- The Wolfsburg-based automaker had been mulling the step for about a year in what could be the latest return of a vintage name for a planned EV brand, TechCrunch reports.
- The first models, expected to be an SUV and a pickup truck, are expected in 2026, slated to be produced and offered stateside.
- This move could help VW gain a foothold in the lucrative SUV and pickup market in the US, while advancing its electrification plans.
Volkswagen announces it will resurrect the Scout name for a new EV-only brand of sport utility models, dusting off a name made famous in the US by International Harvester. The Wolfsburg-based automaker had been mulling the step for about a year in what could be the latest return of a vintage name for a planned EV brand, reported TechCrunch before official confirmation came from Germany. The decision was approved today by the automaker's supervisory board at its annual meeting.
VW brand design head Klaus Zyciora posted a teaser image on his Instagram account this week (seen above) giving a glimpse of two vehicle sketches including a Scout-shaped SUV and pickup truck, both featuring the classic C-pillar shape of the original Scout. The sketch could indeed foreshadow the first two models from the relaunched brand, with an SUV and pickup duo planned for 2026, VW says.
The vehicles will be produced in the US instead of Germany, TechCrunch notes, and offered solely stateside as well. The automaker is expected to invest $100 million in the launch of the new company, but could be open to private investors down the road. The new company should still be a subsidiary of VW, in contrast to Ford and Rivian's corporate relationship, even though the vehicle lineup certainly appears similar at the moment, albeit aimed at different price ranges.
"In the USA, around 8% of all electric vehicles came from the Volkswagen Group. This means that our market share is twice as high as that of combustion vehicles. We sold almost 17,000 units of the ID.4," VW CEO Herbert Diess noted this week at the Annual General Meeting of Volkswagen AG.
It just so happens that about a year ago Autoweek floated the idea of International Harvester returning as an EV brand, and apparently VW had the same thoughts. As we noted at the time, the annual sales of the Jeep Wrangler have demonstrated plenty of space in the consumer auto market for vehicles of this type, which is why we now see not one but two Broncos return, but they're not electric yet, and neither are the Wrangler and Gladiator pickup. The return of the Hummer, on the other hand, has certainly demonstrated that GM believes there was room in the market for a high-priced electric truck and SUV. However, VW would be aiming for the opposite end of the price spectrum, with a starting price well below $50,000.
As TechCrunch notes, the move would allow VW to break into the US truck and sport utility market, where it has not been especially successful to date, but in a forward looking way. VW has kept most of the electric ID models out of North America, evidently concerned that some could be too European in size and packaging, while lacking convincing and affordable 4x4 models in other markets, with the exception of the non-electric Amarok pickup. Additionally, no planned ID models are of the 4x4 or pickup truck variety, aside from a handful of concept sketches seen in prior years.
The Scout brand would remedy this.
"We also have a historic opportunity in the USA. By switching to e-mobility, Volkswagen can become a relevant mobility company in the world's second largest car market," Diess added, speaking about the automaker's EV strategy. "To this end, we are investing $7.1 billion over the next five years in new electric cars, more local research and development, and the expansion of production."
Scout would be merely the latest vintage nameplate to return as a retro-themed EV brand, with efforts by DeLorean, Microlino, and other startups ongoing.
Is the return of the Scout as an EV brand a worthwhile effort by VW, or are there issues that could affect the success of this venture? Please share your comments below.
