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Ex Mclaren/Ferrari Engineer Designs Radical New 4x4, Touts Absurdly High Range

You’d be forgiven for thinking an engineer that helped bring us the Mclaren F1 and the Caparo T1 wouldn’t have any interest in the all-electric revolution. As it turns out though, Ben Scott Geddes is not your average supercar engineer.
Fering Pioneer 6 photos
Photo: Fering
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His new company, called Fering, just unveiled their new Pioneer electric 4x4. Perhaps not as exciting as a 240-mile per hour supercar, but arguably far more important for humanity.

On first impressions alone, the Pioneer seems to have all the makings of an aggressive 4x4. Its intimidating looks and the tall driving position may make the Pioneer look large and unwieldy. It’s actually designed to a set of strict parameters that keep it from being any larger than a medium-sized van.

At 1,500 kilograms of curb weight (3,300 lbs), the Pioneer is no heavier than the average small crossover SUV. Rest assured though, the Fering Pioneer is anything but average.

Powering this beast is a series of four electric motors connected to the front and rear axle, respectively, and positioned at each of the four axles. With 600 Nm of torque (442.53 foot-pounds), it has performance on par with older and much dirtier diesel trucks.

The batteries that store the energy are also anything but conventional. A bank full of lithium-titanate-oxide cells occupies the truck’s battery compartment, where there would normally be lithium-ion batteries for better operation in adverse weather conditions. An optional 800CC biodiesel generator will be available to extend its range.

Amazingly, official literature from the Fering Pioneer touts the vehicle as capable of driving 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles) between stops for fuel and electricity with the combination of battery and diesel power. This statistic has yet to be proven by an independent third party.

When the Pioneer eventually does need more fuel, Fering is promising the ability to utilize different range extenders around the world. Like alcohol in Brazil or hydrogen fuel cells in Asia and America.

The Pioneer prototype is currently undergoing final testing and early customer assessments and should be ready for production in the first half of 2022. The Pioneer just goes to prove, even supercar engineers are anything but one-trick ponies.
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