GMC Sierra EV

[Jim_in_Delaware]

As a concept vehicle, I thought the Ram has some interesting features. I think the timing for the release was kinda odd, given it was only a month, or so, until the release of the production vehicle.

Jim

 

[BlkGS]

Isn't that kind of what concepts are supposed to be?



I agree with this premise whole heartedly, but think you're underestimating the capability of a unibody construction. The use case for the SantaFe you saw borked and a pickup is so different, and the quality of materials and engineering is quite different as well. Granted it should hold up to a pothole better than it did, I don't think it's even in the ballpark for comparison with something like a Rivian that has clearly demonstrated it can be abused significantly without mechanical failure.

It's less about the unibody vs body on frame construction and more about design goals. The GM electric platform for instance is designed around the battery packs, stuffing them places to try to balance the weight out, etc. In a truck, the whole thing is designed for abuse. Drop heavy loads into the bed (well, except.maybe the Ford if you believe those commercials), beat up surfaces, etc. The components are designed to handle abuse, control arms, ball joints, bushings, etc are all oversized vs what's "necessary" so they can hold up. You don't get that in a more normal passenger vehicle.

I haven't seen any real durability testing for rivians. I've seen them do gimmicks like drove into a lake or whatever, and I'm sure they've done mileage stuff, but I want to see it.given to barely literate construction workers and abused by them, lol.

I prefer concepts be basically preproduction versions of a vehicle, not a pie in the sky talking piece that has no hope of being real.

 

[2kwik4u]

It's less about the unibody vs body on frame construction and more about design goals. The GM electric platform for instance is designed around the battery packs, stuffing them places to try to balance the weight out, etc. In a truck, the whole thing is designed for abuse. Drop heavy loads into the bed (well, except.maybe the Ford if you believe those commercials), beat up surfaces, etc. The components are designed to handle abuse, control arms, ball joints, bushings, etc are all oversized vs what's "necessary" so they can hold up. You don't get that in a more normal passenger vehicle.

We're on the same page here.

I haven't seen any real durability testing for rivians. I've seen them do gimmicks like drove into a lake or whatever, and I'm sure they've done mileage stuff, but I want to see it.given to barely literate construction workers and abused by them, lol.

How about Vin #001 and #002 given to a film crew to drive from the tip of South America to LA for a TV series?!?! Check out "Long Way Up" with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. It's an interesting watch if you have AppleTV+ (PM me if you want my login to watch ). I think the film crew was pretty harsh on them, and suffered some failures along the way. They were also still VERY early in production and the swithgear on the console, and rudimentary instrumentation and all that is really clear in the series. It was a rough trip.

https://www.longwayup.com/

Then MotorTrend drove them off road across the US awhile back. Took them like 6 weeks, but they beat on them fairly decently. I don't think these guys beat on it quite like a "zero f^cks given" construction crew, but they weren't exactly easy on them either, certainly a lot more abuse than your typical grocery run and office commute that most of the trucks will see.

Exclusive: We Drive the 2022 Rivian R1T Off-Road Across the Trans-America Trail, Part 1

Follow our historic electric off-road crossing of the U.S. in the new Rivian R1T electric pickup along the Trans-America Trail.

www.motortrend.com

I know there have been other events, but those are the two I was thinking when I commented above. I would argue the Rivians have likely been through more crap than the Silverado/Hummer/Lightning combined currently. However, I think the lightning will find its way into fleets very quickly which means it will find that "less than careful" construction guy to really beat the snot out of it. I think a small farm would also put any of these EV's through their paces very quickly. Farms are all about having "tools not toys", and if it doesn't work, they have very little patience for dealing with downtime.

I prefer concepts be basically preproduction versions of a vehicle, not a pie in the sky talking piece that has no hope of being real.

Those are pre-production units or "pilot" vehicles IMO. Concept vehicles should always push the envelope of common thought and technology.

 

[biffdotorg]

Isn't that kind of what concepts are supposed to be?

Exactly. Auto MFGs would want nothing more than very polarized opinions. This allows them the chance to enhance or eliminate crazy features showcased in the comments. If the reaction was ho-hum, then they know some concept designers are losing their jobs. They want to shake things up and get opinions of what folks truly want.

I was part of a consumer panel back in the mid 90's for GM/Pontiac. They were designing a new smaller SUV. We got to add input for features, wheels, outlets, seating and all the cool things a person in their 20/30's would love in this new machine. The concept was awesome, jacked up and looked powerful for a Pontiac.

And what came of it, the hideous Pontiac Aztec. I hate even admitting that I had any say in the design of that POS. I'm glad I was just a consumer sharing input and not on payroll. Once they created the prototype and shared those drawings, we were all jacked. Then they had to make it road legal and add all the safety features, tires and ground effects to make it fuel efficient. And look what they got, a POS.

So it can go both ways. And obviously Ram had no intention of ever releasing that prototype, but they appreciate everyone's opinions. It will save them in the long run, and now now where to focus their efforst on future releases.

 

[BlkGS]

Exactly. Auto MFGs would want nothing more than very polarized opinions. This allows them the chance to enhance or eliminate crazy features showcased in the comments. If the reaction was ho-hum, then they know some concept designers are losing their jobs. They want to shake things up and get opinions of what folks truly want.

I was part of a consumer panel back in the mid 90's for GM/Pontiac. They were designing a new smaller SUV. We got to add input for features, wheels, outlets, seating and all the cool things a person in their 20/30's would love in this new machine. The concept was awesome, jacked up and looked powerful for a Pontiac.

And what came of it, the hideous Pontiac Aztec. I hate even admitting that I had any say in the design of that POS. I'm glad I was just a consumer sharing input and not on payroll. Once they created the prototype and shared those drawings, we were all jacked. Then they had to make it road legal and add all the safety features, tires and ground effects to make it fuel efficient. And look what they got, a POS.

So it can go both ways. And obviously Ram had no intention of ever releasing that prototype, but they appreciate everyone's opinions. It will save them in the long run, and now now where to focus their efforst on future releases.

VERY unpopular opinion... I didn't hate the aztek. It's much better looking than a lot of crap on sale now. The later years with less body cladding I think look pretty nice. I thought it was a decent vehicle, but ahead of it's time.

 

[biffdotorg]

VERY unpopular opinion... I didn't hate the aztek. It's much better looking than a lot of crap on sale now. The later years with less body cladding I think look pretty nice. I thought it was a decent vehicle, but ahead of it's time.

Amen, agree 100%. The first year with the body cladding was actually left over from the consumer study. As it was supposed to be full wheel flares and larger tires, making the body flow around big tires. That obviously never happened. And future years lost those, and it looked similar to the shared platform from Buick and Chevy.

Overall, it was a very functional vehicle with good features not seen in other vehicles of it's time. But that first year with cladding was horrible. But just imagine it with a 3" lift and larger tires and it would not look like it was going to tip over doing a u-turn in the parking lot.

 

[BlkGS]

I am, unsurprisingly, partial to them lowered. They should have made a GTP version with the 3800SC.

But yeah, it was a very unique vehicle that nailed the quasi outdoorsy niche. It had an option to play music just in the tailgate area, was one of the first crossovers with (admittedly garbage) AWD, and was sort nice inside formthe time and spacious. They sold the Buick version by the bazillion, and I saw those running around all over the place up until a few years ago.

 

[2kwik4u]

Vehi-Cross did the "quirky outdoorsy" thing better than the Aztek.



I did like the cooler/refrigerator center console in the Aztek, as well as the tent that went around the rear hatch for camping. Cool/interesting stuff in that car despite it's rather polarizing style.

 

[BlkGS]

Vehi-Cross did the "quirky outdoorsy" thing better than the Aztek.

View attachment 194431

I did like the cooler/refrigerator center console in the Aztek, as well as the tent that went around the rear hatch for camping. Cool/interesting stuff in that car despite it's rather polarizing style.

The only thing I liked about those abominations was the recarp seats.