Scout Terra pickup truck and Scout Traveler SUV concepts
Scout
LAS VEGAS – Scout Motors has received more than 50,000 refundable reservation deposits for its first electric pickups and SUVs, according to Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume.
Volkswagen revived Scout, an American brand from 1961 to 1980, unveiling the production-intention vehicles of its Terra pickup and Traveler SUV in October. The vehicles will be offered as fully electric models or extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs.
Scout received fewer reservations than other automakers for all-electric vehicles in the early 1920s, when many were first introduced. The reservations do not guarantee sales, but can be a barometer of interest.
“The market reaction has been very, very positive,” Blume said Tuesday evening during a private media event at the CES technology conference in Las Vegas. “The answer was, 'This is heritage.' … It's kind of a love story.”
In Scout's case, customers must make a $100 refundable deposit to be among the first to place an order for a vehicle when it opens. The vehicles are expected to arrive in 2027.
The Scout brand is part of VW's plan to grow its U.S. market share across its brands, including Audi, Porsche and its namesake brand, among others. The German automaker's U.S. share currently stands at about 4%, Blume said.
“Our ambition is much greater to improve our market share, and we think we have some potential with all the new cars coming to market,” Blume said, without disclosing a potential market share target.
Scout Traveler SUV concept
Scout
Scout CEO Scott Keogh said during a separate interview at CES that reservations have exceeded the company's expectations. He said around 70% of bookings were for the Traveler SUV, in line with the company's expectations.
Keogh declined to reveal the split between reservations for the all-electric and EREV models.
“We are super happy with the numbers,” Keogh told CNBC. “There has been a good response to the EREV.”
EREVs are essentially a type of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. They include EV motors and battery cells, as well as a traditional combustion engine to power the vehicle's electrical components when the battery loses energy. The motor essentially acts as a generator to power the EV components when needed.
Keogh previously said Scout added EREVs to better protect the brand from market volatility amid lower-than-expected consumer demand for electric vehicles.
He said the company is currently focused on three main missions: increasing brand recognition, continuing vehicle development and completing a $2 billion factory in South Carolina.
According to Scout's website, both the Traveler and Terra are expected to cost under $60,000. According to the company, the EREV vehicles will have a range of more than 800 kilometers, with a range of up to 560 kilometers for the fully electric models.
Scout Terra pickup concept
Scout
At CES, Scout highlighted the in-vehicle connectivity and user experiences of its upcoming truck and SUV, which are designed as outdoor recreational models similar to those of Jeep and EV Startup Rivaans. That includes available satellite connectivity for Scout vehicles in remote areas.
Scout is currently building a factory in South Carolina with an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles. Scout expects to use batteries – the most expensive part of an electric vehicle – from a VW joint venture battery cell manufacturer in Canada.
Scout also plans to use software and electrical architecture from a $5.8 billion joint venture agreement between Rivian and VW in its vehicles.
VW acquired the trademark and Scout name following the global conglomerate's $3.7 billion acquisition of Navistar in 2021, a successor to Scout's original owner, International Harvester.