Outdoors

Amphibious ATV features six electrically powered wheels

Amphibious ATV features six electrically powered wheels
The Green Scout ATV is 3.1 m long, 1.8 m wide and 1.2 m high (10.2 by 5.9 by 3.9 ft)
The Green Scout ATV is 3.1 m long, 1.8 m wide and 1.2 m high (10.2 by 5.9 by 3.9 ft)
View 4 Images
The Green Scout ATV is 3.1 m long, 1.8 m wide and 1.2 m high (10.2 by 5.9 by 3.9 ft)
1/4
The Green Scout ATV is 3.1 m long, 1.8 m wide and 1.2 m high (10.2 by 5.9 by 3.9 ft)
The Green Scout utilizes a motorbike-like handlebar instead of a steering wheel
2/4
The Green Scout utilizes a motorbike-like handlebar instead of a steering wheel
The Green Scout produces no tailpipe emissions, and is said to run quietly
3/4
The Green Scout produces no tailpipe emissions, and is said to run quietly
Each of the six wheels is independently powered, braked and suspended
4/4
Each of the six wheels is independently powered, braked and suspended
View gallery - 4 images

If you need capable transportation in a remote area where there are no roads, yet you still want to stay at least somewhat eco-friendly, your options are limited. That's exactly why the six-wheeled Green Scout electric amphibious ATV was created.

The all-terrain vehicle has been in development since 2017, and was conceived of by a group of Russian geologists working in the far north. Based on the features that they believed an ATV should possess, a team of Russian engineers designed and built the current prototype.

It features a welded steel frame with a protective coating, a watertight polyethylene body that can seat up to six people, and of course the six wheels. Each one of those independently suspended wheels has its own hydraulic shock absorber, hydraulic disc brake, and 3-kW (4-hp) electric hub motor. Power is provided by a battery pack located under the driver's seat.

The Green Scout produces no tailpipe emissions, and is said to run quietly
The Green Scout produces no tailpipe emissions, and is said to run quietly

The vehicle weighs 450 kg (992 lb), has a ground clearance of 0.45 m (18 in), and can carry a maximum payload of 800 kg (1,764 lb) on land, or 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) when floating on the water. Its top speed is 70 km/h on land (43 mph) and 5 km/h on water (3 mph). We're still waiting to hear back about how it moves through the water – it may just spin its knobby-tired wheels, although a transom for an outboard motor is offered as an accessory.

Its land-going battery range is a claimed 100 km (62 mi) per charge.

According to its designers, the ATV can keep going as long as at least one wheel/motor on each side remains functional. Additionally, if one of them does conk out, it can be replaced with a spare by the driver, on location. And as an added benefit, the battery pack can be used to power external devices if needed.

The Green Scout team is currently looking for investors, and is also offering discounts to potential buyers via an Indiegogo campaign. It is hoped that the vehicle will be commercially available in the second half of this year, priced at around US$10,000.

You can see the prototype in action (although not on the water), in the following video.

Sources: Indiegogo, Green Scout

The world's first electric amphibious all-terrain vehicle

View gallery - 4 images
10 comments
10 comments
Username
The Bananas Splits can finally go electric!
Kurt Liffman
A similar vehicle was manufactured in the late 1960's: the Amphicat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphicat). They were versatile vehicles.
Ivan
Not similar. If you can see, there is no suspension in the amficat. The clearance of the amficat is not more than that of the argo. Amficat is essentially the same argo.
What are the advantages of an electric transmission? Besides the fact that it is quiet, ecological ... In that it is possible to create a 6-wheel amphibious all-terrain vehicle that has a soft suspension. The fact that the clearance of the all-terrain vehicle can be greater than the radius of the wheel.
Funkgroover
It's a badly painted, homemade looking version of Big Trak!
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2689/5080/products/big-trak-hands-on-zeon_387.jpg?v=1589328779

michael_dowling
How can you tell if it is quiet?? Yet again,they feel the need to superimpose a loud musical soundtrack!!
Ivan
The big truck has no suspension and extremely low ground clearance. Those. there are none of the advantages that electric transmission provides.
If the Green Scout looks like anything, it is the Soviet lunar rover of the 70s.
Ivan
Regarding the noise due to movement, I think in the near future new raw videos will be posted on the YouTube channel and you can listen to what sounds the all-terrain vehicle makes when driving.
michael_dowling
Ivan: Some do that right now. I wish it were all of them. I try to find a version of these videos with just ambient sounds,but usually can't find them.
BlueOak
Cool concept. Hopefully it goes without saying the production body will have more refinement than a hunk of modeling clay. And hopefully those incredibly ugly and inconsistent suspension component welds will be clean, consistent and reliable. At 4:26 in the video, the shock mount design looks very sloppy - a wide pin space without side grommets, allowing the shock mount to slide about, rubbing against its side mount in that shot. In use, the suspension, while compliant, looks bouncy and unrefined. A more refined prototype might bring confidence to potential buyers - this one isn’t ready for YouTube.
Ivan
On the YouTube channel, the movement of an all-terrain vehicle with natural sounds was published. You can hear how quiet it is.