Scout Motors unveils its all-electric Traveler and Terra concepts

Scout Motors has presented its all-electric Traveler SUV and Terra truck conceptsThe new automaker is a branch of Volkswagen Group, which has also invested in RivianThe Scouts are planned for 2027 production, but no word on Canadian sales yet

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Scout Motors late October revealed its Traveler SUV and Terra truck concepts, which it expects to put into production some time in 2027. They’re all-new and they’ll be all-electric, and, yes, we agree that they could be Rivians with different headlights, but we’ll explain more about that in a moment. But first—

What’s a Scout?

The short answer is that it’s a new branch of Volkswagen, engineered in Michigan and to be built in a new factory in South Carolina. The long answer is that you might know the name from the International Scout, originally built by International Harvester from 1961 to 1980 (the charging port door pays homage to that, too). International – better known for its semi trucks – kept its finger on the Scout name, including when it reorganized to become Navistar. And now Navistar is part of the Volkswagen Group, and Scout was resurrected as its own brand a couple of years ago.

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Like the old Scout, this new one will have off-roading capability. To that end, it’ll be body-on-frame 4×4 with a motor on each axle; and have a solid rear axle, disconnecting front sway bar, and front and rear mechanical lockers. It’s expected the Traveler will be able to tow more than 7,000 lbs, the Terra truck more than 10,000 lbs, and both will have almost 2,000 lbs of payload. The design is intended to allow for 35-inch tires and 305 mm (12 in) of ground clearance.

All-electric models will have an anticipated range of up to 563 km (350 miles). Scout is also planning to offer extended-range models with an integrated gasoline-powered generator, and those should be able to drive for more than 804 km (500 miles) on the combination of stored charge and tank of fuel.

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Full specs are still in the future, but Scout is talking about 1,000 lb-ft of torque that will take it from zero to 96 km/h (60 mph) in some 3.5 seconds. All models will use the Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug and will have 800-volt architecture, charging capability of up to 350 kW, and allow for bi-directional charging.

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While many EVs go highest-tech inside, the Scout will include dials and switches, mechanical door handles, and grab bars. Still, it’ll be pretty tech-y under the skin, with over-the-air updates and what Scout calls “enhanced customer lifetime value,” which means owners should be able to update it with new features as they become available.

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Both will have a front trunk, or “frunk,” which Scout says will be large enough to hold golf clubs; and the Terra will have a 5.5-foot bed with split tailgate. Available features will include a glass roof or a “Cabana Top” for open-air motoring, and a front bench seat for both; and accessories such as a heavy-duty winch, off-road bumpers, and assist steps.

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There’s no word on when – or, for that matter, even if – the Scout will come to Canada, and so obviously there’s also no word on pricing for us. South of the border, Scout is anticipating both models to have a retail price under US$60,000, which will come closer to US$50,000 or so once all their available “green” rebates kick in. While the start of production has been estimated at 2027, American buyers can reserve a copy now.

And that resemblance to Rivian? Well, back in June, we reported that the VW Group announced a US$5-billion investment in Rivian to form a joint venture. The investment, intended to be a gradual roll-out over the next two years, was initially said to be mostly about sharing technology and volume-buying microchips and components — and, frankly, to keep Rivian afloat as it struggled with slow sales in 2023 and reduced production in 2024.

The plan was for Rivian and Scout to compete as rivals, but it looks like there’s quite a bit of family resemblance here. Now that Scout has pulled the wraps off its concepts, we’ll keep you posted as these vehicles move closer to production.

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