I just got back from a dinner during which I was able to chat with some folks from the Scout team. Yes, Scout, the Volkswagen spinoff — a 4×4 brand that promises America-made four-wheel drive electric machines meant to compete with the Rivian R1S, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, Toyota Land Cruiser, and more. The little I learned from the Scout representative tonight has me insanely excited, and you should be, too. Here’s what I know.
Man, Scout is not playing around with this press trip here in Nashville. The brand invited everybody under the sun, and for good reason: You only get to launch a brand once. The pressure is high.
OK, technically the brand was launched a few years ago, but if we’re being honest, the true brand launch happens when a company shows its first product, and that’s happening on Thursday right here in Nashville. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but after having dinner with a Scout rep, I’m now amped.
We really don’t know a ton about what’s coming from Scout, a subsidiary of VW that — unlike Audi or, say, Skoda — operates independently from its VW investor. What we do know is that Volkswagen has a huge product problem, spending too much of the past couple of decades seemingly misunderstanding the tastes of American buyers. Scout, whose engineering operations are predominantly in Michigan, with business and manufacturing facilities in Virginia and South Carolina, hopes to change all that by leveraging American product planning and marketing acumen with German manufacturing skill. It’s a dynamic duo, and one that hopefully will sell lots of cars.
Recently, we’ve seen the teaser above showing a compass on the overhead console, and previously we’ve heard that Scout will reveal both an SUV and truck, with the brand showing off some rough sketches:
But tonight, I got a bit more detail — not a lot — but enough to have me excited for tonight when the thing is revealed (come back at 5:00 PM ET for more). First, I asked the Scout rep if the brand is “married” to BEVs, and he responded with something along these lines (I jotted it down as close as I could): “Scout is married to BEV in that a battery will drive an EV drivetrain.”
Wait. Hold on.
Be still my beating heart, because I don’t want to get my hopes up too much. But he didn’t say “Yes,” he said a battery will drive an EV drivetrain. Why did he put it like that?
Is this… is this going to have the Holy Grail of powertrain options? Will this be the coveted Extended Range EV? Please car gods, grant us an EREV! Give us a normal EV powertrain/drivetrain to get us a few hundred miles EV-only, and then a gasoline “range extender” to act as a generator when the battery runs out. Please solve our range anxiety problems not with the same solution as every other EV automaker — big-ass heavy, expensive batteries — but instead with a small gas generator.
Right now, only the Ram Ramcharger is offering this Holy Grail of vehicle powertrains in America; I believe in my heart that someone at Scout sees what I and so many Americans see — EREV is the answer. It’s irrefutably the right powertrain for America right now.
Don’t let me down, Scout!
But there’s more. The Scout rep promised “tactile controls” and switches. Yes, physical buttons and not just touchscreen controls! Eureka! What’s more, the car will have “door handles that don’t [require] a Ph.D.” Plus, there will be a swing-out tire carrier, an open-roof, and locking differentials! Yeehaw!
I’d like to take this moment to draw your attention to an article I wrote six years ago titled “The Proper Spot For A Spare Tire Is On The Rear Door.” Here’s what I wrote in it:
Packaging the tire on the back door is simply the best solution. It doesn’t eat into cargo space, it doesn’t compromise ground clearance or departure angle, it doesn’t limit how big the spare can be (though it may require some reinforcement of the door if you put 40s on it), it doesn’t get too filthy during off-roading, it’s easily accessible and, most importantly, it’s downright sexy.
Seriously, show me one SUV that doesn’t look better with a spare tire on the back? Hell, even the tiny Ford EcoSport looks better with a big cylinder hanging off its tail:
Plus, you can customize these tire carriers with political opinions or funny off-road-y text, so that’s always fun.
I pointed out some downsides to a rear-mounted spare — with a big one being that it doesn’t allow for a tailgate:
To be sure, there are a few downsides. For one, the tire reduces rearward visibility, and it also limits what style of rear door automakers can employ—a tailgate and full lift-gate are both out of the question if the tire’s mounted directly to the door. So you’re pretty much limited to some sort of swing-gate unless there’s a separate swing-out carrier (in which a tailgate or a full liftgate are possible). In any case, getting that rear door open is made harder because that large mass is in the way.
Notice how I point out that there is one way to get both the coveted tailgate and a rear-mounted tire carrier — offering a spare tire carrier that is separate from the door. Like on this Jeep CJ-7:
Look at that: a rear-mounted spare and a tailgate. It’s the holy grail of spare tire designs, and it looks like we’ll be seeing it on at least one of the new Scouts. More to come on Thursday, including information on how Scout plans to actually distribute/sell the things, info on preorders, and more.
Someone asked Scout’s rep about how many different variants/trims there will be, and the rep basically said the company will encourage owners to modify/accessories their vehicles to make them their own, though at the same time the company wants to reduce manufacturing complexity. So there will be some trims, but I don’t expect customers will able to order piece-by-piece like the old days.
Anyway, tonight I’ll see the two body styles on a single platform — a truck and an SUV that are expected to be “85% reality, 15 percent fantasy.” Expected delivery is somewhere around 2026 to 2027, which feels a long way out. I have concerns about the market for such machines given that Rivian hasn’t exactly been raking in cash, though let’s see tomorrow. If this is a badass, open-top, tailgate-having hardcore off-roader with an EREV drivetrain — and with excellent VW engineering to push it through production — it will in many ways have the competition beat.
CEO Scott Keogh recently published a blog — titled “Why Scout: Scott Keogh’s Vision For The Future Looks To The Past” — describing a few attributes of the upcoming machines, writing:
Know this: we are not going to deliver a badge-engineered, jellybean-shaped soft-roader. There are already plenty of those available for people who don’t want or need the serious capability that only a vehicle purposefully designed from the ground up as an off-roader can deliver — that only a Scout can deliver.
We want to embrace some of the simplicity that Scout has always represented. We want to hang onto the intuitive, mechanical spirit that made these archetypical SUVs a companion as much as a conveyance. We are keeping things pragmatic, taking advantage of the technology only where it has a great application. That’s why we chose to build something body-on-frame, where you flip a switch to turn on the lights, rather than flipping through a menu on a screen.
But make no mistake: the technology will be there, efficiently and effectively deploying the monstrous torque from the electric motors in service of your next adventure, among other applications that we are eager to reveal during our October 24 event.
So a simple electric off-roader. That doesn’t exist yet; Rivian has the R1S, but I’d hardly call that simple. Still, to make a high-range squared-off 4×4 EV requires huge batteries, and that requires huge sums of money… unless Scout goes with an EREV.
There have been absolutely zero rumors about an EREV Scout, so it seems unlikely, but I still hope it happens. I will say my prayers to the car gods ahead of the debut that’s happening later today.
Not related to the Scout, but I know that hotel lobby! (Nashville resident)
If you get spare time, check out Legends and Robert’s Western World on Broadway.
Bobby’s Garage in Printer’s Alley is a good time too.
Those silhouettes alone are concerning. Why would an electric pickup need all that hood? Move the cabin forward and add that space to the bed!
As a former owner of an EV VW, let us hope that they carry forward the ethos of “fix it with a 4×4 and a roll of duct tape” of the original.
At the very least, please don’t let the car get bricked because you used a $1 servo for the charge port lock that, when it inevitably fails, prevents you from charging the battery rendering the vehicle useless. (true story)
Imagine the joy of working on a VW designed engine crammed in with all those other bits of electronics of a EREV system when it comes time to replace some critical component that is inexplicably made of plastic.
I hope this scout suv does have a rear spare and tailgate. I would love a tailgate but not enough for the cost to convert my wrangler to a drop down.
I just hope it is attainable. like make it Rubicon capaiable with sport s price. I know that is a dream. I would like to shop for one someday and would hope that Scout (VW) prices it for normal people and not aim it at the Grenadier/Defender rich folks.
I want to know if they did anything to protect the battery from salt water intrusion and outside battery corrosion, otherwise these tigs ha no business being in the gulf states.
You know people will drive them through saltwater flooded roads before, during, and after a hurricane. We don’t need potential firebombs on the road
I hope, for the sake of the International fanatics, that it ends up being good.
I’ll give it to Scout Motors though, they are really immersing themselves into International’s heritage and the off-roading community. I bumped into a group of sales/engineers at the Overland Expo in Flagstaff, AZ and they were super cool.
Why is this the holy grail? For a daily use-case, this seems horrible. You’ve got to move a spare tire out of the way every single time you want to access the trunk. Plus you’ve got to reach over a tailgate when you want to access what you’ve put in the trunk. And it presents the opportunity for someone to mess up the correct order of closing it (which already happens on Wrangler rear-windows). What’s the advantage here?
Tailgates are useful for sitting, landing place for the dog when it jumps up. working on stuff, camp cooking, etc.
Which are like the least common situations. Gotta swing a tire out of the way every time you go grocery shopping (and get home) for the five times a year you go camping? Heck, even if you go camping every weekend, just buy a damn table.
Plus, you can still sit in a standard trunk (SUV/crossover) that has a hatch.
You roll down the rear window and put stuff in without opening the gate. Modern FOBs could easily have a “double-press roll-down” or a foot swipe sensor under the rear bumper to make it easy.
Swing-out+tailgate is one of my big wishes for my Bronco.
^^^
It is horrible. Makes it a real pain to actually use it to put things in the back.
Also, nothing is uglier than a spare tire tacked on the back with the exception of camper-equipped pickups where the owner mounts the tire in front of the grille.
I’m afraid you are right in that the spare is likely mounted on the outside, the worst possible place to put it.
I certainly hope that it is not an EREV, truly the worst possible powertrain, particularly for a pickup where it will preclude the best feature of a EV pickup the frunk.
Either way I won’t be buying one despite my handle as I wouldn’t daily drive such a vehicle and won’t spend new car money on a toy car that won’t be used on a daily basis.
EREV is ideal for a pickup. EV trucks don’t have the range when towing, gas trucks burn too much fuel daily. EREV is Goldilocks!
The spare tire location thing is an opinion, but I’m not a fan of wasting interior space on it, nor do I like trying to fish it out from underneath, especially when it’s muddy.
This^^^^^^
I know you are a Chrysler alum, but, while I have a $100 deposit in on the Procharger, I am REALLY worried they won’t get it right…
If this thing tows just 6k, it may be worth the wait. I don’t need the 14k that the Procharger can tow.
It sure seems that the high price point off road lifestyle market is saturated already.
“15 percent fantasy” That’s a LOT of wiggle room
EV Portal Axels would be nice
Given VW’s recent track record, I’d calculate the Scout is about an ID Buzz lightyear away from making it on to American roads.
Given the pricing on the new ID Buzz, I don’t have very high hopes for an affordable Scout, so I’m not holding my breath in anticipation on this one.
I love International. I grew up with my great grandfather and grandfather bleeding International Red. I was taught to actively scowl at John Deere tractors at the tractor shows. Hell, my great grandfather only had Cub Cadet lawnmowers and drove a Travelall for quite some time into the 90’s (before switching to a Toyota pickup). My grandfather drove a 7.3 Ford because, and I quote, “The only damn good thing in that truck is the International engine!”
As such, I’ve always been fascinated by International Scouts and pickup trucks. Sadly, I live in the Midwest so you either find rusted out hunks or fully restored Barret Jackson cars. Both are out of my league, so I watch from afar with love and admiration.
This new Scout though? This might be the perfect SUV for me. A brand that I’ve loved since a kid, an off-roader that competes with Jeep, all while being eco-concious? I love to hear that their is tactile buttons and switches, it’s why I love my Mini Paceman. I’ve been interested in the new Bronco, but I’m not a fan of the powertrain and reliability issues. I’d love a Jeep Wrangler but I’m too tall and big to be comfortable. Hopefully this is a Goldilock’s situation and it turns out to be just right.
Don’t fuck this up VW.
My father grew up on a WI dairy farm and likewise after making the switch from Belgiums they ONLY drove Internationals.
Man I hope this isnt an IDBuzz in hiking boots.
Please VW don’t fuck this up!
Well said. As a wrangler owner, I want to replace it someday with some kind of off roader and I want a EREV. I hope it is not super expensive and more modern bronco/wrangler than modern blazer.
Please VW get this right.
Let’s hope for someone to make a extended range battery electric vehicle soon. The Civic Hybrid Sport is interesting with it’s dual setup transmission where it is a BEV with the engine acting as a range extender at around town speeds, then switching to a hybrid with highway speeds. But a true small engine for extra range when way off road would make a lot of sense. Particularly in keeping with the “true off road” marketing they are using. Maybe it will be a option – not required, but a add on? I am disappointed in the 2 year wait for the actual vehicle.
I know that intellectually they seem like great ideas, but we’ve seen over and over that consumers don’t understand PHEVs. The i3 and Volt are both out of production with no descendants.
I like PHEVs – I’ve owned 3 including a Volt – but in talking to people about them, even intelligent people seem to struggle to comprehend how to best use them. So people use them as a crappy hybrid (with the weight of the battery) rather than as an EREV.
So they’re unveiling concept cars? I am doubting that this ever comes to production, especially if Trump wins and Makes Inflation Great Again with tariffs, deportations, and tax cuts.
It’s hard for me to get excited. In my opinion the last retro-EV VW group made was pretty dang disappointing. The ID.Buzz is laughably expensive with pretty mediocre range and horrible infotainment while not getting the biggest benefit of an EV (awesome packaging) when minivans sells almost exclusively on their packaging and ease of use. I think the packaging is worse than existing ICE minivans out there. It’s hard to go easy on it because it is so expensive.
Maybe VAG gets pricing right and we can be more forgiving of any faux pas since the offroader/SUV EV market seems to have more players compared to the EV minivan market?
The idea would be that it’s VW money and industrial support but Scout pixie dust so the Buzz flop wouldn’t apply. We’re about to find out, their arrangement will be pretty clear through the product itself. VW is currently being Stellantified so they need a win, badly.
The thing about being an externally funded skunkworks ninja seal team secret project is that there aren’t that many supporters within the funding org, so when times get tough the funding goes away. I hadn’t realized until this article that the “unveiling” today was going to be “15% fantasy”. They are a looong way from their first sale.
If VW handles this like the ID.Buzz, all C-suite people should be fired, along with the board.
Interested but would actually be very interested if it was a hybrid instead of pure EV.
Exactly; show us an EREV please!