Scout to be reborn as a rugged EV company thanks to VW

In a move that few could have seen coming, Volkswagen Group is set to help relaunch American 4×4 company Scout as an electric vehicle specialist offering plug-in pick-ups and SUVs.

The surprise move will see Volkswagen create a “separate, independent company” for Scout, as well as an all-new platform. First prototypes are said to be revealed next year, with production scheduled to begin in 2026 and the German parent company committing to an initial US$1billion investment.

Alongside the announcement, Diess showed off side-on renders of a potential short-wheelbase offroader and a pick-up. Both appear to hold numerous retro styling cues, harking back to Scout models of old.

Volkswagen acquired the defunct brand last year when it purchased Navistar. The last Scout vehicle produced was the Scout International II, with production ceasing in 1980. International Harvester folded five years later, in turn helping birth Navistar.

Scout’s SUVs were somewhat revolutionary at the time, providing an early precursor to what eventually became one of the most popular vehicle body styles on the planet. This was well before the introduction of the likes of the Ford Explorer and Toyota RAV4.

“After Volkswagen’s successful turnaround in the U.S., we are now taking the opportunity to further strengthen our position in one of the most significant growth markets for EVs,” says Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess.

“Electrification provides a historic opportunity to enter the highly attractive pickup and R-SUV segment as a group, underscoring our ambition to become a relevant player in the U.S. market.”

Scout’s rebirth is a clear move designed to aid Volkswagen’s push for American growth. Diess says he believes Scout could hold a 10% market share across all of Volkswagen Group’s brands in the US by the end of the decade.

Diess recently said that Volkswagen has to tailor itself more for the American market. Speaking to 60 Minutes in April, he conceded that the brand “lost ground here in the US. I think we didn’t take the US customer seriously enough. No? We tried to sell the European product here in the US.”

“This is such an important market. And there always have been discussions, although internally, ‘Shouldn’t we give up the US. because we are losing money? We are going nowhere.’ […] We have to come back in the US. We have to become relevant in the US,” he added.

It’s yet to be confirmed whether Scout will be stocked by Volkswagen dealers in the US, let alone whether the nameplate will be offered in overseas markets like New Zealand.