VW reviving Scout as EV sub-brand for off-road pickup and SUV

The Hummer, Bronco and Blazer have all returned in recent years as a result of the ongoing SUV boom. The International Harvester Scout is next.

Citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Volkswagen Group’s board is expected to give the green light on Wednesday to a Scout revival.

Later in the day, VW confirmed the rumor in a tweet.

THIS IS FOR YOU – #USA!

⚡ We will produce an all-electric pick-up and rugged SUV

⚡ The strong Iconic brand #Scout get’s electrified

⚡ Production will start in 2026 pic.twitter.com/blZy8b0Z29

— Volkswagen Group (@VWGroup) May 11, 2022

VW Group owns the rights to the Scout name through its ownership of Navistar which was formed from International Harvester in the 1980s, and the automaker has already used the name in recent history on some vehicles from its Skoda brand.

According to The Wall Street Journal‘s sources, VW Group plans to  make Scout a Volkswagen sub-brand for electric SUVs and pickup trucks, similar to the relationship between GMC and Hummer.

Is VW resurrecting Scout as an EV off-road brand? The head of Volkswagen Group Design just posted this on IG 3 hours ago. https://t.co/Z8y2PuxuLE pic.twitter.com/G9xlhxFxlf

— Zerin Dube (@SpeedSportLife) May 11, 2022

Interestingly, VW designer Klaus Zyciora posted sketches of an SUV and pickup truck alongside the Scout name on his Instagram page on Wednesday before quickly removing it, though not before user Zerin Dube could grab the screen shot above. Zyciora also mentioned in his post that ” the journey of Scout is about to start.”

Don’t get too excited just yet, though. The first modern Scout isn’t expected until 2026.

VW has been teasing the idea of selling a pickup truck in the U.S. for years and only in April the brand’s local chief, Scott Koegh, said that an electric pickup truck could be a boon for the brand.

There have also been reports of VW launching a rugged electric SUV to take on planned electric versions of the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. VW even released a sketch of just such a vehicle back in 2019 to gauge interest. We’ve also heard rumors of a reborn VW Thing as an EV. All of the expressive models are part of a wider strategy to launch more emotive EVs. Stay tuned.