- Scout Motors is a reborn, off-road EV brand owned by the Volkswagen Group, and its first products will be the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV.
- Both offer up to 350 miles of electric range and an optional gasoline range extender, enabling drivers to go up to 500 miles between stops.
- The design, price, features and specs all look good. But while they look production-ready, the concepts won't be on sale for a few years.
I've waited a long time to see what Scout, Volkswagen's revived off-road brand, would bring to the table. The company made big promises: The return of a storied nameplate, a new chance for VW to build real momentum in America, new software, a new factory and extreme off-road capability. But I had my doubts. I don't trust VW's vision as a company, and I wasn't sure if Scout could stick the landing. But with the reveal of the Terra truck and Traveler SUV on Thursday, Scout blew away my expectations. The company made all of the right decisions. The products look great.
They offer pure-EV or "extended-range EV" powertrains, with 350 miles of all-electric range and up to 500 miles when using the available gasoline generator. The designs look great, the interiors look solid, the capability looks promising and the charging specs look incredible. They're built in America with battery sourcing that ensures they'll qualify for the full $7,500 federal incentive, and the pricing looks about right. The Terra and Traveler have everything they need to succeed in America. Scout just has to get them to market. Both are technically "concepts" for now, but they look nearly production-ready.
Let's jump into what they are, why they matter and the road ahead.
Gallery: Scout Traveler SUV And Terra Pickup Concepts
The Basics
Scout is a beloved name in the off-road community, as the original International Harvester Scout was a phenomenal off-roader. It was simple, durable and capable, and a perfect inspiration for an off-road brand. When the Volkswagen Group acquired the rights to the Scout name upon purchasing the heavy duty trucking firm that controlled International, the company took the opportunity to launch a redefined brand for an electric era. The company announced the name a couple of years back, and now we finally know about the products.
The Traveler and Terra are two separate products, but the fundamentals are the same. They are both body-on-frame vehicles built on an EV-oriented truck platform, bespoke to Scout. Scout says they'll take advantage of "zonal architectures," a design term borrowed from new VW partner Rivian, which uses the new method of construction to simplify production and service while cutting costs. But the Scout's electrical architecture is more advanced than even the Rivian R1's, with an 800-volt-class system enabling increased efficiency and blinding-fast charging.
If you don't want to worry about public fast charging, though, Scout is selling an "extended-range electric vehicle" version of the Terra and Traveler. The "EREV"—a term popularized by the upcoming Ram Ramcharger—incorporates a gasoline generator to charge the battery. In a nod to the brand's history, Scout calls the gasoline generator the "Harvester." It never directly powers the wheels, though, separating this from a hybrid design.
Specs
The EREV design means that the Scout can go up to 500 miles on a charge and a tank. Opt for the EV-only version of either the Terra or the Traveler and you'll get up to 350 miles of range, putting them roughly on par with existing long-range trucks. Charge times should be considerably faster than the segment average, though. Scout says the Terra and Traveler support up to 350-kW charging speeds, maxing out the fastest chargers you'll find today. There's no claim for a 10-80% charging time, but expect it to land well under 30 minutes. Sub-20 minutes seems possible. The Scouts will come with Tesla's North American Charging System (NACS) plug from the factory, too, so you'll be able to charge at Superchargers from the rip.
Scout will offer a dual-motor four-wheel-drive system The company says there will be a solid rear axle—something beloved by hard-core off-roaders and unavailable in any EV off-roader so far—and mechanically locking front and rear differentials.
Those top-end trucks should be able to knock off the 0-60 sprint in 3.5 seconds, thanks to "nearly 1,000 lb-ft of torque," per the release. Perhaps more relevant to truck buyers, the Terra will be able to tow over 10,000 lbs. The Traveler—that's the SUV—will be limited to a bit over 7,000 lbs of towing capacity, which is unsurprising as shorter-wheelbase SUVs almost always tow less than their long-wheelbase, pickup truck counterparts. Both offer 2,000 lbs of payload, which shames any internal-combustion midsize pickup on sale. So you shouldn't have to worry about how much gear you bring on your overlanding trips.
Speaking of which, Scout says both trucks will offer over a foot of ground clearance in their most capable specifications. They can fit 35-inch tires and ford three feet of water. Finally, they can power all of your gear with a plethora of 120-volt outlets and USB-C ports. The Terra will even offer a 240-volt outlet in its 5.5-foot pickup bed with enough oomph to power construction tools and appliances. Both vehicles offer a full-size spare, too, which is huge for off-roading. Scout also says the frunk of both the Terra and Traveler are big enough to fit a bag of golf clubs, or a cooler.
What About The Interior?
Scout was clear to InsideEVs: The company isn't going to make the same mistake as many competitors (and even its parent company) in eschewing buttons completely. The Terra and Traveler offer tough-looking buttons for key controls, with rugged-looking accents throughout the interior.
The concept images show an awesome design inside, with brown leather/leatherette seats and fabric accents. It's a good mix of clean, modern design with user-friendly accents. It remains to be seen whether Scout can stick the landing on software, which has proven to be a pain point for VW. But Scout's doing its own work here, and may benefit from the new tie-in with Rivian.
But this isn't a vehicle that's going to be defined by its tech. Instead, it offers another selling point to its outdoorsy clientele. The Traveler will offer a retractable "Cabana Top" that provides a giant opening to the outdoors. It's the size of a large panoramic roof, but fully opening. Scout claims it will be one of the largest roof opening in any SUV. If you don't want that, though, you can get a panoramic roof.
There will also be a three-person front bench seat available, which I absolutely love. It'll even be available on higher trims, so you don't need a stripper-spec work truck to have six-passenger utility. That alone has put the Scout Terra on my "want to own" list.
How Much Does It Cost?
Here, I was expecting bad news. Scout is promising a lot, and over-promising can lead to cost growth pretty quickly. But I think the price is reasonable: Including tax credits, the Traveler will start "as low as $50,000." The pickup version will star around $51,500, also with the tax credit factored in. Ignoring the tax credit—which could change at any time—both vehicles will start under $60,000.
That's a reasonable price for this kind of vehicle. Many Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco and Toyota 4Runner customers already pay over $50,000. The Toyota Land Cruiser starts in the mid-$50,000 range, too.
The real question is whether the $50,000 version will be a vehicle you want. The 1,000 lb-ft truck with the range extender sounds incredible. But it's too early to know whether Scout can deliver the experience customers want for $50,000. I can easily see the real-world price being in the $60,000 range for most models. But Scout's top-end EVs will have one huge advantage over the most sought-after Wrangler 392s, Bronco Raptors and 4Runner TRD Pros.
Where Can I Get One?
The Scout Terra and Traveler will be sold directly to consumers via factory stores. That means fixed pricing and no markups, something that can be hard to avoid on many of the Scout's most desirable competitors.
But that also poses a risk: Scout will have to deploy stores quickly, especially if it wants to capture more rural buyers who will be most excited by an off-roader. The company also needs to find a way to differentiate itself from Rivian, another EV adventure brand with zonal architectures and, likely, similar software. The range extender and price should separate it from the R1, but Rivian plans to launch the smaller, more affordable R2 before either Scout reaches the market.
Direct-to-consumer brands have also struggled to develop their service networks fast enough. But Scout says 80% of repairs on either truck should be doable outside of a Scout service center, "whether in a driveway or while adventuring." If Scout is able to leverage VW's existing service network, that could be a huge advantage, but there's no word on that yet. Scout also says the stores will offer a variety of accessories, including bumpers with exposed recovery points, auxiliary lighting options and even winches.
When Can I Get One
Now the bad news: Not until 2027. Scout says initial production will begin at its South Carolina factory sometime in that year, but that's all we know. If low-volume production starts in late 2027, it could leave most buyers waiting until 2028 for their vehicles.
Both the Terra and Traveler look sophisticated, interesting and competitive now. But it's hard to know where the market will be in 2027. Nobody knows if tax credits will still exist by then. Rivian could also be a mainstream company by then, or it could be gone. Tesla could be an AI company primarily making robots, or a reborn automaker with an adult at the helm.
So we don't know what sort of market the Terra and Traveler will enter. But right now, both products look exactly on target. Scout has managed to carve out a beautiful niche, as a tech-forward, ground-up company with the experience and resources of a giant global automaker. It's approached these vehicles with an incredible clarity of purpose, and it's possible that it'll be one of the few truly successful, direct-to-consumer, EV-focused companies in the U.S. But first, it has to hold our attention for the next three years.
That's a tall order, but I've learned not to underestimate Scout. If you like it, and you believe in the company, you can reserve one today here.
Correction: 10/25/24 at 1:40 P.M.: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Scout Terra and Traveler would offer quad-motor four-wheel-drive systems, with a motor per axle. That is incorrect. The Scouts will offer four-wheel drive with two motors, one on each axle. The story has been updated to be accurate. We regret the error.
Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com.
