Scout Motors Is Back But Its Electric Trucks Aren't What We Expected

We've all heard the teasers about the return of the Scout, and now it's officially coming back with the launch of two new vehicles. The original Scout was made by International Harvester, and was discontinued in 1980. The vehicles are returning to the market under the umbrella of the Volkswagen group, which acquired the trademark when it bought Navistar in 2021. Nevertheless, the Scout won't just be a single model under VW — instead, it will be its own brand and company based in the U.S.

Scout Motors goes beyond just focusing on its American heritage, too. The automaker prides itself on building its cars in the U.S., with the Scout Production Center being built in South Carolina, and the company itself is headed by CEO Scott Keogh — former CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. The Scout Innovation Center is also located near Detroit, the home of many American automakers and arguably the center of the American auto industry.

However, Volkswagen isn't the only one working on Scout Motors. It has also enlisted the help of Rivian, jumping into a joint venture with the company to help accelerate EV development. It seems that this partnership has already begun to bear fruit, with the launch of Scout's two new models.

Scout Motors' first two models will be the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck, both of which look similar to the Rivian R1T and R1S, especially when viewed from the side. Nevertheless, Scout offers more powertrain options to its customers, as both models can be had in either fully electric or gasoline-powered range extended versions. It also eschews the mostly touch-controlled trend found on new truck EVs like the Cybertruck; instead opting for mechanical switches and dials that allows the driver and passengers to have a tactile driving experience.

Scout Motors

Scout claims that the EV variants will have up to 350 miles of range, while the range extended models will give you an extra 150 miles, for a total of 500 miles on a single charge and tank of gas. Of course, full electric variants of the Traveler and Terra will take advantage of electric propulsion, including a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds, and nearly 1,000 lb-ft of torque. The vehicles also aim to climb a 100% grade, making them ideal for off-road adventures.

Scout Motors

The original Scout was quite a practical vehicle, so these new ones are anticipated to have the same quality. The Terra is expected to have a 10,000-pound towing capacity, while the Traveler SUV can carry 7,000 pounds. This is beside the 2,000-pound payload capacity that both models will have.

Both models are expected to start under $60,000, making them quite affordable, with prices expected to go as low as $50,000 after incentives. If you want to be among the first ones to get your hands on these vehicles for the 2026 launch, you could send in a $100 fully refundable reservation on the Scout Motors website.