Whether the new off-road-ready Scout Terra and Traveler can find a niche is far from certain, especially considering they’re both all-electric. Scout does have time to build expectations, however, with the two new EVs not expected to reach U.S. showrooms for another 2 years.
Once a market mainstay, it’s been more than 4 decades since Scout was available in the U.S. market. But, in a surprising move, Volkswagen purchased the rights to the brand back in 2022 and announced it would bring it back to life — at a cost of at least $1 billion.
The German automaker initially offered only a few hints as to what it had in mind, the key news being its decision to revive Scout as an all-electric brand.
Two years later, Scout has pulled the wraps off concept versions of what will be its first 2 models, the Terra pickup and the Traveler SUV. While officials won’t reveal all the technical details until just before they arrive in U.S. showrooms in 2027, they did offer some insights into what they have planned during a Thursday night media briefing.
The Backstory
Scout was originally introduced by International Harvester in November 1960 and soon became that brand’s bestselling product line. But it was ahead of its time, with SUVs then targeting a relatively narrow niche of buyers.
The nameplate was pulled from the market in 1980 — ironically, just before the real surge in demand for SUVs began. International Harvester was struggling, and its remnants reemerged in 1986 as the newly formed Navistar. That company shifted focus to heavy-duty trucks and buses, letting the Scout badge languish until it was acquired by Volkswagen AG in 2022.
Scout Motors Reborn
In some ways, VW decided to pick up with International Harvester when it dropped the ball. Much as Ford did with the revival of the Bronco badge, the reborn Scout’s products are designed with serious off-roaders in mind.
Both the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are going with body-on-frame platforms. They’ll have sold rear axles and both front and rear mechanically locking differentials.
The pickup will be capable of towing up to 10,000 pounds with a 2,000-pound payload capacity. The SUV will be rated at 7,000 pounds towing.
‘Ready for Work & Play’
“The original core idea — rugged, versatile vehicles capable of off-road adventure and family duty — is more relevant than ever,” said Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh.
Terra will feature a 5.5-foot bed and come with twin 120V outlets, as well as a 240V plug.
Traveler will feature a split tailgate which, Scout suggests, will make it easy to access cargo while shielding cargo and passengers during inclement weather.
Scout plans to offer a range of tire options up to 35 inches. The two models will feature “over” 1 foot of ground clearance and “nearly” 3 feet of water fording capabilities. There’ll be a front sway bar disconnect, as well as two lockers.
Other details are TBA, though the automaker suggested both products will boast “competitive approach and departure angles, and robust suspension options.”
Electrifying
Unlike Ford’s revived Bronco brand, Scout will go all-electric — with an asterisk.
When the plan to revive the brand was first announced 2 years ago it was indicated all Scout models would be EVs. And, in a sense they will be. The motivating force for Terra’s and Traveler’s wheels will come exclusively from electric motors.
But, reflecting potential concerns about range, Scout now plans to add what are alternately known as “range-extended energy systems,” or “serial hybrids.” Translation: they will be offered with onboard generators that can keep the batteries charged up for as long as there’s gas in the tank.
Scout is calling the range-extender option the “Harvester.” It will feature a smaller battery and a battery-powered range of only 150 miles — versus 350 miles of range in the all-electric version. But, the gas generator will bring the total range of the Harvester version of the Terra and Traveler to 500 miles.
Plenty of Power
As Jeep demonstrated with its 4xe plug-in hybrids, there are some real advantages to an all-electric drivetrain. With instant-on torque a vehicle can, if properly engineered, easily creep over logs and boulders, among other things.
We’ll have to wait for final specs on the Scout drivetrains. But, several insiders hinted to me that we can expect buyers to get a choice of packages. That will include the range-extended drivetrains, as well as all-electric offerings with anywhere from one to possibly three or more separate electric motors. That would be in line with what we’re seeing at Rivian, GMC — with its Hummer line — and Tesla.
In a news release, Scout said its fully electric vehicles “are targeted to climb 100% grades and accelerate 0-60 mph in as quick as 3.5 seconds made possible by an estimated nearly 1,000 lb-ft. of torque.”
Plugging In
Scout will debut using the Tesla-style North American Charging Standard, or NACS, meaning it will be able to use the competitor’s Supercharger network.
Notably, since Terra and Traveler will feature 800V electrical architectures and have the ability to draw as much as 350 kW of power, they should be able to charge much faster than current Volkswagen EVs.
Add bidirectional charging capabilities. That will permit the pair of vehicles to provide energy at a camp or worksite while also connecting to a home to keep the lights — and heat and refrigerator — on in the event of a power shortage or outage.
Scout Terra & Traveler: Pricing & Availability
The new brand expects to offer base models at “under $60,000.” They should qualify for some U.S. tax credits since the vehicles will be assembled at a new factory Scout is erecting in South Carolina.
Scout Motors expects to be in the black financially “the first calendar year” and only initially run 1 production shift at its new factory — Scott Keogh, Scout Motors President and CEO, told me. He also expects Traveler SUV to account for two-thirds of sales, but says they can shift production where necessary, both in terms of the 2 models and between EV and E-Rev.
Do recognize that the vehicles shown today are concepts, but according to Scout Motors CEO are 85-90% production ready.
The first Scout Terra and Traveler models won’t reach showrooms until sometime in 2027. But, the new automaker is taking $100 fully refundable reservations now.
