VW’s Scout EV revival begins with an SUV and a pickup

Although it disappeared over 40 years in the past, Worldwide Harvester is a mythical brand in North America thanks partly to the Scout, one of many world’s first SUVs. Now, Scout Motors is again beneath Volkswagen as an all-new marque and simply revealed its first two fashions: the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV. Each use a brand-new EV platform and can begin at beneath $60,000 earlier than incentives when manufacturing launches in 2027.

Scout motors says its “precedence was to honor the spirit of the unique Scout,” offered by Worldwide from 1961 to 1980 in varied types. Although the Traveler and Terra clearly have trendy designs, they use rounded contours and a “black masks” on the entrance and rear fascias to invoke the older fashions. Additionally they include separate bumpers and upward-sweeping facet home windows, once more paying homage to the basic Scout.

Different design parts are totally trendy, like a skinny LED strip across the “grill” and rectangular headlights bisected by slim daytime operating lights. (The fashions proven listed here are 85 p.c of what we’ll see in remaining manufacturing autos, Scout stated).

The unique Scout and Worldwide 150 pickup had been sensible and hard (we referred to as it “Inter-smashable” again within the day), and the brand new fashions will hold a few of these points. Each have body-on-frame development with a stable rear axle, together with entrance and rear locking hubs for off-road use. They’re going to supply 2,000 kilos of payload together with 7,000 kilos of towing capability for the Traveler and 10,000 kilos for the Terra pickup. Each will include all-wheel drive through entrance and rear electrical motors.

That ought to hold working and outdoorsy patrons joyful, however the autos can even elevate your hairs. Each will speed up from 0-60 MPH in 3.5 seconds due to an estimated 1,000 pound-feet of torque and four-wheel-drive system, although Scout has but to supply a prime pace.

The bottom trim package deal will supply as much as 350 miles of vary whereas the prolonged vary model is successfully a hybrid that may go as much as 500 miles utilizing a gas-powered vary extender. Charging occasions aren’t talked about, however they will use an 800-volt structure that helps as much as 350 kW speeds. It can additionally function bidirectional charging and vehicle-to-home capabilities, together with over-the-air updates and distant diagnostics.

The cabin is so far as it may be from the spartan inside on the originals. It seems luxurious and high-tech with a digital cluster and huge shows, together with a promised “responsive” infotainment system and high-resolution backup cameras. On the identical time, it comes with toggles and dials for local weather and different controls. The seats and panels are lined with a mixture of brown leather-based, cloth and a wood-like materials.

Each have a frunk with 120-volt and USB-C retailers and may match golf golf equipment, a gymnasium bag and a small cooler, Scout says. The Terra’s 5.5-foot mattress may even comprise a 120- and 240-volt retailers for instruments, compressors and the like.

The Traveler, in the meantime, can have a cut up tailgate and include two roof choices. The primary is a Cabana prime with panels that fold again for open-air motoring, whereas the second is a glass roof with a powered shade. Each autos can be out there with a entrance bench seat to extend passenger capability.

Very similar to Tesla, Scout will promote its autos on to shoppers with out a dealership within the center. Buying one will take “minutes” with the corporate promising full worth transparency and dealing with gross sales, supply and repair. You can verify them out in individual at devoted “Scout Workshop” retail and repair areas.

Each fashions are designed and engineered in Michigan and can be constructed at a brand new manufacturing facility in Columbia, South Carolina by some 4,000 employees. Manufacturing begins in 2027 with autos arriving for the 2028 mannequin 12 months. Costs will begin beneath $60,000, in accordance with Scout Motors, and reservations at the moment are open.