Theron Reever: Electric ATV that will make you stop waiting for the Tesla Cyberquad

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2022

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Today, we bring you an exclusive first-drive review of the Theron Reever, an electric ATV that could make you stop waiting for the Tesla Cyberquad and set the stage for a new segment being electrified.

Over the last few years, we have seen the wave of electrification taking over the auto industry spilling over to motorsports.

Taiga Motors has been a great example with its electric snowmobile and electric jet ski, and Electrek’s own Micah Toll is constantly testing some new fun battery-powered vehicles.

Now we get to present you with a first step into electrifying a new segment in a serious way: electric ATVs.

There have been a few electric ATVs on the market already, but most of them have not been designed to be electric from the ground up; they are often converted from gasoline-powered ATVs and often with lead-acid batteries.

The Theron Reever is different. The team behind it has designed the ATV from the ground up to be the best ATV possible – to do that these days, you have to do it with a battery-electric powertrain.

Theron Reever

Theron Sport is a small start-up based in Shawinigan, Quebec, founded by engineer Bastien Theron with the goal of bringing an electric ATV to market.

Bastien, along with two partners, built a small team that developed the Reever, which could end up being the first production electric ATV built to be electric from the ground up.

The team is building the ATV itself down to the frame, and it made a point to try to source parts as locally as possible and reduce the reliance on China, where supply chain issues have immobilized many vehicle programs over the last few years.

When touring Theron’s shop, I was impressed by the level of knowledge that Bastien, the CEO and cofounder, had for every single component that was going into the electric ATVs down the wire harnesses.

One of the best examples is Theron’s battery module in the Reever. With the prototype, Theron used modules from a salvaged Tesla vehicle.

Since Tesla has open-sourced its patents, the company had the opportunity to take a lot of inspiration from the Tesla module (left) for its own battery module (right).

Theron is using similar cylindrical li-ion battery cells as Tesla’s and with its battery modules, it is able to put up to 20 kWh of battery capacity in the relatively small form factor that is the Reever ATV.

In comparison, the original Nissan Leaf, a full-size car, had a 24 kWh battery pack.

It’s hard to talk about what kind of range can be enabled with 20 kWh of battery capacity since it completely depends on how you use the ATV, but Theron quotes a range of 180 km (110 miles), which is more than the average ATV rider needs for a whole week.

It’s a two-seater, so whether or not you are alone on the ATV will have a major difference. It also has a towing capacity of up to 1,500 pounds, and it can be used as a workhorse. All those situations will affect your range.

The Theron Reever can be charged on a regular outlet overnight, or if you have a J1772 level 2 charger (like for electric cars), it will be charged up in just three hours.

The ATV’s battery pack powers a 52 kW electric motor that enables a top speed of up to 100 km/h (62 mph), which is probably faster than you ever want to go on an ATV.

Over the last year, Theron has produced several advanced prototypes of the Reever, and several of them are already in the hands of customers. It has an interesting approach to including its early clients in the development process by delivering them prototypes that they test for them. Theron regularly picks those prototypes back up to update them with production parts until they have a full production version of the Reever.

I had the opportunity to play with one of those electric Reever ATV prototypes last weekend and put a first-ride review together.

Here’s my first-ride video review of the Theron Reever electric ATV prototype:

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Theron Reever pricing and availability

The company has been mostly operating in stealth mode until now. It is now advanced enough in the development process that it is comfortable taking reservations.

Simultaneously, it is currently in the process of closing a financing round that would finance its production line, which is currently being designed to bring the electric ATV to volume production next year.

You can reserve the Theron Reever for a $450 USD deposit on the company’s website.

The electric ATV starts at $14,000 USD for the version with the 10 kWh battery pack.

If you want the version with a bigger 20 kWh battery pack for more range and energy capacity, you are going to have to pay $17,500.

Both versions can be upgraded with a second motor for an all-wheel-drive powertrain for $4,000 USD.

Based on my discussions with the company, production will be limited to about 100 units in 2023, but the plan is to ramp up significantly from there with the volume production line. It is going to be a first-come, first-served kind of thing.

Electrek’s Take

I am extremely excited about this project. As I have stated before, I am often skeptical of small start-ups in the EV sphere just because of how difficult it is to bring a vehicle to market, but I am more optimistic about projects like this that don’t involve an actual car.

It’s still extremely difficult to bring an ATV to production, but the entire homologation process and regulatory space is an order of magnitude less complicated and expensive to navigate, which greatly increase the chances of success for a project like this one.

Theron is not out of the woods yet, but I like their chances, and I think that they have a good team with the right approach.

After meeting them, it has become clear that they are EV nerds who are also EV enthusiasts, and they want to create the best ATV experience possible with an electric powertrain.

They are currently completely focused on bringing the Reever to production, but there are quite a few cool things to come after that will make the ownership experience even cooler. First off, the company plans to enable Reever owners to turn their ATVs into power stations. You will be able to power most electric tools and devices anywhere using your ATV’s battery packs.

Theron also designed the vehicle to be compatible with accessories that will also be powered by the battery pack, like an electric snowblower and an intelligent trailer.

It’s hard not to get excited by this project. I reserved one, and I can’t wait.

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Environment

What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!

Published

11 hours ago

November 16, 2024

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What makes a Honda a Honda? Prologue engineers help us find out!

On today’s informative episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got Honda engineers Jason Hwang and Emilio Sanchez to talk us through some of the things that make the GM Ultium-based Honda Prologue EV feel like a real Honda, and why that matters.

Jason and Emilio talk about some of the choices they made to make the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX feel different from its GM-branded cousins, and explain why this was much more than a case of badge-engineering. Give it a listen, then let us know what you think of the Prologue and ZDX in the comments.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Learn more by clicking here.

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New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!

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The Eastern US’s first CFI-funded EV charging hub comes online

Published

14 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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The Eastern US's first CFI-funded EV charging hub comes online

CF EV charging — Photo: Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

The first EV charging hub funded by the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program in the Eastern US is now online in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

The town installed the region’s first DC fast chargers (four ports), along with four Level 2 chargers, at 59 North Main Street in South Deerfield.

These new charging stations, funded with $2.46 million from the CFI program, are conveniently located near Interstate 91 in Franklin County, the most rural county in Massachusetts, which serves drivers from Connecticut up to the Canadian border.

The hub also features local and regional bus stops and designated bike lanes with secure onsite bike racks. The chargers are meant to cater to everyone: from local residents and visitors to municipal EVs and commercial vehicles that service the region’s businesses, like those in food and beverage manufacturing.

Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, sees this as a model for future projects:

Multi-modal charging hubs in communities are key to giving more people the choice to ride and drive electric. The Town of Deerfield is showing leadership in building out convenient charging infrastructure that brings new transportation choices to rural and disadvantaged communities while supporting local commerce.

In recent years, Deerfield has experienced increased climate change-driven flooding from nearby rivers, including the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River, and the Bloody Brook. The project incorporates environmental engineering designed to mitigate and adapt to the effects of flooding and climate, including the installation of permeable asphalt and rain gardens, planting of native trees, grasses, and shrubs, and the creation of new greenspace in the center of Deerfield.

The Biden-Harris administration’s CFI Grant Program is expanding EV infrastructure nationwide. It offers grants for projects that complement and expand upon the initiatives of the NEVI program in urban, rural, and disadvantaged and low-income communities. So far, the CFI Grant Program has allocated over $1 billion to nearly 100 projects across the US, encouraging private investments and expanding the EV charging network to make EV ownership more practical and convenient.

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Environment

Kia’s new low-cost EV4 was just spotted in the US for the first time

Published

14 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Kia's new low-cost EV4 was just spotted in the US for the first time

Kia’s upcoming EV4 electric sedan was just spotted testing in the US for the first time. The low-cost EV is expected to make its big debut by the end of the year. Here’s a look at the new model.

The EV4 will round out Kia’s new “EVs for all” master plan launched last year. Kia showcased three new models, the EV3, EV4, and EV5, during its first annual EV Day in October 2023.

During the event, Kia outlined its new global strategy to “lead and accelerate the EV revolution” with a wide range of models priced from $30,000 to $80,000.

Kia plans to rapidly expand its lineup with a series of smaller, lower-priced models. It launched the EV9, its first three-row electric SUV, which is already proving to be a hot seller in the US. Starting at under $55,000, the EV9 is still a great deal compared to others in its class, but Kia plans to go even lower.

The EV3 and EV4 are expected to be among the most affordable electric vehicles when they arrive in the US.

Kia’s new EV4 is now testing in the US

Ahead of its official debut, Kia’s new EV4 sedan was recently caught driving on US streets for the first time.

The latest image from KindelAuto doesn’t reveal much more than what’s been shown in the past, but the fact that it’s now testing in the US is significant.

Kia EV4 caught on US streets for the first time (Source: KindelAuto)

Kia’s EV3 is already on sale in Korea, starting at around $30,000 (42.08 million won). Earlier this week, the company said its new compact SUV is now available across Europe, starting at around $38,000 (36,000 euros) with a “segment-leading range” of up to 375 miles (WLTP).

Next up will be the EV4. Kia is expected to officially reveal the new EV by the end of the year, with deliveries starting in 2025. It could be as soon as next week at the 2024 LA Auto Show.

The interior will feature Kia’s advanced new ccNC infotainment system with dual 12.3″ navigation and driver display screens. An otherwise minalimalistic design is expected inside.

Kia’s EV4 will also be available in a hatchback variant. Although the hatch is likely aimed at European buyers, it was also recently spotted testing in the US for the first time.