VW subsidiary Scout is powered by naturally aspirated gasoline engines in the USA
Scout Motors is a new brand under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, focused on reviving the legendary "Scout" off-road vehicle. The original model was produced from 1961 to 1980 and was considered a rugged all-rounder for work and adventure.
Volkswagen acquired the rights to the brand in 2021 and founded Scout Motors as an independent company based in the US in 2022. The goal is to produce electric SUVs and pickup trucks specifically tailored to the US market starting in 2026. Details about the engine have now also been revealed, and they're a big surprise, because it uses a technology that VW has (so far) avoided in Europe!
Although range anxiety is decreasing with electric vehicles thanks to technological advances, it remains an issue with large trucks and SUVs. The heavy weight of these vehicles negatively impacts efficiency and thus range. Some manufacturers are therefore opting for interim solutions until battery technology for long-distance driving in heavy vehicles is mature. A gasoline-powered range extender can serve as a temporary solution to gain additional mileage.
Image by: Scout Motors
The new Scout models will be offered primarily as electric vehicles, but with the option of a range extender. The engine is produced in Mexico and is called the "Harvester" – a tribute to the company International Harvester, which developed the original Scout. Volkswagen Group CFO Arno Antlitz confirmed this during a conference call on the quarterly results and mentioned that the engine is non-turbocharged.
The four-cylinder engine will be manufactured at VW's Silao, Mexico, plant, which has been in operation since 2013. Scout CEO Scott Keogh described the range extender as a "good, powerful, small four-cylinder engine." The engine will be turbocharged and mounted behind the rear axle. According to Scout's senior director of strategy, the combustion engine is so far away that it can neither be heard nor felt, maintaining the driving experience of a quiet, small electric vehicle.
The Terra pickup and the Traveler body-on-frame SUV are expected to offer a range of approximately 563 kilometers in the standard version. With the Harvester option, the range increases to approximately 805 kilometers, with an all-electric range of approximately 241 kilometers. The standard models will be equipped with an estimated 120 kWh battery, while the Harvester models will utilize approximately half that capacity.
In terms of performance, Scout estimates that the Terra and Traveler accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.5 seconds. With the range extender, that time increases by about a second. VW's four-cylinder engine doesn't directly drive the wheels; its sole purpose is to recharge the battery while driving.
Scout isn't the first manufacturer to use a gasoline engine as a range extender in an electric vehicle. The Chevrolet Volt and BMW i3 offered similar concepts in the 2010s, and the new L eapmotor C10 REEV and the Mazda EX-30 R-EV are currently launching this technology. Scout's parent company, Volkswagen, however, plans to offer range extenders first in China before bringing the technology to Europe.
Although Scout unveiled its new models in October, series production won't begin until late 2027. The Terra and Traveler will be assembled at a new $2 billion factory in Blythewood, South Carolina, which is expected to create over 4,000 jobs. Up to 200,000 vehicles could be produced annually—an ambitious goal that, according to Antlitz, could also be achieved thanks to the Harvester version.
These Scout models don't directly compete with existing Volkswagen products, as the first and second generation Amaroks aren't sold in the U.S. The recently announced first-generation replacement model likely won't be available in the U.S. either. Furthermore, VW doesn't have an off-road-capable body-on-frame SUV in its portfolio.
More American specialties:
motor1
