Summary
- Volkswagen’s Scout Motors revival reveals the all-electric Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck as spiritual successors to original International Harvester models.
- The Terra and Traveler are designed in-house with cutting-edge tech and maintain the original Scout’s reputation for off-road capability and durability.
- Both models are set to be built entirely in the U.S., creating thousands of jobs, with pricing expected below $60,000.
On a picture-perfect evening in Franklin, Tennessee, Scout Motors revealed its first new production-intended concepts following its revival by Volkswagen AG in 2021, the all-new, all-electric Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck. Revived and built as spiritual and direct successors to the original International Scout trucks and SUVs from the 1960s through the 1970s, the new Scout Motors’ models emerge to carry revive the legacy and heritage of the original models, before the company ended production in 1980 and International Harvester went defunct in 1985, only to be rebranded as Navistar.
Back in 2021, Volkswagen AG acquired the rights to the Scout brand after purchasing the Navistar Group (International Motors) outright a year before and incorporating it into the company’s heavy-duty and commercial vehicle division, Traton, formerly Volkswagen Truck & Bus AG. And since then, the company aspired and planned to revive the iconic truck models and resuscitate a once well-known and revered American icon.
Known originally as the International Harvester Scout, arguably one of the world’s first sports utility vehicles geared towards off-road adventuring and truck-based family transport, the Scout left behind a legacy that once helped symbolize mobility and the freedom to explore and since then, fans and those with sentimental connections have since only dreamed of its revival. But now, it’s finally happened, with these two near-production-ready concepts.
Named After The Original International Scout II Terra And Scout II Traveler
The two new models follow in the direct footsteps of their predecessors, the Scout II Terra and Scout II Traveler, both of which root their origins from the first-ever International Scout 80 pickup and its successor, the Scout 800 truck. In 1971, the company followed up with newer and updated models called the Scout II Terra and Scout II Traveler, both of which endured a nearly nine-year production span before International discontinued the models.
Today, the Scout Terra and Scout Traveler both pick up where those two models last left off, joining the new wave of electric vehicles while embodying all the old-school philosophies that made the models so lovable and iconic today and in automotive history. Despite being reimagined and rebirthed for the new age, the company, its engineers, and product planners all made sure to inherit the original International Scout’s reputation for off-road capability and durability.
Designed, Built, And Engineered All In-House
Utilizing a ground-up clean sheet platform engineered entirely in-house, Scout Motors designed the Terra and Traveler to be one of the ultimatums in adventure and off-road ready EVs. And thus, the Terra and Traveler share the same underpinnings, both of which boast some serious kit for the true all-terrain enthusiasts. Such includes a sturdy and durable body-on-frame ladder platform, an 800-volt electric drive architecture with up to 350 kilowatt charging capabilities, a dual-motor electric drive system to enable four-wheel drive, a solid-rear axle, and standard beefy 35-inch all-terrain tires.
Other notable items on the tech roster include electronic disconnecting front sway bars, front and rear mechanical locking differentials, upgradable off-road suspension options, all of which are said to enable up to a foot of total ground clearance and water fording capabilities of up to three feet, if not more. And for those looking for pickup hauling specs, the Terra boasts a 5.5-foot bed.
Although horsepower figures weren’t disclosed, Scout’s president, Scott Keogh, claimed that both rigs serve up an estimated total output of nearly 1,000 pound-feet of torque, resulting in 0-60 MPH times in the neighborhood of around 3.5 seconds with an estimated driving range of up to 350 miles on a single charge.
Other specs include a projected towing capacity of around 7,000 pounds for the Traveler, 10,000 pounds for the Terra, and a payload capacity of nearly 2,000 pounds for both. But since Scout Motors is pitching its new models as perfect tools for overlanding enthusiasts with a mission to encourage adventuring out into the wilderness and beyond, the company plans to offer a Harvester range-extending package featuring a small gasoline-powered auxiliary unit that boosts range of up to 500 miles.
Proudly Built For Americans, By Americans
Despite being owned by Volkswagen AG, nothing’s been taken from the German auto manufacturer’s parts bins as both the Terra and the Traveler will be built in their own, bespoke, production facility in the heart of South Carolina, which is still currently under construction as a completely ground-up and new operation.
Not only did the minds and the talent behind the Scout Motors revival want to build a thoroughly American electric truck and and SUV, the company also worked hard to strategize its infrastructure to provide up to 4,000 jobs alone in the Blythewood region just outside Columbia, with nearly 50% of its suppliers being within 200 miles, and over 80% of its parts will be sourced in North America.
Although we’re a few years away from production-ready models with actual assembly scheduled to commence in 2027, Scout Motors says that pricing will start below $60,000 for both the Terra and Traveler with numbers being closer to $50,000 with the proper incentives.
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