The new Scout Motors took the wraps off of its first two models at an event in Nashville on Thursday and they have some unexpected features.
The classic American brand is being rebooted as an electric automaker by Volkswagen, which holds the rights to it through its ownership of Navistar, which is a descendant of International Harvester.
The Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are built on a shared platform that features a body-on-frame design and a solid rear axle, which are uncommon in the electric vehicle space.
The midsize models also have boxy shapes with rounded corners that are inspired by the original Scouts built from 1961 to 1980, along with the blunt front ends and high, flat hoods that were signature elements of the design.
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High clearance bumpers, large bash plates, front and rear mechanical locking differentials, detachable front sway bars, more than a foot of ground clearance and the ability to ford through nearly three feet of water all speak to their serious off-road intentions.
The Terra has a 5.5-foot bed and the Traveler a horizontally split tailgate with a swing-out spare tire carrier that can fit tires up to 35-inches tall, which is the largest size the trucks were designed to handle. The Terra’s 33-inch spare goes under the bed, but an in-bed carrier for a 35-inch tire will be an option.
Full powertrain specifications were not released, but their top four-wheel-drive systems will crank out close to 1,000 lb-ft of torque, which will enable them to accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The Traveler will be able to tow more than 7,000 pounds and the Terra more than 10,000 pounds, while they’ll both have almost a ton of payload capacity. Scout said they’ll be able to climb 100-percent grades.
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Scout uses an 800-volt electrical architecture that can be fast charged at 350 kilowatts and the vehicles will be compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network and come with NACS-type plugs. Scout said they will have driving ranges up to 350 miles per charge, but in a surprise announcement added that they will be offered with a small range-extending gas engine appropriately called the Harvester that will add 150 miles to that.
In this type of set-up, the engine only works as a generator to charge the battery pack and does not directly drive the wheels. Mounted at the rear of the truck, it reduces the size of the battery pack, but allows for quick refueling on long trips and the ability to fill-up where charging isn’t available, which could come in handy for vehicles meant to go far off the beaten path.
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The interior has a dual digital displays for the instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment system interface, but also a row of knobs and toggles that offer more tactile controls and are easier to use with gloves on. There are two rows of seats for five passengers, but a three-passenger front bench will be available. A panoramic glass roof will be offered as will a so-called Cabana Top, which is a retractable fabric roof similar to the Jeep Wrangler’s Sky One-Touch that creates a very large opening.
Final pricing hasn’t been confirmed, but it will start below $60,000 before tax credits and other incentives are applied. Don’t get your checkbook out yet, however, as production at the South Carolina factory that will manufacture the Scouts and is currently under construction itself and not scheduled to begin building them until 2027.
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