It’s very simple: I get targets from an engineering perspective. We’re focused on ability, on approach angles, the torque, weight distribution, everything. We’re working on an e-beam and a special axle design.
We have 35in wheels. You have to have the sway bar disconnect. But we can combine the tradition of an off-road car with the innovations of an electric vehicle, and we can see a real sweet spot.”
Scout vehicles will be offered with electric or range-extender powertrains. They will be ‘software-defined vehicles’, designed around advanced computer systems that allow for over-the-air updates and the like. Huhnke describes it as “heritage combined with innovation”.
That innovation will be seen in both the pure-electric powertrain and the range-extender variant that Scout is working on. Huhnke is proud that the latter – which drives the wheels with an electric motor but features a small combustion engine used to charge the battery – is the firm’s own development and intellectual property.
He says: “We’re not a guinea pig for the Volkswagen Group to try this out; it’s where we see our biggest opportunity.”
It’s about that go-anywhere, off-road brief, and providing functionality in remote places where EV charging infrastructure might not be the best.
“We are customer-centric and listen to their concerns,” adds Huhnke. “People loved the concept and the BEV platform, but the feedback led us to a range-extender. It’s like carrying a charging station with you.”
Huhnke is also excited by the potential that an electric vehicle powertrain, with its instant power, torque vectoring and even weight distribution, has for an off-roader.
Software development will also be key, and it’s notable Huhnke started his automotive career in software and electronics. For that side, the VW Group’s recent tie-up with software-focused EV firm Rivian will be a major boost.
