The Volkswagen Group made waves again in 2022 when it introduced it could be reviving the Scout nameplate for a brand new model of American-built absolutely electrical vans and SUVs, however we hadn’t gotten a lot concrete data concerning the upcoming Scouts past some teasers and learnings gleaned from speaking with the CEO. Till now, that’s. Enter the brand new Scout Terra pickup and Traveler SUV — each names taken from unique Worldwide Harvester fashions — which had been simply revealed at a sprawling property outdoors Nashville. Technically these are simply idea autos, however Scout representatives promise they’re fairly near the manufacturing fashions that can launch in 2027.
We don’t have many powertrain particulars but, however the electrical Scouts could have an electrical motor at every axle and an 800-volt battery pack of unknown measurement. The model is focusing on a most torque determine of 1,000 pound-feet, which is able to ship the vans from 0 to 60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds and permit them to climb 100-percent grades. No horsepower figures got, and there’ll absolutely be lower-powered variations supplied. Charging can be achieved with an NACS port, and the Scouts could have 350-kW fast-charging and bi-directional charging capabilities. Most vary can be a Scout-estimated 350 miles.
Along with the usual absolutely electrical setup that had been promised from the beginning, Scout shocked us by asserting that each the Terra and Traveler can be supplied with an optionally available range-extender, a small gas-powered engine that acts as a generator for the electrical motors and battery and can enhance the utmost vary to greater than 500 miles. Scout is looking this EREV (prolonged vary electrical car) setup the Harvester, a callback to the corporate’s roots, and it says going for the EREV will keep the packaging and efficiency advantages of an EV. With a purpose to accomplish that, my guess is will probably be a three- or four-cylinder engine mounted someplace across the rear axle, beneath the pickup mattress or SUV ground alongside a in all probability small gasoline tank, to retain the inside packaging and frunk.
No matter powertrain selection, the Scouts could have severe capabilities and actual truck attributes. The body-on-frame platform is newly developed only for Scout and seemingly received’t be utilized by every other Volkswagen Group merchandise (although who is aware of how lengthy that can final), and it has a stable rear axle. The Terra will be capable to tow greater than 10,000 kilos whereas the Traveler will pull over 7,000 kilos, and each fashions could have near 2,000 kilos of payload capability. Scout says the vans could have over 12 inches of floor clearance, virtually three ft of water fording functionality and “aggressive” strategy and departure angles. Different goodies embody a entrance sway bar disconnect, mechanical entrance and rear lockers, and tires as much as 35 inches in measurement. Scout says there can be totally different suspension choices, however hasn’t mentioned what they are going to be. Out there from the manufacturing unit can be a spread of equipment like auxiliary lights, off-road bumpers with a heavy-duty winch and aspect steps. Scout may also have powered equipment that may be managed by inside switches or the cell app.
All of that’s properly and good, but when the design is a flop none of it issues. Fortunately, I feel Scout’s Michigan-based design group, lead by former Jeep designer Chris Benjamin, completely nailed it. Each the Terra and Traveler are the correct mix of retro and trendy, with sufficient throwback cues to tie into the previous Scouts with out being too kitschy. Unsurprisingly, from the B-pillars ahead the 2 fashions are equivalent, and so they each look fairly enormous. Scout hasn’t given any dimensions but, however the Terra has a 5-foot-5-inch mattress, a complete foot longer than the Rivian R1T’s. The entrance overhangs are tremendous quick and the hoods aren’t too lengthy both, however each Scouts have a frunk that’s sufficiently big to carry golf golf equipment, a health club bag and a cooler.
The Scouts have a particular upright face with a black “masks” that’s a pleasant nod to the unique fashions’ broad grilles. A serrated mild strip surrounds your complete masks, and the oblong headlights on the ends have a horizontal mild strip bisecting them that’s then matched by a small marker mild on the entrance fender edge. The rear ends have equally sized and formed masks and lightweight setups, which I feel seems particularly cool on the pickup. The corporate caught with a basic Scout script for the badging, which is offset and illuminated at each ends.
Rugged varieties can be pleased to see that the Scouts have actual bumpers protruding from each the entrance and rear ends, with skid plate parts, distinguished tow hooks and built-in lights. The aspect skirts are thick black plastic, however in any other case there’s not a lot in the best way of aggressive off-road styling — Scout says it needed the vans to “outline their rugged functionality with out add-on cladding or different adornments.” The fenders are actually properly flared, with solely a slim plastic bit on the edges, and the Scouts have softly sculpted broad shoulders.
The Traveler’s rear quarter window kicks up on the thick D-pillar, an awesome tie-in with the previous Scouts, and the present automotive has a contrasting roof that appears nice. Probably the greatest particulars on the Traveler is the cut up tailgate, which creates a pleasant spot to take a seat on or load gadgets into the seemingly spacious cargo space, and it has a spare tire service that swings out individually and allegedly has “minimal impression” to the aerodynamics. The Terra has an underbody spare service that may maintain tires as much as 33 inches, or a bed-mounted service for the 35-inch all-terrains. That mattress has two 120-volt energy shops and a 240-volt outlet, and the Terra has steps within the bedside proper behind the rear doorways and well-integrated seize handles on all sides of the rear window that ape the form of the aspect home windows.
Annoyingly, Scout solely despatched two photographs of the inside, each of the Traveler, nevertheless it seems actually good. Sure, there’s a large digital gauge cluster and a fair larger central infotainment touchscreen, however Scout put an enormous emphasis on having actual bodily controls all through the cabin, like a row of toggle switches and knobs beneath the display screen. The screens are framed by two horizontal bars harking back to the dashboards in previous Scouts, and the multi-tiered middle console has a lot of cupboard space and USB-C ports. It’s acquired regular air vents, too!
One of many largest retro touches is the provision of a bench seat for the entrance row, which can be supplied on each the Terra and Traveler rather than that middle console. Scout may also supply the Traveler with what it calls the Cabana Prime, a sliding cloth sunroof that gives one of many largest openings of any SUV. You’ll additionally be capable to spec your Scout with a panoramic glass sunroof that fortunately has a powered sunshade. There are a variety of buttons and switches on the entrance of the roof, together with a cool spherical compass.
I actually just like the ’70s-style steering wheel that has rotary knobs and the beginning/cease button built-in within the decrease part, and the shifter is column-mounted to offer extra inside area. This present automotive has an improbable mixture of tan leather-based and gray cloth all through, with loads of contrasting stitching and aluminum accents, however crucially decrease sections are manufactured from extra sturdy plastics so that you received’t really feel dangerous about beating them up. Scout says the inside is made with sustainable supplies, although no particulars got.
The personalizable infotainment system known as the Scout Neighborhood UX, described as being “versatile, configurable and easy-to-use” and constructed on a “trendy zonal software program structure” with over-the-air updates and distant diagnostics. We are able to see an enormous map view dominating the display screen, and a row of shortcut buttons on the backside for generally used options and methods. The speedometer show seems to be a retro horizontal design, which I’m into.
Scout says each the Traveler could have retail costs beginning at beneath $60,000, with the figures going as little as $50,000 with out there incentives — meaning the beginning worth will probably be $57,500, with the federal tax credit score taking it to the magic $50,000 mark, and people costs in all probability don’t embody vacation spot. The Terra, in the meantime, may also begin beneath $60,000 and go as little as $51,500 with incentives. If Scout can follow these numbers, that’ll be a reasonably killer worth, undercutting present electrical vans just like the Rivian and Ford F-150 Lightning. In fact, higher-end fashions will definitely be much more costly, and we don’t know the way a lot the range-extender will add onto the value. The corporate is accepting reservations now to the tune of a refundable $100 payment, which is able to allow you to decide your mannequin and powertrain and reserve your spot in line.
As for a way gross sales and servicing will work, Scout’s doing it equally to different electrical startups by working with a direct gross sales mannequin. Scout guarantees “full worth transparency” and a seamless on-line buying expertise that may be achieved in minutes. There can be an “unique” Scout retail community consisting of devoted retail areas and Workshops that can deal with hands-on experiences, take a look at drives and servicing. Scout says 80 % of repairs could be accomplished outdoors of the the Workshops, seemingly with at-home servicing, and the vans could have “aggressive price of possession by sturdy repairability.”
The groundbreaking of Scout’s model new manufacturing unit in South Carolina solely simply occurred earlier this yr, and whereas manufacturing was initially set to begin in 2026, that has been pushed again to a while in 2027 — a date the corporate says is predicated on present projections and topic to vary. Therein lies one of many largest issues with these new vans. By the point they lastly enter manufacturing, we’ll have seen some large leaps in EV know-how in functionality. Plenty of firms are engaged on solid-state batteries that can launch over the following few years, and hell, you should purchase a Rivian proper now that has a spread of over 400 miles.
Nonetheless, I feel the brand new Scouts are superior, and I feel they nonetheless can be superior once they hit the roads a couple of years from now. Volkswagen Group simply might have fucked this up, and at the least from what we all know to this point, it doesn’t appear to have. American shoppers actually do love and wish legit trucky pickups and SUVs, and that’s what the reborn Scout is delivering.
