Photo: Volkswagen | Edited
During Capital Markets Day, Volkswagen showed a presentation slide revealing how the upcoming Scout electric SUV and pickup might look. The design doesn't appear to have changed much since Chris Benjamin was appointed Scout Motors' chief of design.
Scout Motors recently announced the appointment of Chris Benjamin to lead the company's design. Benjamin might have the easiest jobs in the world, considering that the upcoming electric off-roaders have already been penned. The first design sketch was introduced to the public a year ago when Volkswagen announced plans to revive the legendary American brand.
One year later, it appears that Volkswagen cares very much about that particular sketch. A slide in Volkswagen's Capital Markets Day presentation reveals that Scout's electric SUV and pickup appear mostly unchanged. Unfortunately, the picture in the presentation is low-resolution, but it's still clear that the Scout EVs will not look very different from when they were first teased. The only notable modification affects the rear door window shape on the Scout EV Pickup.
The two models retain the boxy appearance and, undoubtedly, the retro design to connect them to the International Harvester Scout heritage. The pixelated image also shows a high ground clearance, supporting Volkswagen's claims that the Scout EVs will offer proper off-road capabilities. At least rocks and other obstacles would not pose a problem. The front appears to contradict artists' impressions in previous renderings, with a "wrapped-around" grill integrating the headlights and what looks like a light bar.
Since Volkswagen scheduled Scout EV models to launch in 2026, it's still too early to have a final design. It's highly likely that Chris Benjamin has not spoken his last word. After all, he wasn't hired to sign the interior design only. As the brand's first designer, he will want to make a statement with the upcoming models. Scout Motors is considered a strategic asset for Volkswagen, which hasn't cracked the US market since the Vanagon era.
The two electric off-roaders will be built in a new production facility in South Carolina, where Volkswagen will invest $2,0 billion. A state-subsidy package worth $1.3 billion covers most of the costs, though. Scout Motors intends to assemble around 200,000 electric pickup trucks and SUVs annually and wants to hire 4,000 workers directly. The factory will break ground this summer, with production planned by the end of 2026, in time for the Scout EV models' launch.
Initially, Volkswagen wanted to hire a contract manufacturer to assemble the Scout EVs, and Magna and Foxconn made it to the shortlist. In light of IRA incentives announced last year, Volkswagen decided in favor of US production in a dedicated factory. Volkswagen also announced a Li-ion battery factory in Canada, which should start operations in 2027. This means that Scout Motors will have to find a battery supplier for the first year of production
One year later, it appears that Volkswagen cares very much about that particular sketch. A slide in Volkswagen's Capital Markets Day presentation reveals that Scout's electric SUV and pickup appear mostly unchanged. Unfortunately, the picture in the presentation is low-resolution, but it's still clear that the Scout EVs will not look very different from when they were first teased. The only notable modification affects the rear door window shape on the Scout EV Pickup.
The two models retain the boxy appearance and, undoubtedly, the retro design to connect them to the International Harvester Scout heritage. The pixelated image also shows a high ground clearance, supporting Volkswagen's claims that the Scout EVs will offer proper off-road capabilities. At least rocks and other obstacles would not pose a problem. The front appears to contradict artists' impressions in previous renderings, with a "wrapped-around" grill integrating the headlights and what looks like a light bar.
Since Volkswagen scheduled Scout EV models to launch in 2026, it's still too early to have a final design. It's highly likely that Chris Benjamin has not spoken his last word. After all, he wasn't hired to sign the interior design only. As the brand's first designer, he will want to make a statement with the upcoming models. Scout Motors is considered a strategic asset for Volkswagen, which hasn't cracked the US market since the Vanagon era.
The two electric off-roaders will be built in a new production facility in South Carolina, where Volkswagen will invest $2,0 billion. A state-subsidy package worth $1.3 billion covers most of the costs, though. Scout Motors intends to assemble around 200,000 electric pickup trucks and SUVs annually and wants to hire 4,000 workers directly. The factory will break ground this summer, with production planned by the end of 2026, in time for the Scout EV models' launch.
Initially, Volkswagen wanted to hire a contract manufacturer to assemble the Scout EVs, and Magna and Foxconn made it to the shortlist. In light of IRA incentives announced last year, Volkswagen decided in favor of US production in a dedicated factory. Volkswagen also announced a Li-ion battery factory in Canada, which should start operations in 2027. This means that Scout Motors will have to find a battery supplier for the first year of production
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