International Harvester Scout revived as electric SUV and pick-up

Scout Motors, the Volkswagen-backed revival of American 4×4 brand International Harvester, has revealed its first two models.

The Traveler is an electric Land Rover Defender rival, while the Terra is an electric pick-up truck that will rival the likes of the Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck and Chevrolet Silverado EV.

The two have been unveiled in near-production concept form, with both due to enter production in 2027.

They will be based on a body-on-frame platform that’s 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 range-extenders.

Michigan-based Scout said this is down to both a downturn in interest in EVs, 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 miles. 

Scout has yet to confirm a battery size but has said its platform can support charging at rates of up to 350kW. 

The Traveler and Terra offer a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain, putting out a combined 1000lb ft of torque, giving the SUV a 0-62mph sprint time of just 3.5sec.

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 them “multi-use 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 are capable of over-the-air software 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 Scout president and CEO Scott Keogh.

“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 cars are expected to start below $60,000 (£46,000), and 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 new-build factory in South Carolina, with the Volkswagen Group planning to gradually ramp up output to 200,000 units per year.