VW Coming After Ford’s Bronco And Rivian With Scout Revival Electric SUV And Truck In 2026

Volkswagen Group has officially confirmed it will be launching the Scout brand in the US, with two US-made fully electric models. The rugged SUV and pickup that were teased in these official sketches will premiere in concept form in 2023, previewing the models that will go into production in 2026.

Confirming earlier reports, VW Group’s Supervisory Board approved the plan to revive this historic brand. The new era of Scout will be initiated this year with the establishment of an independent brand under VW Group’s umbrella, with a clear focus on the US market. VW said that the new models will be “designed, engineered, and manufactured in the US, for American customers”, which leaves little hope for exports to other markets.

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VW will unveil the first Scout prototypes next year, but we’re getting a taste of the design direction in two profile sketches. These depict a five-door SUV and a dual-cab pickup, predictably inspired by the International Harvester Scout model line sold between 1961 and 1980. The two trucks share the same body panels at the front, while featuring different lengths and wheelbases. Their boxy shape has traditional off-road proportions similar to the Land Rover Defender or the Ford Bronco. Notable styling features include the frameless windows, a floating roof, generous ground clearance and large-diameter wheels shod in all-terrain tires.

According to VW, the Scout range will be based on a “new technical platform concept which brings new pickup and RUV credibility beyond the existing Volkswagen Group portfolio”. This means that the new models won’t be using a jacked-up version of the EV-dedicated MEB or PPE architectures. While it is too early to speculate, the Scout pickup could also serve as a base for an Audi pickup.

The goal for VW Group is to grab a 10 percent market share in the US while increasing profitability. In this context, Herbert Diess, VW Group’s CEO, described the R-SUV and pickup segments as “highly attractive”, adding that the company wants to “become a relevant player in the US market”. To achieve that, the new models will have to compete with rival offerings from Tesla, Rivian, Ford, Jeep, and General Motors, with most of them already offered in the market by 2026.