VW Group’s 2026 Scout electric truck (pickup): Everything we know

Update: ‘Design,’ ‘Production,’ and ‘Price & Release Date’ sections updated.

The VW Group is stepping up its game in the U.S. with a brand tailored for truck models: Scout. A Scout electric truck (pickup) will be the inaugural launch, and here’s everything we know about the first product from Scout Motors:

Why Scout?

When Volkswagen Group acquired Navistar in 2021, it inherited the rights to the iconic Scout brand (International Harvester Scout). For about five years, the company sought an opening in the truck (pickup) segment in America, showcasing two concept vehicles. In 2021, it sensed a great opportunity with the badge that reminds people of the country’s first off-road SUV, former CEO Dr. Herbert Diess told TechCrunch in an interview (via YouTube).

Volkswagen Group has established Scout Motors, a new company independent of Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA). The latter markets models from the Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti brands in the country. Scout Motors will report directly to the HQ in Wolfsburg, Germany. Scott Keogh, previously the President and CEO of VWGoA and the CEO of Volkswagen North American Region, is the President and CEO of Scout Motors since September 1, 2022.

Video Source: YouTube/Volkswagen Group

The video embedded above shows Heiko Perlick discussing the Scout revival with Chong Lee while driving the Harvester Scout II from 1980. Perlick and Lee are the German conglomerate’s top executives overseeing its strategy and strategic business development. The Volkswagen Group feels that the revival is a great opportunity in the United States.

Volkswagen dealers left concerned after Scout announcement

Volkswagen Group’s decision to launch its pickup truck in the U.S. under a separate brand while keeping local Volkswagen dealers in the dark has not been well received. According to Automotive News, Volkswagen dealers are seeking an explanation from the company.

North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association President Robert Glaser wrote to Keogh that the Scout announcement “produced instant dismay and concern among all VW dealers.” Glaser said that Volkswagen dealers getting the first opportunity to become Scout dealers would be “the clear expectation.” These dealer-level developments are also coming from Automotive News.

The Ohio Auto Dealers Association said in a letter that the situation is “untenable.” Texas Automobile Dealers Association President Darren Whitehurst wrote in a letter that introducing Scout models and not launching a VW pickup truck “is disconcerting and discounts” the Volkswagen brand portfolio. The Scout line-up “belongs with the VW dealers,” Whitehurst said.

Keogh has suggested the “rugged” platform of the Scout models could present an opportunity to launch similar non-Scout models from other brands. Needless to say, the Volkswagen brand would be the top contender for such a project.

Specifications

Volkswagen Group is looking to make its Scout electric truck and SUV as American as possible. The designing and engineering of these models will take place in the U.S. The German conglomerate had earlier only stated that the Scout pickup will sit on “a new technical platform concept” that offers “credibility beyond the existing Volkswagen Group portfolio”.

On March 3, 2023, Scout Motors confirmed that the Scout electric truck will be based on a dedicated EV platform that offers great off-road prowess. The company will focus on aspects like ground clearance, approach angle, axle robustness, payload capacity, etc.

The same day Scout Motors released the aforementioned details, TechCrunch published a report disclosing some new information after interviewing Keogh. According to this report, the Scout electric truck will have a body-on-frame construction, which will ensure it’s just as rugged as any other popular, gas-powered model of the same class. There will be a few commonalities with other Volkswagen Group models, though, such as HVAC components, motors, and inverters.

A CAR Magazine report, published on December 23, 2022, uncovered that the electric pickup truck is known internally known as SC417. The British report, citing a company insider, had said that the Scout pickup truck will have a Double Cab configuration. Similarly, it’s equipped with all-wheel drive and two electric motors capable of producing up to 469 horsepower.

According to an Automobilwoche report dated October 5, 2022, Magna will develop the first Scout EV, which will be a full-size pickup. Incidentally, Kurt Bachmaier, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Magna Steyr, had told the German publication in September 2022 that the company wants to step into the U.S. market. Magna International has already developed the Fisker Ocean‘s platform and is manufacturing the SUV in Austria since November 2022. Magna International’s involvement in the development of the electric truck should help accelerate the process and ensure a timely launch.

Design

Volkswagen Group has not been forthcoming about the Scout electric truck, as the market launch is still quite far. It has released a few teasers to give us a fair idea about the silhouette, though. On June 21, 2023, it released a new picture at its Capital Markets Day event.

We can tell that the Scout electric pickup will have an upright front-end, with a sleek, concave upper part and a sporty and muscular lower fascia. The hood will be flat and be located high, giving the model a confident stance. It will feature ribs and could hide a voluminous ‘frunk.’

On the sides, the A-pillar and greenhouse will be quite edgy, and the door panels will have clean-sheet smoothness for high aerodynamic efficiency and classic simplicity, something that will be projected even by straight lines. Tall and wide tires, a high ground clearance, pronounced wheel arches, and large mirrors will clearly communicate the vehicle’s tough and rugged character. There’s a hint of dual-tone paint also in the first teaser that you see in this section.

Volkswagen Group briefed its Scout Motors plans to a small group, most likely International Harvester Scout owners or fans, to get feedback. A post from Facebook group Friends of the Binder Planet member Jeff Blade dated October 3, 2022, has some details. Blade found the official video shown to the group more intriguing than every Super Bowl commercial he has seen so far! According to Blade, the Scout electric truck will be truly American, very off-road capable, and aftermarket-customizable.

Chris Benjamin is leading the design work of Scout EVs. Prior to this assignment, he was the Vice President of Interior Design at Stellantis North America and the Director of Interior Design for Jeep, Wagoneer, Chrysler, Ram, and Dodge at Stellantis. He has worked at Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volvo as well.

The Scout pickup would sit on a bespoke electric platform, which would allow using its dimensions more efficiently. Like most electric trucks, it will come in a crew cab version. That said, there could be a market opening up for single cab and extended cab (light duty) electric trucks during the second half of the decade. Even though Scout will likely be a lifestyle brand, Volkswagen Group is not compromising on the capability of the trucks. From the initial sketches, it looks like it is designed to handle anything that comes its way.

We don’t have a reference point for its dimensions, but it looks like the Scout electric SUV will be quite a big pickup truck like the GMC Hummer EV SUV. However, it might not be as wide as the electric Hummer, as it doesn’t have clearance marker lights on the roof.

Features

Dr. Diess had suggested that the Scout electric truck will be Volkswagen Group’s most technologically advanced pickup. Speaking to TechCrunch, he hinted at features like a solar roof, vehicle-to-load (V2L), and rear-wheel steering for Scout models. A solar truck bed cover (as an accessory) could offer tangible range benefits, whereas features like rear-wheel steering and the ‘Multi-Flex Midgate’ have been implemented already by GM on Ultium-based electric truck models.

According to the TechCrunch report dated March 3, 2023, Scout electric truck will be a bit traditional on the inside, not over-digitalized like the Tesla Cybertruck. Keogh said Scout Motors wants this model to have “the mechanical nature” of a normal truck. He suggested physical controls will be available for adjusting the temperature and other essential functions.

Production

Production of the Scout electric truck will take place at a new Scout Motors dedicated EV plant in Blythewood (South Carolina), USA. Located on the Blythewood Industrial Site, which spans approximately 1,600 acres, the factory will cover an area of 1,100 acres and have an annual production capacity of over 200,000 units. The first unit will roll off the assembly line in 2026.

Volkswagen Group will invest USD 2 billion in the Scout Motors plant in South Carolina. The company may even manufacture Audi EVs, including an Audi pickup truck based on the same platform as the first Scout EV, at the new U.S. factory. Dr. Jan Spies will join Scout Motors as its Chief Production Officer in early 2024 and will oversee the launch of the Blythewood plant. Currently, he is the Head of Planning and Production Technology at Volkswagen AG.

Price & Release Date

The Scout electric truck will arrive after the Scout electric SUV in late 2026. The starting price will be “a bit” higher than USD 40,000, CEO Scott Keogh said, as per the TechCrunch report dated March 3, 2023.

With the iconic Scout brand, by 2026, we will now also have an offering in the most attractive profit pools – the SUV and C-pickup segment.

Arno Antlitz, CFO and COO, Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen Group Capital Markets Day 2023 on June 21, 2023)

The Scout electric pickup truck could be launched in right-hand drive countries like Australia and New Zealand as well. Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume said that its markets are to be finalized, and that work will be done when the company further advances with engineering, Drive said in a report on September 5, 2023. Ryan Davies, the Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Australia, has said that he’ll be on the first plane (to Scout Motors HQ in Tysons, Virginia,) to discuss the Australian launch, CarExpert reported the same day.

TopElectricSUV says

The Scout electric truck has the potential to be the next American workhorse. Pure-electric and performance-focused, it could be ideal for customers who spend most of their time outdoors and in worksites with challenging terrain. Scout Motors should make sure that it is affordable for the masses despite its capability and being all-electric, unlike the GMC Hummer EV Pickup that only a few can dream of owning.

Also Read: VW Group’s Scout electric SUV: Everything we know

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Featured image: TopElectricSUV’s rendering of the Scout electric truck