Here’s Why VW Chose Scout for its New EV Truck Brand
Back in May, Volkswagen announced a plan to launch an all-electric pick-up and rugged SUV in North America in 2026. The two models will be designed, engineered and manufactured in the U.S. using a brand new platform in order to better meet the wants and needs of customers.
However, they won’t be sold as Volkswagen products. Rather, the automaker will revive the iconic Scout name and create a separate, independent company within the VW family.
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But why? And how did Scout become the top choice? A new video posted online gives us the answers to these questions:
International Harvester originally introduced the Scout in the early 1960s as one of the first SUVs on the market and a response to the Jeep CJ, but production ended in 1980. Yet, more than 40 years later, the Scout continues to have a large fan base in the U.S. and well-preserved units can sell for big bucks.
Outgoing Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess previously confessed that the company did not take U.S. customers seriously enough in the past. Now, the goal is to attract a lot more of them and reach a 10 percent market share.
Is that realistic or not? Volkswagen currently owns just 2.2 percent of the market and only three other brands—Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet—manage to top 10 percent. Even when you include all VW-owned brands (Audi, Porsche, etc.), the market share is still below 4.5 percent.
Back to Scout. Volkswagen owns the rights to the name since it acquired Navistar in 2020. Executives believe they needed to establish a more emotional connection with the American public, especially as part of the transition to electric vehicles. By the way, Volkswagen of America boss Scott Keogh recently agreed to jump ship and will lead operations for Scout.
The first prototypes of the Scout pickup and SUV are due to be revealed in 2023, three years before production kicks off.