Update: It's official – VW Group is reviving the Scout brand and offering two electric vehicles. There will be an electric SUV and an electric pickup, both scheduled to debut in the US sometime in 2026.
THIS IS FOR YOU - #USA! 🇺🇸🛻
— Volkswagen Group (@VWGroup) May 11, 2022
⚡ We will produce an all-electric pick-up and rugged SUV
⚡ The strong Iconic brand #Scout get's electrified
⚡ Production will start in 2026 pic.twitter.com/blZy8b0Z29
For a company with huge resources such as the VW Group, it doesn't come as a surprise the automotive conglomerate wants to cash in on the off-road craze. Reports about a rugged electric SUV emerged in late 2018 and since then we've heard some weird names being speculated, like T-Rug and Ruggdzz. In September 2021, VW Group of America Chief Operating Officer, Johan De Nysschen, hinted at the possibility of an all-terrain vehicle with no emissions.
Fast forward to May 2022, The Wall Street Journal claims that not only will VW green light an electric SUV, but also a pickup truck without a combustion engine. These competent EVs will form the basis of the revived Scout brand as a subsidiary in the United States. The board of directors is believed to approve the plan later today, but production is not expected to commence until 2026. Eventually, VW wants to make as many as 250,000 Scout vehicles per year.
To get the ball rolling, an initial investment of $1 billion will be necessary, according to WSJ. As previously reported, the VW Group owns the rights to the "Scout" name via Traton, its subsidiary that puts Scania, Man, and Navistar under the same corporate umbrella. If Navistar doesn't ring a bell, it was formed in 1986 as a direct successor to the International Harvester company, which had the rights to the "Scout" trademark.
2026 is still a long way to go. Meanwhile, electric trucks from Ford, Rivian, and GMC are out and about. The much-hyped Tesla Cybertruck is supposedly coming next year when the Chevrolet Silverado EV will also hit the streets. In other words, Scout will have to face some stiff competition from day one, but with VW's deep pockets, it could earn its place in the automotive arena.
If the board of directors will indeed favorably vote later today to bring back Scout, perhaps we'll get some official news from VW soon.
