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 information 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 authentic Worldwide Harvester fashions — which have been simply revealed at a sprawling property exterior Nashville. Technically these are simply idea automobiles, however Scout representatives promise they’re fairly near the manufacturing fashions that may 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 dimension. The model is concentrating 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 certainly be lower-powered variations supplied. Charging will probably be achieved with an NACS port, and the Scouts could have 350-kW fast-charging and bi-directional charging capabilities. Most vary will probably be a Scout-estimated 350 miles.
Along with the usual absolutely electrical setup that had been promised from the beginning, Scout stunned us by asserting that each the Terra and Traveler will probably be supplied with an non-obligatory range-extender, a small gas-powered engine that acts as a generator for the electrical motors and battery and can improve the utmost vary to greater than 500 miles. Scout is asking this EREV (prolonged vary electrical automobile) setup the Harvester, a callback to the corporate’s roots, and it says going for the EREV will preserve the packaging and efficiency advantages of an EV. With a purpose to accomplish that and preserve the frunk, the engine is mounted between the rear axle and bumper beneath the ground/mattress, and my guess is will probably be a three- or four-cylinder engine. The gas filler is on the entrance fender, however it looks like the fuel tank will probably be positioned close to the engine.
No matter powertrain alternative, 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 another Volkswagen Group merchandise (although who is aware of how lengthy that may final), and it has a strong 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, nearly three toes 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 dimension. Scout says there will probably be completely different suspension choices, however hasn’t stated what they are going to be. Accessible from the manufacturing facility will probably be a variety of equipment like auxiliary lights, off-road bumpers with a heavy-duty winch and facet steps. Scout will even have powered equipment that may be managed via inside switches or the cell app.
All of that’s effectively 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 right combination of retro and fashionable, with sufficient throwback cues to tie into the outdated Scouts with out being too kitschy. Unsurprisingly, from the B-pillars ahead the 2 fashions are equivalent, and so they’re each fairly large.
The Traveler is 207.9 inches lengthy, making it 7.1 inches lengthy than a Rivian R1S and solely a pair inches shy of a Chevrolet Tahoe, and its 120.4-inch wheelbase is sort of equivalent to the Tahoe’s and about an inch off the R1S. With a max top of 76.3 inches, it splits the distinction between the 2. The Terra, in the meantime, is 229.2 inches lengthy, a full foot longer than an R1T — is smart given the Terra’s 5-foot-5-inch mattress is a foot longer than the Rivian’s. A Ford F-150 Lightning is just a few inches longer than the Terra, however the Scout’s 148.6-inch wheelbase beats the Ford by three inches.
Each Scouts have a particular upright face with a black “masks” that’s a pleasant nod to the unique fashions’ large grilles. A serrated mild strip surrounds all the 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. The entrance overhangs are tremendous quick and the hoods aren’t too lengthy both, however each Scouts have a frunk that’s large enough to carry golf golf equipment, a gymnasium bag and a cooler.
Rugged varieties will probably be comfortable to see that the Scouts have actual bumpers protruding from each the entrance and rear ends, with skid plate components, outstanding tow hooks and built-in lights. The facet 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 incredible tie-in with the outdated Scouts, and the present automobile has a contrasting roof that appears nice. Among the best particulars on the Traveler is the break up tailgate, which creates a pleasant spot to take a seat on or load objects into the seemingly spacious cargo space, and it has a spare tire service that swings out individually and allegedly has “minimal influence” 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 retailers 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 facet home windows.
Annoyingly, Scout solely despatched two images of the inside forward of the reveal, each of the Traveler, however it seems actually good. Sure, there’s a massive 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. The screens are framed by two horizontal bars paying homage to the dashboards in outdated Scouts, and the multi-tiered heart console has plenty of cupboard space and USB-C ports. It’s received regular air vents, too!
One of many largest retro touches is the provision of a bench seat for the entrance row, which will probably be supplied on each the Terra and Traveler rather than that heart console. Scout will even provide the Traveler with what it calls the Cabana High, 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 house. This present automobile has an unbelievable mixture of tan leather-based and gray cloth all through, with loads of contrasting stitching and aluminum accents, however crucially decrease sections are product of extra sturdy plastics so that you received’t really feel unhealthy 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 “fashionable zonal software program structure” with over-the-air updates and distant diagnostics. We are able to see an enormous map view dominating the display, 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 underneath $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 most likely don’t embody vacation spot. The Terra, in the meantime, will even begin underneath $60,000 and go as little as $51,500 with incentives. If Scout can stick with these numbers, that’ll be a fairly killer worth, undercutting present electrical vans just like the Rivian and Ford F-150 Lightning. After all, higher-end fashions will definitely be much more costly, and we don’t understand how a lot the range-extender will add onto the worth. The corporate is accepting reservations now to the tune of a refundable $100 charge, which is able to allow you to decide your mannequin and powertrain and reserve your spot in line.
As for the 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 will probably be an “unique” Scout retail community consisting of devoted retail areas and Workshops that may deal with hands-on experiences, take a look at drives and servicing. Scout says 80 p.c of repairs will be accomplished exterior of the the Workshops, seemingly with at-home servicing, and the vans could have “aggressive price of possession via strong repairability.”
The groundbreaking of Scout’s model new manufacturing facility in South Carolina solely simply occurred earlier this yr, and whereas manufacturing was initially set to start out in 2026, that has been pushed again to a while in 2027 — a date the corporate says relies 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 massive leaps in EV know-how in functionality. Numerous firms are engaged on solid-state batteries that may launch over the following few years, and hell, you should purchase a Rivian proper now that has a variety of over 400 miles.
Nonetheless, I feel the brand new Scouts are superior, and I feel they nonetheless will probably be superior once they hit the roads just a few years from now. Volkswagen Group simply may have fucked this up, and no less than from what we all know up to now, it doesn’t appear to have. American shoppers actually do love and need respectable trucky pickups and SUVs, and that’s what the reborn Scout is delivering.
