International Harvester Scout revived as electric SUV and pick-up
Scout Traveler is due to hit the road in 2027
VW-backed US start-up Scout Motors unveils near-production concepts that preview 2027 models
Scout Motors, the Volkswagen-backed revival of 4x4 brand International Harvester, has revealed the Traveler as an electric Land Rover Defender rival.
It has been unveiled alongside the Terra, an electric pick-up that will rival the likes of the Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck and Chevrolet Silverado EV.
The duo has been unveiled in near-production concept form, with both due to enter production in 2027.
They will both be based on a body-on-frame platform that is said to be completely unrelated to the Volkswagen Group's MEB and PPE architectures for electric cars, with 800V electricals.
The batteries and electronics will be supplied by Canadian firm Magna.
Originally conceived as a pure-electric revival of the original Scout models made between 1960 and 1980, the pair will now be offered with optional petrol-powered range extenders.
Michigan-based Scout says this is down to both a downturn in interest in electric cars, coupled with buyers “expressing concerns about the ability to recharge while on the road”.
With the range extender equipped, the Terra and Traveler will be capable of driving more than 500 miles between fill-ups, up from the standard 350. Scout has yet to confirm a battery size, but it said its platform can support charging at up to 350kW.
The Traveler and Terra are offered with a dual-motor four wheel-drive powertrain, putting out a combined 1000lb ft. Scout said the Traveler can dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 3.5sec, although it has yet to disclose a power figure.
Visually, the pair retains their forebears' bluff-edged styling, with a long bonnet and a well-defined shoulder line.
Short overhangs, reinforced bumpers, skidplates and body-on-frame construction are said to make the pair “multiuse tools” and “helpful companions”.
Scout design chief Chris Benjamin said the brand's cars “should always enable the customer to do the things they want to do and make their experience easier, better, faster”.
Inside, the two cars are said to be “reminiscent of the original Scout II”, but with modern amenites. The central infotainment touchscreen is placed above an array of physical toggles and switches that control functions such as the climate control, for instance. Both cars offer over-the-air updates and remote diagnostics.
“Two years in the making, the day has finally come to share the next generation of Scout vehicles with the world,” said Scott Keogh, president and CEO, Scout Motors. “The original core idea — rugged, versatile vehicles capable of off-road adventure and family duty — is more relevant than ever. We couldn’t be prouder to revitalise this iconic American brand, create thousands of American jobs, and put American ingenuity back to work.”
Prices for both are expected to start below $60,000 (£46,000) - though incentives in the US will leave them closer to $50,000 (£38,500), Scout claimed.
Both the Traveler and Terra will be made at the firm’s factory in South Carolina, with the VW Group planning to gradually ramp up the factory’s output to 200,000 units per year.