The Hybrid ‘Scout Traveler’ SUV And ‘Scout Terra’ Pickup Look Absolutely Amazing

The Volkswagen-funded Scout brand is bringing back a truck and SUV marque that has been dead for over 40 years, and since 2022 we’ve all been curious what’s going to come of it. But now we have an answer: These are the first two Scout products, and they look absolutely incredible.

The SUV is called the Traveler and the truck is the Terra — names derived from SUV and pickup models (respectively) from the brand’s past. And like those models, these new machines will be body-on-frame, solid-axle off-roaders that try to keep things (relatively) simple. They’re not promising autonomy. They don’t shove every button into a touchscreen. The doors don’t require some weird electromechanical switch. These are two off-road machines that happened to be propelled by electric motors, and they’re starting at a reasonable $50,000 for the Traveler SUV and $51,500 for the Terra pickup. (This is after incentives; retail prices are around $60,000).

Let’s just get straight to the most exciting news: Range Extender. Yes, even though the Traveler and Terra will be offered as fully electric models with about 350 miles of range, there will be 500-mile-range EREV models available. This is huge news.

A Gasoline Range-Extender Called ‘Harvester’

Modern EV technology simply does not allow for a pickup truck or towing/off-road-focused SUV to be built with good range at a reasonable price. It is not possible.

Look at any modern EV pickup truck, and you’ll see that towing performance is poor unless you shove in a humongous, heavy, expensive battery. And any off-road-focused EV has a similar issue of high cost and high weight. What’s more, a fully electric vehicle has significantly limited market appeal when compared with a hybrid, as many EV skeptics remain concerned about infrastructure.

What’s more, huge-battery-equipped BEVs actually can be worse for the environment than range-extended EVs simply because the former often requires 1000 pounds of battery material to solve a range anxiety issue that the latter solves with just a small aluminum motor and generator. Even EV company Lucid’s CEO told me recently: “It Is Not Possible To Make An Affordable Pickup Truck Without An Internal Combustion Engine.”

So this is a moment to celebrate. Scout, like Ram with its Ramcharger, is listening, and they’re building a product that makes sense. An Extended Range EV (EREV) basically acts as an electric vehicle, but when the battery runs low, a small gasoline engine fires up and charges the battery to allow you to continue to drive. It is a truly brilliant powertrain solution and the right one for America in the near and even relatively distant future. From Scout:

From the start, Scout Motors was established as a company that listens to and is guided by consumers. As the shift to electric vehicles accelerates and the mass market more seriously considers electric vehicle adoption, some U.S. drivers have expressed concerns about the ability to recharge while on the road.

Scout Motors listened. The Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra truck will offer an optional extended range electric vehicle (EREV) energy system, called Harvester. A proprietary Scout EREV energy system will unlock freedom on the road while still delivering off-road capability.

With a small internal combustion engine added to the energy system, the gas-powered engine will recharge the vehicle’s high voltage battery, extending the range to more than an estimated 500 miles while maintaining the electric drive system’s instant response and off-road performance.

With the option to refuel anywhere you can find a pump or a plug, all while maintaining the packaging and performance benefits of an electric vehicle, the Harvester energy system will deliver the benefits customers want in a lifestyle that works for them.

Bravo Scout! Bravo! The benefits of this powertrain are huge, and I recommend you read this piece to learn more. Climate change is about cumulative emissions, and range-extended EVs allow for more people to drive electric as soon as possible.

Off-Road Hardware, Absurd Speed

Scout is billing its brand as a “Connection Machine,” with the focus being on connecting a community of people who love off-roaders, not on connecting Bluetooth devices to fancy infotainment systems that will do everything for you. It’s a back-to-basics approach, with plenty of capability as the main focus. Towing capacity is 10,000 pounds for the Terra and 7,000 for the Traveler, thanks to an estimated 1,000 lb-ft of torque, with each vehicle offering a 2,000-pound payload capacity. Zero to 60 mph will happen in as little as 3.5 seconds, which is just absurd, even if we’ve gotten used to such ridiculous times in EVs.

Let’s get to the off-road goodies: A solid rear axle. How is Scout pulling this off on an EV? I still don’t actually know, but I can’t wait to find out. Here’s a bit from Scout on the body-on-frame platform, the 35-inch tires, the three feet of water fording capability, and the mechanical locker for the electric motor powering each axle:

The Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra truck will be built on an all-new and proprietary body-on-frame platform with a solid rear axle that is designed to deliver credible capability and off-road performance. The platform is projected to deliver more than 10,000 pounds of towing on the Terra truck, over 7,000 pounds of towing on the Traveler SUV, and nearly 2,000 pounds of payload on both models. In addition, the platform is intended to offer up to 35-inch tires, over 1 foot of ground clearance, nearly 3 feet of water fording capability, a front sway bar disconnect, front and rear mechanical lockers, competitive approach and departure angles, and robust suspension options.

Scout vehicle capability will largely be controlled through a tactile experience. From mechanical door handles, to grab bars, to switches and dials, Scout vehicles will provide a real hands-on user experience.

800-Volt Electric Architecture, 350 kW Charging

The Scout Traveler and Terra will each be built using an 800-volt architecture, so they should charge up rather quickly. “Scout vehicles will use the North American Charging Standard (NACS), 800-volt (V) architecture,” the brand says, with “up to 350-kilowatt charging capability, and will be capable of bi-directional charging.” This means you can charge it, and you can use it to charge other things, like, say, your house after a power outage.

The Perfect Cargo Setup

The ultimate cargo setup in an SUV is simple: A front trunk (frunk) at the nose, and a rear tailgate with a swing-out tire carrier. Frunks are fun and useful, tailgates are fun and useful, and the best place for a spare tire is on the back of a vehicle.

Scout absolutely nailed this. From Scout:

The Scout Traveler SUV and Terra truck are designed as versatile multitools with durable
materials and flexible cargo areas throughout. Both vehicles will include a front trunk capable of fitting golf clubs, a gym bag, and a small cooler, as well as powering multiple devices with 120V and USB-C power outlets.

[…]

The Scout Terra truck was designed from the outset with a right-sized 5.5-foot bed. The Scout Traveler SUV offers a rear spare tire carrier that intentionally integrates into the body structure and the graphic of the rear mask, carrying up to a full 35-inch spare with minimal impact to aerodynamics. The Scout Terra truck offers an underbody spare tire carrier for sizes up to 33 inches and an optional in-bed tire carrier for 35-inch all-terrain tires.

I’m curious to see where the range extender will be packaged.

Open-Tops, But Not Removable

The tops on the new Scout models aren’t removable like they are on old Scouts, but that doesn’t mean there’s no open-air fun to be had. Scout says there are “multiple available roof types” that will “offer an open–air experience, but with a refined, quality execution that doesn’t distract from the experience.” There’s a Cabana Top, which Scout says will be one of the largest roof openings of any SUV, plus there will be a huge glass roof with power sunshade.

A Direct-Sales Model

Scout plans to sell its Traveler and Terra directly to consumers.”As an independent American company and startup, Scout Motors is building everything from the ground up—its teams, its factory, its vehicles, and now its own customer experience that is powered by an exclusive Scout Motors retail network,” the brand states.

The company says it will sell and service Scouts directly. “From reservations and vehicle sales to delivery and service, Scout Motors supports the consumer directly. One company, one app, one login, one experience, the brand continues, promising full price transparency and purchase transactions that can be done in minutes. The brand is building workshops and other retail spaces for test drives, servicing, and other in-person interactions.

Scout Promises REPAIRABILITY

Here’s an exciting promise: Scout says its vehicles will be repairable. In a world where a light tap to the back of a Rivian can cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix, this is a huge deal. From Scout:

Scout vehicles are designed for competitive cost of ownership through robust repairability and flexible serviceability. From engineering and manufacturing to the Scout Motors national collision partner network, Scout vehicles will be ready for the real world. Approximately 80 percent of repair types can be completed outside of a Scout Workshop, whether in a driveway or while adventuring.

I’m looking forward to learning more details about this soon. Does this mean there won’t be large aluminum castings?

The Interior

We only have one photo of the Scouts’ interior, which I assume will be mostly common between the two models. The photo looks beautiful. There are nice two-tone seats, two screens, a row of buttons for HVAC and radio controls, and — wait, is this the ultimate in shifters? Is that a column shifter? Holy crap that’s a column shifter!:

Here’s Scout’s description of its interior:

The interiors of the Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra truck follow the same design philosophy: simple and bold, tactile, and fit for purpose, while keeping the customer and how they will use the vehicle at the forefront of the design process.

The instrument panel is defined by a bold upper brow and deep undercut, reminiscent of the original Scout II, with a lower bar that defines the horizontality of the interior layout and frames the screens in between. The center display is complimented by a bank of toggle switches and knobs for easy use of the climate controls.

The Traveler SUV maximizes storage on the inside with a multifunctional console, while the Terra truck solidifies the Connection Machine™ with the available front row bench seat. Customers can choose what is right for them; the multifunctional console and bench seat will be available to order in both the Traveler and Terra models.

The vehicle interiors feature clean, modern lines; durable, sustainable materials; and real knobs and tactile controls combined with Scout Community UX™, a digital user interface that is flexible, configurable, and easy-to-use by both drivers and passengers.

Scout Community UX™

The interiors of the Scout Traveler SUV and Scout Terra truck follow the same design philosophy: simple and bold, tactile, and fit for purpose, while keeping the customer and how they will use the vehicle at the forefront of the design process.

The instrument panel is defined by a bold upper brow and deep undercut, reminiscent of the original Scout II, with a lower bar that defines the horizontality of the interior layout and frames the screens in between. The center display is complimented by a bank of toggle switches and knobs for easy use of the climate controls.

The Traveler SUV maximizes storage on the inside with a multifunctional console, while the Terra truck solidifies the Connection Machine™ with the available front row bench seat. Customers can choose what is right for them; the multifunctional console and bench seat will be available to order in both the Traveler and Terra models.
The vehicle interiors feature clean, modern lines; durable, sustainable materials; and real knobs and tactile controls combined with Scout Community UX™, a digital user interface that is flexible, configurable, and easy-to-use by both drivers and passengers.

Scout Community UX™
The Scout UX is developed to bring people together while in the vehicle. With a combination of thoughtfully developed hardware and knobs, complemented by an easy-to-use digital interface, Scout Community UX is designed to be a versatile multitool and helpful companion.

Scout Community UX intentionally does not bury features in menus or screens but rather provides a combination of tactile buttons and knobs with a right-sized, highly responsive digital interface. Together, they ensure intuitive, low-effort interaction and a cohesive user experience.

Scout Community UX intentionally does not bury features in menus or screens but rather provides a combination of tactile buttons and knobs with a right-sized, highly responsive digital interface. Together, they ensure intuitive, low-effort interaction and a cohesive user experience.

I bolded the last bit because I love it. Simplicity. Buttons. Ease of use!

UPDATE: There’s a bench seat option!

David really lost his shit over this one and actually fainted for a moment, falling heavily to the ground while standing amongst the other journalists. He actually said this in Slack:

“It’s like they built this for me

I cannot handle how dope this thing is

 

Ctl alt delete

 

System meltdown

You Can Pre-Order Now

There’s a lot more to the Scout that I haven’t mentioned. The brand says it will offer a bunch of accessories like lights, steps, power things that you can charge with the vehicle, bumpers, winches, etc. etc. And even though Scout preaches a philosophy of simplicity, there will be over-the-air capability, lots of cameras, and plenty of stuff accessed through touchscreens. But not the annoying stuff.

Production is targeted for 2027, and you can put in a reservation as soon as 6:30 ET on Thursday (so, basically right now) by going to the official Scout Motors website and paying $100, which is refundable.

It Looks Like The Perfect Car

This EREV powertrain, the rear-mounted spare, the tailgate, the column shifter, and the gorgeous design all make this Scout Traveler the most exciting product that I have personally covered in my entire career. It’s not just an off-roader, it’s an environmentally-conscious off-roader that’s semi-reasonably priced, easy-to-use, palatable to the masses no matter what their EV infrastructure, and it looks damn cool.

Sure, it and the Terra we see here are just “production-intent concept vehicles,” so who knows what will change as engineers in Michigan prep these things for assembly in South Carolina, but I hope the answer is: Not much. Because as they are, these Scouts — and especially the Traveler — look like perfection. Especially for this decade in auto history.

Images: Scout