Scout Terra Pickup Reportedly Won't Go Into Production Until March 2030, And The Traveler Suv Is Delayed Until September 2028

Scout Motors

In February 2024, erstwhile I went to South Carolina for nan groundbreaking of Scout Motors' marque caller factory, nan Volkswagen-owned automaker said accumulation of its upcoming motortruck and SUV would commencement successful 2026. Eight months later, when nan Traveler SUV and Terra pickup were unveiled, Scout said nan accumulation models were a spot delayed, group to travel retired successful 2027 instead. In nan twelvemonth and a half since then, Scout has shown nan conception trucks successful caller colors and pinch immoderate caller accessories, but we haven't publically seen immoderate trial mules aliases prototypes (though a fistful of trial rigs do apparently beryllium successful existent life), and nan mill is still successful nan process of being built.

Two months ago, reporting from German publication, Der Spiegel said nan Scouts had been delayed moreover further owed to method problems pinch nan trucks' development, pinch accumulation not group to commencement until summertime 2028. CEO Scott Keogh somewhat confirmed that astir a week later, saying that he expected customers to get their hands on Scouts sometime successful 2028. Now, a caller report from AutoForecast Solutions, brought to our attraction by Autoline, says Scout's delays are moreover worse than we thought. The Traveler SUV's start-of-production day has been pushed backmost to September 1, 2028, while nan Terra pickup apparently won't participate accumulation until March 1, 2030. That is simply a long-ass clip from now. In fact, that would mean a longer hold for Terra buyers than Tesla Cybertruck buyers endured, arsenic that exemplary was shown successful conception shape successful November 2019 and went into accumulation 4 years later.

Scout Motors

The AutoForecast Solutions study doesn't person immoderate different accusation beyond nan Scouts' soul exemplary codes (SSP B/C, if you attraction astir that benignant of thing), but it does opportunity accumulation of nan Traveler will extremity connected my birthday, August 28, 2037, and nan Terra will proceed done February 27, 2039. Those would beryllium beautiful emblematic lifecycles for a conveyance for illustration this. The Traveler coming retired earlier nan Terra besides isn't caller news, arsenic it will decidedly beryllium nan much celebrated assemblage style (more than 70% of reservations are for it), though a astir two-year spread betwixt nan 2 is surprising. 

Scout's main website hasn't changed immoderate of its wording, pinch nan preservation page still saying that first accumulation is "targeted for 2027." But Scout's online support tract tells a different story. A FAQ page that was updated a fewer weeks ago reads, "Initial accumulation is targeted to statesman successful 2027. We will commencement producing first validation vehicles successful 2026. That effort will proceed and mature into 2027. We expect customers will statesman taking transportation of caller Scout vehicles successful 2028." When reached for remark via email, a Scout spokesperson reiterated that aforesaid statement, adding that they person nary remark connected nan AutoForecast Solutions study and "do not person thing further to stock regarding timing beyond what we've already announced."

We've already known that much than 87% of Scout's 160,000-ish preservation holders want nan Harvester range-extender powertrain, truthful those EREV models will motorboat earlier their afloat electrical counterparts, though astatine this constituent I'd beryllium amazed if nan electrical models hap astatine all, fixed nan U.S.' existent cognition towards EVs. But it's nan EREV and its four-cylinder generator motor mounted nether nan level down nan rear axle that are allegedly causing nan astir engineering problems for Scout — among nan various issues we've heard about, nan EREV's towing capacity mightiness beryllium trim successful half compared to nan EV, though Keogh promises Scout is moving connected immoderate "solutions" to that problem.

Scout Motors

Obviously, you want to return Reddit comments pinch immoderate hefty grains of salt, but on 1 station astir nan Der Spiegel report, Redditor TheDirtDude117 said, "I'm successful Columbia SC pinch a fewer friends who activity connected nan engineering broadside and it's... Grim for sure. No accusation astir their ICE generator, nary package for it, and nan luggage section level being complete 200⁰C while testing has them each tweaking their resumes but hoping nan checks support getting cleared." 

When different commenter joked that his friend should effort engineering solutions to those problems, he replied, "Sadly not their department. Issue is much astir nan motor being utilized & its placement causing Intake + Exhaust issues but they can't really do overmuch until they besides person package aliases a harness. Their attraction is much connected EV Scouts than nan Range Extender but pinch nan hold being announced hopefully that will pivot. The works is besides having contractors astir driblet multi cardinal dollar instrumentality because they wouldn't perceive truthful it's a hilarious cluster **** going on." Sounds... not great!

I genuinely emotion really nan Scouts look, and I deliberation location are a batch of cool ideas swirling astir nan brains of nan company's designers and engineers, but nan specs already seemed outdated erstwhile nan concepts were revealed, and that is only becoming much evident arsenic clip goes on. Scout said it was targeting a 350-mile scope for nan afloat electrical models, while nan EREV would beryllium capable to do up to 500 miles. Back successful autumn 2024, erstwhile nan Scouts were first shown, you were already capable to bargain electrical pickups from Rivian and General Motors that could spell good complete 400 miles connected a charge. There aren't immoderate range-extender pickups presently connected sale, but Ram promises its REV will beryllium retired this year pinch a 690-mile range, and Ford's next-gen Lightning will beryllium retired adjacent twelvemonth arsenic an EREV pinch much than 700 miles of range. By nan clip 2028 (and 2030!) rolls around, I don't cognize if Scout's scope and capacity figures will trim it, to opportunity thing of nan different planned features, specs, and attributes that whitethorn aliases whitethorn not make it to production.

Then there's nan problem of Scout's planned nonstop income model, which has resulted successful multiple lawsuits from Volkswagen dealers. Scout is doubling down connected nonstop sales, though, and I dream nan institution continues to. Dealers suck. And astatine slightest Scout is proceeding afloat steam up connected its mill construction, publishing monthly updates astir really things are going. Whether aliases not nan mill ends up building Scouts aliases different Volkswagen Group vehicles remains to beryllium seen.