The electric bug-out vehicle
For years it meant a truck with gas cans strapped to the back. Now it can charge from your own roof.
What makes a good bug-out vehicle
- Ready now: fueled or charged before you need it.
- Capable: four-wheel drive and clearance for washed-out roads and soft sand.
- Room: space for people, pets, water and gear.
- Useful when you stop: power for lights, tools, phones and cooking.
Why electric, why solar
A truck that lives under a solar roof is full every morning, so you never start an emergency at a quarter tank. You skip the gas-station line that forms before every hurricane. Once you're parked, the battery keeps working: many electric trucks have built-in outlets, like the Cybertruck's up to 9.6 kW and the Ram 1500 REV's 7.2 kW bed panel.
And if you decide to stay, the same battery runs the house. That's the point of a Bugging Out carport: one truck, both plans.
Range and the long haul
For a long run with no charging, a range-extended truck adds a safety margin. The Ram 1500 REV and Scout's Harvester versions drive on electricity and carry a small gas engine that only makes power. Compare the trucks →
What to keep in it
- Water and food for everyone on board, pets included.
- First aid kit and any medicines you rely on.
- Tow strap, shovel and traction boards.
- Tire deflator and air compressor. On the Outer Banks sand, 18 to 20 psi.
- Flashlight, paper map, and a battery or hand-crank radio.
- Charging cable and adapters, and phone chargers that plug into the truck.
Bug-out vehicle questions
What is a bug-out vehicle?
The vehicle you'd leave in when it's time to go: ready on short notice, able to handle bad roads, and loaded with what you need to get somewhere safe.
Is an electric truck a good bug-out vehicle?
If it charges from your own solar roof, it starts every emergency full, skips the gas lines, and its battery can run lights, tools and a camp once you get where you're going. For long distances, a range-extended truck with a gas generator on board adds a backup.
What if I can't charge on the road?
Plan the trip around range and charging, or choose a range-extended truck. Ram's 1500 REV and Scout's Harvester versions carry a small gas engine that only makes electricity.
What should I keep in a bug-out vehicle?
Water, food, first aid, a tow strap, a shovel, traction boards, a tire deflator and air compressor, a flashlight, a paper map, a battery or hand-crank radio, and your charging cable and adapters.
Ready when the lights go out
Tell us about your place and what you drive. We'll tell you straight what a Bugging Out carport would do for you.