Volkswagen gives new data on the future of its new brand Scout Motors, specialized in electric 4x4s. The first electric car is expected in 2026 and will take the form of an electric SUV that will cost around $40,000. However, his arrival in Europe is not yet on the program.
As you probably know, the Volkswagen group owns many manufacturers, such as Audi, Skoda, Seat or even Bentley and Lamborghini. But do you know Scout Motors? Most likely not, and that’s completely normal. However, this brand existed between the 60s and 80s in the United States, before falling into oblivion. The image of one is a 1972 Scout II. Today, the German firm wants to revive it to compete with Rivian or even General Motors.
A unique electric SUV
Last July, the manufacturer lifted the veil on a teaser announcing not one but two vehicles, in the form of sketches. The chance to catch a glimpse of her silhouette, taking the shape ofa pickup truck and an SUV, which reminds us of the Rivian R1T and R1S. A photo showing one of the two vehicles in the dark had also been published, while the firm did not give any further information about its first two models.
But now we are finally starting to know a little more about them. In fact, Scout Motor has just put out a press release with information about the first vehicle to be produced. Debut scheduled for 2026, withina new factory to be established in South Carolina. Work should start in the next few months, probably this summer.
Asked about the site TechCrunchScout Motors CEO Scott Keogh said the first vehicle produced by the automaker would be a “rugged utility vehicle” or RUV (Heavy Duty Utility Vehicle) under your terms. Soon enough, it will be the pickup’s turn to see the light of day, when it should be competing head-on with the Ford F-150 Lightning and other GMC Hummers, not to mention, of course, the Tesla Cybertruck, planned for this summer.
This new electric SUV, which will be based on a new platform, should show priced at about $40,000 (about 37,555 euros without taxes). The pick-up will be a little more expensive, without the head of the brand giving details about it. We will have to wait a bit longer before we find out more, while the site Green Car Reports announces that theBoth vehicles will not be unveiled until 2024.. Production is not expected to start before 2026.
A strong investment
To ensure the production of its future vehicles, Scout Motors announces an investment of two billion dollars for its plant located near Columbia. Thus, according to forecasts, it is no less than It is expected that 200,000 vehicles will be produced each year. when the site has reached its maximum speed. The company’s press release also announces the creation of 4,000 full-time jobs thanks to these new production lines.
how to explain automotive news, this factory will be entirely dedicated to the young brand, announced by Volkswagen in a press release dated last May. Thus, no model from the other manufacturers of the Wolfsburg-based firm will be produced there. Indeed, Scout is a completely separate entity from the rest of the company.in the form of a subsidiary, which must only be marketed in the United States.
It was in 2020 that the German company was able to recover the rights to use the brand, after acquiring Navistar International. For the record, it is an American company specializing in the construction of semi-trailers. Thus, it is not ruled out that the Volkswagen Group, through Scout, also decides to launch an electric truck in order to compete with the Tesla Semi.
Now it remains to be seen if the young manufacturer will also make the trip to Europe, which cannot be excluded. We know, for example, that General Motors plans to do so with its electric vehicles in the more or less near future. Enough to try to undermine the Chinese brands that are also arriving in large numbers on the Old Continent.
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