Scout Terra

The Scout Terra is an upcoming battery electric and range-extended full-size pickup truck to be produced by Scout Motors. It is the first of two models to be sold under the Scout brand, the other being the Traveler SUV.

Overview

In September 2021, reports of the Scout brand being potentially revived first appeared. Johan De Nysschen, then-CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, first floated the idea about an electric off-roader during a conversation with the media at a then-recent press event. Volkswagen gained control of the Scout trademark when Traton, the Volkswagen Group's commercial truck subsidiary, merged with Navistar in July 2021.[1] The Scout brand's revival was confirmed on May 11, 2022, when Volkswagen approved plans to form a new independent company for the United States dedicated to designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing electric vehicles in the country.[2]

The Terra was officially unveiled on October 24, 2024, alongside the Traveler. It is a battery electric and range-extended full-size pickup truck that uses body-on-frame construction. The Terra and the Traveler were both designed by Scout's own R&D team in Novi, Michigan. It uses the North American Charging Standard and will be built at the company's factory in Blythewood, a town located in Greater Columbia, South Carolina.[3] The Terra comes with a dual-cab configuration and 5.5-foot bed as standard.[4]

Public unveiling

The Terra made its public debut at Williams-Brice Stadium during a South Carolina Gamecocks football game against the Missouri Tigers on November 18, 2024. The Traveler also appeared alongside the Terra, with the pre-production Terra painted blue and the pre-production Traveler painted clay red.[8]

Powertrain and chassis

The Terra rides on a new body-on-frame platform created specifically for the Scout brand. Unlike other electric pickup trucks, it uses a rear solid axle. Mechanical locking differentials at the front and rear come standard. The Terra will be able to tow over 10000 lb.[9] EV models use an 800-volt architecture and are expected to produce up to 1,000 lb-ft of torque. Electric models will go up to 350 mi on a single charge, while range-extended models, which will use a hybrid powertrain that is marketed as the Harvester, will go up to 500 mi before having to recharge and refuel. It will utilize all-wheel-drive as standard.[10] The engine to be used in Harvester models is a naturally aspirated inline 4 of unknown capacity to be manufactured by Volkswagen in Silao, Mexico.[11] Harvester models will have the engine mounted behind the rear axle.[12]

Both EV and EREV versions will use nickel manganese cobalt batteries. The actual battery sizes are yet to be confirmed, but it is expected that EV models will use a 120 to 130 kWh battery while EREV models will use a 60 to 70 kWh battery.[13]