Scout Terra pickup truck and Scout Traveller SUV concept
reconnaissance
LAS VEGAS — Scout Motors has received more than $50,000 in refundable reservation deposits for its first electric pickup truck and SUV, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said.
Volkswagen has revived the Scout brand, which was an American brand from 1961 to 1980, and in October launched production models of its Terra pickup truck and Traveller SUV. The vehicles will be available as fully electric models or extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs).
Scout received fewer reservations for its all-electric vehicles than other automakers in the early 2020s, when many were just launching a number of all-electric vehicles. Pre-orders don’t guarantee sales, but they can be a barometer of interest.
“The response has been very, very positive,” Bloom said Tuesday night during a private media event at the CES technology conference in Las Vegas. “The response was, ‘This is a legacy.’ … It’s a love story.
In Scout’s case, the client must submit a $100 refundable deposit Be one of the first to place your order when the vehicle opens. The vehicles are expected to arrive in 2027.
The Scout brand is part of Volkswagen’s plan to expand market share across its U.S. brands, including Audi, Porsche and its namesake brand. Blum said the German automaker’s current U.S. share is about 4%.
“Our goal is to increase market share, and we think we have some potential with all the new cars coming into the market,” Bloom said, without disclosing potential market share targets.
Scout Traveler SUV Concept
reconnaissance
Scout CEO Scott Keogh said in a separate interview at CES that pre-orders exceeded the company’s expectations. He said about 70% of bookings were for Traveler SUVs, in line with the company’s expectations.
Keogh declined to disclose booking details for the all-electric and EREV models.
“We’re very pleased with the numbers,” Keogh told CNBC. “People are responding well to EREV.”
EREV is basically a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. They include electric vehicle motors and batteries, as well as traditional internal combustion engines, used to power the vehicle’s electrical components when the battery loses energy. The engine essentially acts as a generator, providing power to the EV components when needed.
Keogh previously said Scout added EREV to better protect the brand from market fluctuations if consumer demand for electric vehicles is lower than expected.
He said the company is currently focused on three main tasks: increasing brand awareness, continuing vehicle engineering and building a $2 billion factory in South Carolina.
According to the Scout website, the Traveler and Terra are expected to start at less than $60,000. According to the company, EREV vehicles will have a range of more than 500 miles, with all-electric models having a range of up to 350 miles.
Scout Terra Pickup Truck Concept
reconnaissance
At CES, Scout highlighted the connectivity and in-car user experience of its upcoming trucks and SUVs, which are designed to be similar to Jeeps and outdoor recreation vehicles from electric vehicle startups Rivian. This includes providing satellite connectivity to reconnaissance vehicles in remote areas.
Scout is currently building a 200,000-vehicle-a-year plant in South Carolina. The Scout is expected to use batteries from Volkswagen Canada’s joint venture battery maker – the most expensive component in an electric vehicle.
Scout also plans to use software and electrical architecture from the $5.8 billion joint venture agreement between Rivian and Volkswagen in its vehicles.
Volkswagen Group acquired the Scout trademark and name in 2021 after spending $3.7 billion to acquire Navistar, the successor to Scout’s original owner International Harvester.
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