Fering Pioneer Is A Hybrid Off-Roader Designed By An Ex-Ferrari Engineer

This time around, Fering is another small-scale automaker from England. Fering Pioneer, the company's first vehicle, aims to rewrite the off-roading novel. Former McLaren, Ferrari, and Caparo designer Ben Scott-Geddes has decided to dedicate his vast talents to the field of off-roading, focusing on explorers and emergency responders.

As a result, Fering Pioneer has been equipped with a drivetrain that allows it to travel up to 7,000 km (4,350 miles) between fuel stops. Hybrid drivetrains use two electric motors (one on each axle) to power the wheels, enabling this. An 800cc, three-cylinder biodiesel engine functions as a range extender to support electric motors.

According to Fering, to meet market demands, the company will provide generators that run on different fuels. The range extender, when it is at its most efficient, helps the batteries, which have a range of roughly 50 miles on their own, with extra power, while the motors do the hard job of ascending and crawling.

Pioneer's focus on harsh environments meant it couldn't simply rely on standard batteries because they'd run out of juice when exposed to extreme temperatures or cold. An alternative is Lithium Titanate Oxide batteries, which are more suited to adverse weather conditions.

Thanks to its electric motors, Fering Pioneer can generate 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque. And while that's all well and good, it's hardly the Fering Pioneer's most noteworthy feature. Pioneer weighs just 1,500 kg (3,306 lbs), about 300 kg (660 lbs) less than a two-door Jeep Wrangler with a hybrid drivetrain.

Due to its aluminum body with composite parts and its unconventional shape, it's been able to achieve this. Instead of using steel, Fering Pioneer's body is constructed of a robust fabric, similar to what hiking boots are made of, which makes it much lighter. The cloth, according to the company, is more insulating than steel and more forgiving on rough terrain. For example, it will not dent if it is bent and will cost less to replace or repair if it tears.

It's worth noting that the 22.5-inch wheels have been picked to suit regular truck tires to ensure that replacement tires can be purchased even in the most remote parts of the world. Fering expects to begin manufacturing of the Pioneer in the first half of 2022 when the prototype has been thoroughly tested.