By Adam Ferraresi, October 25, 2024
Scout Motors has unveiled its new line of all-electric pickup and SUV models. Never heard of Scout Motors before? Me neither. Founded in 2022 and based in the USA, Scout Motors is owned by the Volkswagen Group. The company borrows a bit of heritage, attempting to connect its story to the now-defunct International Harvester brand. It’s a classic American tale of buyouts and rebranding, but for simplicity, let’s stick with “it’s owned by Volkswagen,” in a vain attempt to give it credibility.
However, there are already questions about the credibility of the Scout Motors Terra pickup, as the company plans to build a $2 billion manufacturing facility with an ambitious goal of producing 200,000 EVs annually. While the factory may indeed be built, reaching that production number anytime soon seems unlikely. Pickup trucks dominate new vehicle sales in America, yet the market isn’t exactly sold on fully electric pickups—unless it’s the Cybertruck.
Available in SUV and pickup truck variants, the Scout Traveler SUV and Terra pickup will come as either fully electric models or plug-in hybrids with a gas-powered range extender. This range extender, called “Harvester,” will use a small internal combustion engine to recharge the battery without directly driving the wheels.
Scout Motors claims the fully electric models will offer up to 350 miles per charge, while the range extender hybrids are expected to exceed 500 miles. The gas generator will be located at the rear of the chassis, though specific details about the engine and its displacement have not yet been disclosed.
Although Scout Motors has not confirmed whether the gas engine will be sourced from Volkswagen, it has acknowledged that certain non-consumer-facing components, such as window regulators, may be shared with other vehicles within the Volkswagen Group.
Prices are set to start from $60,000, production for the Scout Traveler and Terra is slated to commence in 2027, with both models targeting availability for the 2028 model year.
