have been relegated to history books and commercial vehicles. Dakar suvs and pickups don't use live axles.

 

[Jonger1150]

Im 42 and your expectations are quite unrealistic. The whole world cannot afford to switch to electric and EVS and do the happy dance. Its not cheep. I've traveled the world and I have seen that its not easy. Fossil Fuel is from the ground and will always be there.

Actually, poor nations are skipping right over fossil fuels in favor of electric. Solar and batteries have made fossil fuels far less attractive in developing nations.

 

[Zoidz]

I'm 47 and I don't expect fossil fuels to be used at all by the time I'm done on earth.

A solar farm in Arizona can send 90% of the power generated to Maine using high voltage DC lines.

You must be expecting to live 125+ years.

As mentioned above, this is an unrealistic expectation. The fossil fuel producers are large and powerful and are not going to just give up. There are transportation vehicles that require large amounts of energy that will be around for a long time. Cargo ships have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years. SMR Nuclear ships for commercial use are in the earliest stage of prototypes and won't be viable for another 10 to 15 years. Fossil powered ships will continue to end of useful life.

Third world countries have vast areas with no electrical power distribution. Solar will not provide sufficient energy for EV domination due to cost of solar build out at scale. Fossil fuels for transportation will continue to be relied upon for decades by these countries.

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