Scout Motors — revived under the Volkswagen Group umbrella in 2022 — aims to bring back the classic Scout nameplate as a U.S.-built electric SUV and truck brand. 

The original Scouts, produced from 1960 to 1980 by International Harvester, earned a reputation for durability and utilitarian capability in farm, ranch, and off-road settings. The new company is developing brand new vehicles and is currently constructing its manufacturing facility in Blythewood, South Carolina, with production targeted for 2027.

During a seminar at AutoMobility LA 2025, Scout Motors VP of Commercial Operations Cody Thacker provided an update on where the program stands today and how the company is shaping its path to launch.

Customer Input and Brand Heritage 

Thacker said initial product development in 2022 drew heavily on consumer research, including product clinics, surveys, and focus groups. The company also used the original Scout’s work-oriented heritage as a reference point.

“We had all that brand heritage and history to look back on,” he said. “We wanted to stay loyal to it.” Customers repeatedly emphasized the importance of customization, especially for off-road accessories. “Accessorization was non-negotiable,” he said.

A Two-Path Powertrain Approach: BEV and Range Extender

Scout originally planned for an all-BEV lineup but revised its strategy as market conditions shifted.

“We started with a fully electric vehicle,” Thacker said. “But customers wanted choice.” Scout now plans a single platform that can accommodate either a battery-electric version or an electric motor coupled with a small gas engine to power the Harvester range extender.

Approximate target ranges are 300 miles for the BEV and 500 miles with the range extender.

Thacker said about 80% of current reservation holders have selected the range-extender configuration. He added that the range extender was integrated early in development. “In many past examples, the range extender was an afterthought,” Thacker said. “We pivoted early enough to engineer around it.”

Direct Sales Model 

Scout plans to sell vehicles through a direct-to-consumer model rather than franchise dealers, citing feedback on retail frustrations and EV education.

“We listened closely to consumers,” Thacker said. “We heard dissatisfaction: lack of trust, lack of transparency.”

He also pointed to digital tools as a foundational part of the buying and ownership experience, including online purchasing, OTA updates, and service scheduling.

Thacker acknowledged that the model requires additional work, including real estate and staffing, but said standardization and direct oversight could streamline processes over time.

Service Network Planning 

Thacker said service performance is a known challenge for many direct-to-consumer EV brands and that Scout is planning to invest heavily in service capacity before launch.

Scout’s targets include:

• 15% more annual service labor capacity than forecasted demand

• roughly 1,400 service stalls nationwide within five years of SOP

• about 900 service technicians

• 100 retail/service rooftops, including seven in Canada

The company is using reservation-funnel data to determine where to place those facilities. Scout estimates that about 70% of current reservation holders are located within 45 minutes of a planned location.

U.S. Production and Supplier Proximity

Scout is developing a 1,600-acre manufacturing site in Blythewood, South Carolina, with approximately 3 million square feet. Thacker said the location was chosen partly to shorten supply lines.

“We very intentionally picked a location where we had a close supply base,” he said. Scout expects around 50% of its supply base to be within 200 miles.

The company is also building an on-site supplier park and will locate its corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, to maintain proximity between engineering, operational, and manufacturing functions.

Engaging Underrepresented Regions for EVs

Thacker said one goal for Scout is to broaden the geographic reach of EV interest and adoption.

“Middle America wasn’t really in the EV conversation,” he said. He cited power-export capability, off-grid operation, and general utility as features intended to align with broader U.S. use cases.

Referencing a 1960s tagline, Thacker said the company wants to build an “eight-day-a-week truck” with applicability beyond niche segments.

Testing, Timeline, and Fleet

Scout recently completed winter testing in Sweden and plans another testing cycle this year. Multiple generations of test mules are in use, validating vehicle dynamics and software. 

Pre-series vehicles are expected to begin assembly in 2026, with Scout targeting a 2027 launch.

A conversation with communications rep Jamie Lovegrove after the seminar, revealed that Scout does not yet have a fleet plan in place, but to “check back in a year.” 

A year now feels like an eternity in the automotive world. Nonetheless, Automotive Fleet will follow the reborn brand’s progress and report back as it nears production.