Scout Trucks Debut to Do Battle in Electric SUV and Truck Segment

The EV off-roader segment is becoming more and more crowded, it seems. The latest addition to the arena is a familiar nameplate with new life breathed into it: Scout. Now, Volkswagen owns the brand, which will kick off its modern offerings with two trucks, the Scout Terra pickup truck or Scout Traveler SUV. Since comparing the iX to Rivian’s R1S is a thing and theoretically, the R2 could take on the electric X3 variant, it’s worth checking out what’s in store when the Terra and Traveler start production sometime in 2027.

Big Off-Roaders

The Scout Terra and Traveler are intended to be serious off-road rigs. They’re honest-to-goodness body-on-frame trucks – so, more akin to a F-150 than a Honda Ridgeline. They can tow up to 7,000 pounds and the Terra can allegedly tow up to 10,000 pounds. With a targeted 1,000 pound-feet of torque and a zero to 60 mph time hovering around 3.5 seconds, these trucks are also quick. For reference, the iX M60 makes the same sprint in around 3.2 seconds.

One thing that sticks out is that these trucks are big. Scout promises 12 inches of ground clearance, which is perfectly acceptable. However, the measurements Scout provided indicate that the Terra and Traveler are just four inches shy of a Ford Raptor. At 91.6 inches wide, they dwarf the closest competitors, the Rivian twins, by around 10 inches.

Electrifying, but Simple, Interior

Like lots of other electric vehicles, the Scout trucks feature a pretty minimalistic interior layout. You get a screen and a squared-off steering wheel, and not much else. However, there is one huge difference here. The Scout SUVs feature a long row of premium-looking buttons below the touchscreen that Scout Motors says will – with the screen – “ensure intuitive, low-effort interaction and a cohesive user experience.” Maybe BMW should take notes, as a few buttons can certainly go a long way in terms of daily usability.

Other than the very cool buttons there isn’t much to talk about inside the trucks. Scout is vague on details, but there will be some niceties. A glass roof is visible in the photos, and the trim looks like it will be most premium materials like real wood.

Hybrid Capabilities and a Price Point

The Scout trucks have an interesting thing in common with one of my favorite BMW vehicles ever: the BMW i3. In addition to all-electric versions, Scout will also offer hybrid versions that feature a range-extending gas engine. This little range extending engine should offer as much as 500 miles of range. That’s 150 miles more than the EV versions are estimated to achieve.

Finally, there’s pricing, which is kind of vague. Noticing a trend? The trucks should enter production around 2027 and cost “under $60,000.” It’s unclear whether that’s in today’s money or the likely-inflated money three years from now. That’s one reminder that the Scout trucks are still a long way off. But, that’s right around where the all-electric X3 will probably start, pricing-wise. Whether or not the Scout will sway off-road-ready luxury shoppers is still tough to tell. [Photos: Scout Motors]

 

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Source: BMW BLOG