The Volkswagen Group’s reborn Scout Motors electrified SUV and pick-up brand has expansion plans into Australia.
While the focus for now is on launching in North America with the Terra Dual Cab ute and Traveler SUV, global boss Scott Keogh has confirmed an Australian expansion is on the agenda.
“America and Canada, those will be our first markets and then after that we will look to other markets and certainly Australia’s on the list,” Keogh said.
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“Obviously we’re not naive, we see the market in Australia, we see you like these sort of pick-up trucks, let’s say get-outdoors-can-do kind of vehicles, body-on-frame, rugged and we’re certainly aware of the opportunity.”
Scout is a reboot of the historic International Harvester SUV brand purchased by Volkswagen in 2021.
The Terra and Traveler will be built in a brand new plant in South Carolina with 200,000 per annum capacity.
They will come with e-motor-driven 4×4 off-road capability and a choice of battery electric and range extender plug-in hybrid powertrains.
A third smaller model has been teased but not confirmed.
Deliveries ot Terra and Traveler will begin in late 2027 or early 2028. Keogh said the brand already had 130,000 $US100 ($151) reservations in North America with the only pricing guidance being a starting figure under $US60,000 ($93,000 approx).
Most reservations are for the range extender.
An Australian launch is not confirmed, but Keogh revealed the engineering groundwork had been laid with the Scout ladder frame package protected for right-hand drive.
He also confirmed the interest in Scout was mutual, with Volkswagen Group Australia keen to have the Terra and Traveler launch here.
“We’ve spoken to, let’s say, Australian executives,” said Keogh. “They’ve told us about the opportunity.
“We know the market. We’re not naive to global markets, but I’m not going there. I got a factory to build.
“I got a car to engineer. I got timelines to hit. And when that gets done, the day this car rolls down the factory line, come visit us and I’ll tell you more about Australia.”
Australia currently has three plug-in hybrid dual cabs on-sale – the BYD Shark 6, Ford Ranger and GWM Cannon Alpha – but no viable EV utes.
Australia’s first mass market plug-in hybrid SUV, the GWM Tank 500, will launch before the end of 2025. There are no serious off-road electric SUVs sold in Australia.
As range extenders – the system is dubbed Harvester – the Terra and Traveler combine a small rear-mounted petrol engine with two e-motors for an 800km-plus range.
As BEVs, they have two e-motors combined with a battery pack of an unspecified size for an 800km range.
Horsepower figures haven’t been released, but Scout is claiming a torque output near 1355Nm and the ability to accelerate from 0-96.5km/h (60mph) in 3.5 seconds.
An 800v electrical architecture will deliver a 350kW DC charging capability.
Overlaying the mechanicals is a nostalgic design that is a far cry from the sharp angularity of the troubled Tesla Cybertruck.
These are big vehicles. The Terra is 5821mm long and the Traveler 5280mm.
Inside, there are digital instrument displays with software sourced from US EV specialist Rivian as part of a VW investment in the start-up.
Sadly, Keogh would not put a timeline on Scout exports.
I don’t want to go there, I want to get America really right,” he said.
“We’re doing this to create the next great, iconic brand,” he added.
“If you look at great American brands, one done well, whether it’s a Levi’s, whether it’s a McDonald’s or an Apple, depending on your point of view, that’s what we want to be 100 per cent.”
