Reimagined electric truck combines state-of-the-art tech with nostalgic touches: 'Really unique'

The team at Scout Motors — one of the most anticipated additions to the electric truck market — is searching for the holy grail: the innovation of a startup with the backing of a major car company, and the tradition of an American truck with the technology of the best EVs. 

"We're an American, entrepreneurial, innovative startup on one hand, but on the other, we have the backing of one of the world's largest OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] behind us," Scout's Head of Strategy, Ryan Decker, told The Cool Down. 

Owned by Volkswagen, Scout is reimagining the once-iconic American brand — popular from 1960 to 1980 — with two new vehicles that promise acceleration from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds and over 500 miles of range, thanks to an optional gas-powered range extender. 

Their first vehicles will be a rugged utility vehicle (RUV) Scout calls "Traveler," followed by "Terra," an electric pickup truck, with entry models starting in the $50,000 range. 

While 100-year-old car companies "don't feel new and exciting and fresh," Decker said, startups "lack a little bit of trust." So he believes Scout "has this really unique chance to throw a dart right in the middle" of startups and legacy carmakers by infusing an iconic brand with new life. 

Volkswagen, which also entered into a multibillion-dollar joint agreement with newer EV truck brand Rivian last year to share vehicle software tech, provides critical know-how around how to ramp up factories, get good pricing from suppliers, and build cars. Those factors, Decker said, should give customers confidence and trust in their brand. 

As for their vehicles, Decker told us that Scout represents the "best of the old world, the things that made an American truck an American truck, with the best of the new world." 

Scout has adopted hallmarks of a traditional truck: a solid door handle, body-on-frame construction, solid rear axles, big tires, and heavy-duty suspension — "a lot of those things … no new EV entrant is going anywhere near," Decker said, "but those are the things we really wanted to do to deliver upon the promise of what makes an American truck a very functional vehicle."  

The vintage Scout trucks were known for being the OG "sport utility" vehicles, manufactured by International Harvester, who started out building tractors and farm vehicles and then shifted into making family-friendly trucks.

"We have this really unique chance to honor that legacy, to honor that existing fandom, but to bring it along into the future," Decker explained. 

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost Battery range Power and speed The way it looks Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The company is even bringing back the old bench seat as a nod to nostalgia and a functional aspect of the vehicle as well. 

"We've always said, the interior is a connection machine, literally a connection to the people sitting next to you, whether it's a partner, a dog, a kid, and then connection to the actual operation of the vehicle," Decker added. 

"But this thing's not stuck in 1980," he later said, "So what does that mean? Zonal architecture, things like over-the-air updates, being able to smartly integrate accessories, more than 800 horsepower coming through the drive units, that immediate torque that you get from an electric vehicle — all kinds of really cool features." 

It also means 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds — and eliminating the range anxiety. 

"What an EV gives you is stellar performance — the torque, the acceleration, the low center of gravity, the driving dynamics. But we're not naive; it's not perfect," Decker said, adding that range anxiety is a real obstacle to EV customers.

"We know that once you start to solve those things, customers rarely go backward. They fall in love with an EV. They fall in love with the cost of ownership. They fall in love with the performance. But you got to get them there." 

With a gas-powered range-extender that will deliver over 500 miles, Decker hopes to help "solve those really serious anxieties that we know customers have." 

"You can basically refuel it anywhere," he said. "You can refuel it with electricity. You can refuel [the range extender] with gasoline. But it preserves the EV nature of the vehicle."

Industry experts have taken notice of Volkswagen's major recent investments in EVs, especially in the truck market, something most car buyers don't typically associate with VW.   

"While many manufacturers are trying to pull back on their EV strategies, Volkswagen Group continues to be investing heavily in the space," said Sue Callaway, co-founder of Glovebox Media and an automotive industry insider. "Their investment in reviving the Scout name as well as their investment in newcomer Rivian are the latest signs of their long-term commitment to electric power. And Scout's ability to deliver 500 miles of range while holding the sticker price to around $50,000 will be a real differentiator for the company." 

Scout will compete with other pure EV trucks, such as the electric Ford F-150. The company will also offer alternatives to stablemate Rivian's lineup, which will expand beyond its flagship SUV and pickup truck to include two smaller-sized SUVs launching in 2026. 

Scout's vehicles will be engineered in Detroit and built in South Carolina, where the company recently broke ground on a $2 billion manufacturing plant. And it hopes its "Made in America" status is an asset for customers.

"We know buyers of vehicles in these segments actually really want to buy an American-made vehicle," Decker said. "Beyond that, they want to buy from a company that has changed a community. That's exactly what we want to do with our factory in South Carolina. It's more than just jobs. It's healthcare, it's education, it's training, it's development. It's frankly really a source of pride for the Midlands region of South Carolina."

Scout is also experimenting with a new sales model — similar to Tesla — that won't rely on dealers. "Scout Motors is an all-new company, an all-new factory … all-new everything," Decker explained. "So it was imperative for us to pick an all-new sales model that made sense for customers."

Scout is expected to launch its Terra pickup truck and Traveler RUV models by the end of 2027. 

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.