VW Talks Scout Brand, EV Revival

It's been a couple of months since all hands first learned of VW's intent to revive the Scout brand via a series of all-electric trucks and SUVs. At the time, they released the hero shot shown above. Last week, they expanded on the idea in a video - one which includes ample shots of a dandy forest green International Scout off-roader
According to the video description, Volkswagen intends to launch a fully electric pickup truck in the States sometime in the next four years. This machine will allegedly be designed, developed, and produced in this country for customers on this side of the pond. In other words, it'll likely be the size of an F-150 or Rivian and be priced accordingly.
And, yes, the video is in German. Go ahead and activate the subtitles in a language of your choice, ok?
VW says they will be establishing a separate, independent company in America as it moves Scout to the all-electric space with the first prototypes being shown next year. For now, we'll content ourselves with that sketch above. Naturally, typical business school terms like 'synergy' are being flung around like rice at a wedding, so there's a decent chance these things will share its skateboard with other vehicles in the house of Dub.
Nostalgia is an alluring and expensive drug, one which plenty of automakers - including Volkswagen with its New Beetle and then the New New Beetle and then the ... - play up to fine (and profitable) effect. Witness the return of the Bronco, a good example of how a company can play on its heritage and create success - launch issues notwithstanding. On the flip side, GM found out pretty quickly that slapping the Blazer badge on a unibody crossover with front-drive roots was not the ticket to enthusiast hearts.
At least it seems VW is on the right track with styling, at least if that sketch is any indicator. With a prototype said to be waiting in the wings, we won't have long to wait.

Latest Car Reviews

2021 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium Convertible Reader Rental Review – California, Not Quite Dreamin'
Latest Product Reviews
Read moreRecent Comments
- Sgeffe Bronco looks with JLR “reliability!”What’s not to like?!
- FreedMike Back in the '70s, the one thing keeping consumers from buying more Datsuns was styling - these guys were bringing over some of the ugliest product imaginable. Remember the F10? As hard as I try to blot that rolling aberration from my memory, it comes back. So the name change to Nissan made sense, and happened right as they started bringing over good-looking product (like the Maxima that will be featured in this series). They made a pretty clean break.
- Flowerplough Liability - Autonomous vehicles must be programmed to make life-ending decisions, and who wants to risk that? Hit the moose or dive into the steep grassy ditch? Ram the sudden pile up that is occurring mere feet in front of the bumper or scan the oncoming lane and swing left? Ram the rogue machine that suddenly swung into my lane, head on, or hop up onto the sidewalk and maybe bump a pedestrian? With no driver involved, Ford/Volkswagen or GM or whomever will bear full responsibility and, in America, be ambulance-chaser sued into bankruptcy and extinction in well under a decade. Or maybe the yuge corporations will get special, good-faith, immunity laws, nation-wide? Yeah, that's the ticket.
- FreedMike It's not that consumers wouldn't want this tech in theory - I think they would. Honestly, the idea of a car that can take over the truly tedious driving stuff that drives me bonkers - like sitting in traffic - appeals to me. But there's no way I'd put my property and my life in the hands of tech that's clearly not ready for prime time, and neither would the majority of other drivers. If they want this tech to sell, they need to get it right.
- TitaniumZ Of course they are starting to "sour" on the idea. That's what happens when cars start to drive better than people. Humanpilots mostly suck and make bad decisions.
Comments
Join the conversation
The difference is that you can extinguish ICE fires propagandist.
Lithium batteries are on the way out. Sodium ion and other technologies are about to replace them. It will be a very interesting world for fans of automotive products, naysaying distractors notwithstanding.