Those familiar with the classic old International-Harvester Scout will probably remember it as a plucky 4×4 SUV, but the Scout was also offered as a small utilitarian pickup truck. Scout Motors, a newly-formed American division of the Volkswagen Group, is gearing up to produce modern versions of the Scout with electric power. Along with the Traveler SUV, Scout will also offer a pickup truck called the Terra.
While the Terraβs proportions arenβt quite like anything International-Harvester ever produced, it cuts a handsome profile, with a flat hood, four-door crew cab, and 5.5-foot bed. A massive stylized skidplate under the faux grille makes the Terraβs off-roading intentions clear, while rectangular marker lights and stylized Scout script recall the International original. (Officially the vehicles we saw are βproduction ready prototypesβ, which we interpret to mean that this is basically what weβll see in the showrooms.) The Terra also isn’t small, measuring in about as long as some Ford F-150 models, and it’s wider, too.
Scout Terra Truck Platform
The Terra shares the Travelerβs platform, though it might be more appropriate to state that the other way around, as the architecture is pure pickup truck. The Terra uses body-on-frame construction with a live rear axle, and while Scout hasnβt given us full details, the electric powertrain will be a two-motor setup. We havenβt heard a horsepower number, but Scout says torque will be just shy of 1000 lb-ft, enough to propel the Terra to 60 in 3.5 seconds. Capacities: nearly 2,000 lbs of payload and a tow rating in the neighborhood of 10,000 lbs.
If off-roading is your thing, the Terra shows promise, as it will be available with mechanical locking front and rear differentials and the ability to disconnect the front sway bar. The Terra will offer an air-spring suspension with adaptive dampers that will accommodate 35β tires and provide over a foot of ground clearance, with the ability to ford through water nearly three feet deep.
Scout Terra Range and Charging
Though Scout offered no specifics on the battery, they did tell us that the Terra will employ 800-volt charging through the North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector, with charging at up to 350 kW and bi-directional ability allowing the Terra can charge other devices. Range is quoted at up to 350 miles, and if that isnβt enough, Scout will also offer a gasoline-fueled range extender (called Harvester) that will stretch the tether to 500 miles.
Scout Terra Interior
The interior echoes that of the Traveler, with bright, funky, 1970s-style colors and a pair of screens supplemented by physical dials and buttons. Scout appears to be differentiating itself from the likes of Rivian and Tesla by promising a tactile feel, including mechanical interior door handles. While the primary interface will be through two screens, we note with great amusement that the instrument panel has a video rendition of the ribbon-style speedo used in the old Scouts. The nostalgia continues with an available front bench seat and a physical compass.
To our eyes, the mix of old influences and modern technology comes together to turn the Scout Terra into a nifty bit of retrofuturism. Which, hopefully, is not too far off in the future: Scout aims to put the Terra and Traveler on sale by 2027, both to be produced in the currently-under-construction plant in Blytheville, South Carolina. Pricing for the entry-level Terra, Scout tells us, will start under $60,000, and the pickup will be eligible for incentives that will lower the take-home price to $51,500. The warranty will be strong, too, with four years/48,000 miles comprehensive coverage, seven years/100,000 miles for the electric drivetrain, and eight years/100,000 miles for the high voltage battery. Interested? For a $100 fee, you can make a fully-refundable reservation right now at www.scoutmotors.com.
