Scout Motors Reveals Two Electric Concepts

NASHVILLE, TN – When Volkswagen Group was in negotiations to buy Navistar in 2020 and announced the deal, there were rumblings about doing something with the Scout brand that hailed back to the SUV that ceased production in 1980 when the company was still known as International Harvester.

By 2022, the idea was more than rumbling; there was firm interest, especially on the part of then-VW of North America CEO Scott Keogh, who now holds the same title at Scout Motors. Volkswagen had nothing like Scout as an SUV brand in its portfolio, and the group’s sales in the SUV-centric U.S. had underperformed for 30 years. Scout Motors was born. Earlier this year, ground broke on a plant near Columbia, SC, for production on a dedicated platform to produce an SUV and pickup to try to excite the electric-vehicle market.

Scout Motors unveils both vehicles as concepts, the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup, here. Both names hearken back to models that International built.

Judging from the specifications, Scout Motors, and by extension VW, is not messing around with positioning the vehicles as niche models. Everything about them, including the $50,000-ish starting price (after federal tax credit), is designed for a volume business. The plant, which will begin turning out cars by the end of 2026 or early 2027, is designed to produce 200,000 vehicles a year to supply the U.S., Canada and potentially export markets, says Keogh.

“Two years in the making, the day has finally come to share the next generation of Scout vehicles with the world,” Keogh says. “The original core idea – rugged, versatile vehicles capable of off-road adventure and family duty – is more relevant than ever. We couldn’t be prouder to revitalize this iconic American brand, create thousands of American jobs, and put American ingenuity back to work.”

The specs of the Traveler and Terra:

A range extender, which was dialed into the vehicle program less than a year ago, is seen by Keogh as a key selling point to tout when the vehicles come to market. As the public charging infrastructure is slow to proliferate, the gas-powered motor, which powers the car through the battery, allows drivers to stop at a gas station to refuel and extend the range by 150 miles (242 km).

With retail pricing starting under $60,000, the Traveler entry model starts as low as $50,000 with available federal and state incentives, and the Terra entry model starts as low as $51,500 with available incentives.

The pricing of the Scout vehicles looks very reasonable by today’s standard. Last month, the average transaction price for a new vehicle was $48,397, according to Cox Automotive. The average transaction price for electric vehicles in the U.S. was approximately $56,351.

Consumers were able to make a reservation as of Oct. 24.

Light-duty battery-electric vehicles, which include passenger cars and SUVs, are forecast to account for 35% of global vehicle sales by 2030, according to S&P Global.  In advanced BEV markets, such as Europe and the U.S., demand for electric SUVs is expected to be particularly strong, driven by the increasing range, capability and affordability of new models entering the market.

Scout plans to have a sales and service network that will provide direct sales, augmented by studio locations where customers can see the sheet metal and test drive the vehicles.

VW Group has some experience trading on its heritage and history, having launched two different Beetle models, the first coming 20 years after they stopped selling the original in the U.S. VW is amidst the U.S. launch of the ID. Buzz, an electric van that pays homage to the Microbus. In the case of the Scout, VW has acquired a brand that has had a cult following among collectors and restorers. Of more than 500,000 Scouts produced over 19 years about 10% are believed to be running today, according to Jeff Ismail, president of IHPartsAmerica.com. Hagerty alone insures around 12,000 International Scouts for collectors.

Since 2020, the average value for well-preserved first-generation International Scouts has risen by 38%, while Scout II models have appreciated by 46%. Despite these increases, vintage Scouts remain more affordable compared to their competitors, such as classic Ford Broncos and Toyota Land Cruisers. These trends reflect growing collector interest, particularly among younger buyers.

The first International Scout, the Scout 80, was launched as a compact off-road vehicle to compete with the Jeep CJ and was marketed to farmers and ranchers who were already customers of International Harvester tractors and other agricultural work vehicles and equipment. It marked the beginning of what would become a line of rugged, versatile SUVs that helped establish the utility vehicle segment. Ford followed in 1966 with the Bronco, which was very close in size, style and dimensions to the Scout.

Scout production ended in 1980, primarily due to a combination of financial difficulties faced by International Harvester and a shift in market dynamics and tougher emission and safety standards. IH struggled with high production costs, labor disputes and declining sales during the 1970s.

According to Ismail, Ford attempted to license the Scout name for a version of the Bronco, and Honda attempted to license or acquire the brand for an SUV more than a decade ago.

VW, now, through the Scout business unit, is hoping to capitalize on the nostalgic feelings of boomers and Gen Xers who recall the rugged utility of the original, as well as the brand’s appeal to millennials and Gen Z.