02/07/20 Wow, it's hard to believe it's been almost three years since the last post on this page. Time does fly, and my surprise is mostly due to the fact that I actually keep this project in mind a lot of the time. So to me it's recent. Time for an update then.

As you might know, we've shifted our future development to electric propulsion, in ongoing partnership with Cascadia Motion. The D2EV and several offshoots have been the focus so far, but Strider is actually a great potential next step. The possibility of controlling each wheel individually in either direction with full torque from zero RPM is really interesting in the offroad application. The way Ford measures it, we'd have 12,320 lb-ft of total torque available. But we'd weigh roughly 3,500 lbs, vs likely ~6,000 lbs for Ford, Rivian, Hummer, etc. And we'd have the suspension/chassis in the Ultra-4 realm to go with the power.

Another chaging dynamic is the limited volume law. When I first contemplated the Strider project, I thought doing a scaled-down 'replica' would be feasible, based on the look-like criteria. However with the recent clarifications it seems they're going to require the dimensions to be identical to the original. Which is really backwards in the context of US trademark/patent law.

Car bodywork is a 'useful article'. Meaning that any functional aspect of it is not copyrightable, and for good reason. Copyrights are forever and not subject to technical scrutiny. If someone could copyright something that looks like a gear, they'd circumvent patent law and own all gears in perpetuity. So the distinction is that functionality has to comply with patent standards for protection, aesthetics can go the copyright route IF, and ONLY IF, they are purely decorative in nature and serve no function. By bringing dimensions into it, the proposed regulation goes directly against that fundamental distinction.

But so it goes. What this means for us is that doing a 'replica' is no longer of particular value and we can explore new ideas. All the merrier.

A while back I made contact with the folks at Oilstain Lab, an industrial design outfit with a keen interest in things automotive. We talked about the Strider concept and they had some very cool ideas. This is still very much a work in progress, but below are some initial pix. The C303 inspiration is there, but adjusted for the size, mission, and the times. As you'll see from the first image, the ingress/egress was an issue which resulted in moving the front wheels forward. A positive step.

As you look at these, keep in mind that this proposed beast is about the size of a large UTV, has 1,340hp, the aforementioned 12,320 lb-ft of torque to the ground, and weighs roughly 3,500 lbs. Range would be around 300 miles on a charge. And yes by one means or another it would be street legal.

Click on each picture for larger version.

As with all our projects, what's needed to really make it go forward is a customer. Preferably more than one. It's not going to be cheap, but it IS going to be pretty crazy :) Interested? Let me know.

06/20/20 Perseverance is key in this type of endeavor. And so, the Strider (D7) continues to evolve. In my head and in CAD, still, but it's getting ever closer to reality. And we, as a company, are getting closer to making it so.

One benefit of a long gestation time is the opportunity to re-examine the basic premises and goals. In past entries you can see the evolution. The latest thinking is that the way to make it real is for Strider to become an extreme AWD electic, fully capable of King of the Hammers, yet drivable on the street. And yes, armored versions are inevitable (with 'transparent aluminum' armor windows, of course). The price tag will be significant, starting at about $750K for the base version.

The Strider will utilize Cascadia components such as motors and inverters, with full individual control of each wheel - 450 hp per wheel (1,800 total) and our proprietary ruggedized 800V battery tech that we are currently developing.

And of course my suspension technology will be applied, although in a way that is appropriate for the environment. 24" of travel, 18" static ground clearance, with 37" wheels.

The immediate next steps were to do actual packaging and motion analysis, first with direct shocks and then with linkage. Portal hubs are a part of the design to keep halfshaft angularity manageable in droop and maintain ground clearance.

Given how much room the suspension is going to take up, a change in overall layout was necessary. Which actually worked out for the better because it solved the ingress/egress issue as well. Even with a stretched 110" wheelbase, the vehicle is still only 12' long overall, which is a foot shorter than a Miata.

The packaging with direct shocks now looks like this:

Next step was to evaluate a linkage setup. Still using 16" travel offroad shocks. It all fits and the math checks out.

A lot of testing and discovery will be necessary before the design is finalized, but at this point its theoretical feasibility is established enough to move forward with detail design of various components. Exterior design will evolve as well, this is just the rough concept. Flat glass supports the armored option. Has come a ways from initial ideas...

The D7 Strider and D8 are key pieces in the puzzle that will take us forward as a company. Much work remains, and we face countless challenges. Same old, then :) Onward.