A First Look at the Scout Motors Traveler & Terra EV Concepts

“Nacho is his name,” said Jason Denney, cofounder and owner of RIGd Supply. “He’s a 1972 Scout II. My dad had one when I was a kid. He passed away when I was thirteen. I’d always wanted one. We grew up in one and here it is.”

With the help of Sean Barber and New Legends 4x4, Anything Scout, and other classic off-road enthusiasts, Denney fixed up his new-to-him classic Scout. His build includes upgrades like a 6.0 L96 engine and a 4L80 E transmission, a Warn Zeon 10-S winch, KC HiLites Pro6 LEDs, and a Sherpa Equipment Company roof rack with James Baroud rooftop tent. “It couldn’t be possible 100% without their support, help, mentorship, all the man hours to help me get this to what it is,” said Denney. “My wife’s newly pregnant. We did our announcement photos with it."

A New Breed: Scout Motors

The stout Scout we knew from decades past is back but in a vastly different package: an all-electric one. Originally produced by International Harvester (IH) from 1961–1980, the company deemed the classic Scout as an “eight-day-a-week truck.” Although not made for 40+ years, the Scout spirit has been maintained by enthusiasts like Denney who bought them as project vehicles or passed them down—loving them for their utilitarian ruggedness and adventure-laden fun factor. If you hunted, traveled remotely, or just wanted a reliable family vehicle, a classic Scout fit all categories. The goal of newly formed Scout Motors is to ensure these modern models do the same thing.

Backed by Volkswagen, Scout Motors was formed to bring the legendary moniker back to life. Scout Motors’ focus is to design the next generation of workhorse utilities rooted in the same fashion as the original Scouts were. They’re echoing many classic features into their new all-electric designs, and bringing production back to America, creating over 4,000 new jobs. Production is slated to begin in 2027.

As Scout Motors concentrates on building its manufacturing headquarters near Columbia, South Carolina, it finalized concepts in Michigan. I attended the global concepts reveal just outside of Nashville, Tennessee to check out two new Scout 4x4 EVs: the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup.

Dubbed the “Connection Machine,” each electric Scout will include many classic off-road amenities, but will also feature modern touches like over-the-air updates and remote diagnostics—ushering in the future while retaining the past.

A Brief Two-Vehicle Overview

The Terra truck and Traveler SUV production-intent concept EVs echo the original IH-manufactured Scout’s utility and design. Both all-electrics will be built on an all-new proprietary body-on-frame platform with a solid rear axle, suitable approach and departure angles (breakover angles weren’t discussed), front and rear mechanical lockers, and a front sway bar disconnect. They’ll have over one foot of ground clearance, nearly three feet of water fording ability, and are slated to offer up to 35-inch tires. Scout Motors said the Traveler will house up to a 35-inch spare with “minimal impact to aerodynamics.” The Terra will have an up to 33-inch underbody spare tire carrier and an optional in-bed tire carrier for 35-inch all-terrains.

Per towing, the Terra truck is projected to deliver more than 10,000 pounds of towing, with the Traveler SUV following with over 7,000 pounds. Both models should have nearly 2,000 pounds of payload capacity and may have various suspension options, too.

Each vehicle will include a frunk, a “front trunk” boasting one 120V and USB-C power outlets. The Scout Terra will showcase a 5.5-foot pickup bed and two 120V power outlets along with one 240V power outlet: ideal combinations to power equipment when traveling, working or during power outages. Additionally, the Scout Traveler SUV will feature a split tailgate, offering easy access to cargo while giving protection from the elements when opened.

Multiple roof types will be offered that will connect occupants to nature. According to Scout Motors, the available Cabana Top—a sliding ragtop—may be one of the largest roof openings of any SUV. An available glass roof will include a powered shade to add privacy and shield the sun.

Electric Anticipation

The Traveler SUV and Terra truck are 100% battery electric vehicles, offering up to 350 miles of range. However, customers wanting added range and safety to get them to wherever they need to go without charging station worries can opt for a gasoline-fueled range-extender system using a built-in, gas-powered generator. This gives customers electrification whenever they choose. Gas-powered range-extended variants are slated to deliver more than 500 miles of adventuring range. No matter which propulsion iteration customers get, they’ll boast instant-electric torque, near-silent driving and other EV characteristics.

The four-wheel-drive systems will include an electric drive unit on each axle. Each EV is slated to accelerate 0-60 mph in as little as 3.5 seconds partially due to nearly 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque, according to Scout Motors.

New Scouts will use North American Charging Standard (NACS), 800-volt architecture, and will have up to 350 kilowatt charging capability. Both EVs will be capable of bi-directional charging, too.

Scout Motors knows some customers will customize the Terra truck and Traveler. They plan to offer a selection of accessories, including auxiliary lighting, power off-boarding solutions, winch, off-road bumpers and more. Powered accessories need to be integrated once installed, too, so they’re planning to add that to their Scout user experience, assigning them to certain switches, or having them controlled by mobile apps.

While many manufacturers utilize dealer-ships, Scout Motors will offer an exclusive sales and service network providing direct sales to customers. They’re creating a one-app, one-login, one-company scenario. Pre-orders for both vehicles, with a $100 refundable deposit, began on October 24, 2024, via (scoutmotors.com).

Interior Accoutrements

The Terra and Traveler’s interior pays homage to the classic Scout’s heritage. They’re simple, refined and intentional. Sustainable and thoughtful materials are used, including plaid fabric which frames a modern look.

Scout Motors promises an easy-to-use, configurable digital interface with toggle switches and knobs for climate control changes. A multifunctional console and bench seat will be an available option for both models.

Scouting Out Its Demographics

“Scout is a brand that is about community and connection, togetherness and exploring and building, and doing it in a way that puts a smile on your face,” said Ryan Decker, head of strategy for Scout Motors. “The [classic Scout] vehicles were good for Monday through Sunday and beyond any other use case you could think of. We’re going to recapture that spirit with the new Scout products.”

For Decker and the team, they want to take the best of the old world and bring it into the new.

“Some [users] are more extreme-use cases, which we recognize are probably not the core of where your sales volume will come from,” said Decker. “If you look at who’s buying some of the competitor products out there, not a lot of those people are actually going to Moab and doing serious off-roading.”

Decker said milder off-road and build-use cases is the reality of where most of the business will come from. “We’re solving for the credibility need of those segments.” For him, if Scout Motors doesn’t solve that, they don’t have the credibility to go after emotional buyers.

Pricing is estimated to start under $60,000 for both models, plus taxes and delivery fees. However, after tax incentives, the price could be as low as $50,000 for entry-level models. A lot could shift before 2027, but if Scout can keep costs down while offering concept features, I’d say they have a winning recipe. Scout’s honor.

Scout’s Storied History

A compact pickup truck idea in 1958 became a focus for a completely different market: what is now known as the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) arena. First designed to take the Jeep CJ idea further, the original Scout general-purpose vehicle offered better performance, was a little larger, had more comfort and added convenience features. The International Harvester Scout 80 truck launched to the general populous in 1961, equipped with two-and four-wheel-drive iterations. It was a 93 HP three-seater roadster with no doors, a folding windshield and tops that bolted on. You could purchase a pickup cab called the Cab-Top and you’d get a five-foot bed. Or opt for a full-length Travel-Top and transform your Scout truck into a utilitarian with a fully covered cargo area.

As IH ramped up production, an overwhelming number of 4WD orders included a full top. Many design changes ensued so Scouts could be configured either as pickups or wagons on the assembly line, or later converted by the dealer.

By mid-1964, IH was nearing 100,000 Scout units produced. The Red Carpet Series debuted in July as the first Scout luxury edition. After 3,450 Red Carpet Series were made, along with the Champagne series through 1965, the Scout 80 was discontinued.

Those last lines made way for the new-and-improved Scout 800 lineup. They added comfort and safety features, along with the release of its edgy Sportop, which debuted in 1966 but was discontinued in early 1968.

Scouts held their own against Jeep, but had new competition in 1966 with the Ford Bronco and its V8 powerplant. That pushed IH, albeit slowly, to forge ahead with a V8 for Scout. They planned one for their upcoming X-Scout but released two V8s for Scout II.

The Scout II started regular production on April 19, 1971. Engine choices included a 196 cubic-inch four-cylinder, 232 cubic-inch six-cylinder, 304 cubic-inch V8, and a 345 cubic-inch V8 that in Scout’s words, “beat Ford and tied GM for maximum cubic inches in the 4×4 SUV realm.” Other improvements made this an IH flagship lineup.

Other updates followed from 1972-1975, however, the light trucks division of IH fell flat. The company discontinued light trucks after a truncated 1975 model year. However, previously planned updates were still used to keep Scouts produced.

In 1976, Scout had several updates, including two new long-wheelbase models. The base could be built as the Terra truck or Traveler SUV (Yep, just like Scout’s new concept vehicles). Diesel was also introduced. For the next few years, racing and various upfitted Scouts donning graphics packages bolstered Scout until the manufacturer’s demise October 21, 1980, when production stopped after more than 500,000 units were sold. IH was struggling. It was negotiating with the United Auto Workers Union. Internally IH decided to sell if they could, or close if they had to. Unfortunately, a buyer fell through, and manufacturing ceased until May of 2022 when Scout Motors was born. 

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