2027 Scout Traveler And Terra Reveal

Scout Motors just revealed their two new electric trucks, the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup.  The unveiling was met with great anticipation from the Scout faithful, as the last Scout was built in 1980.  More than forty years later, Scout fans thought their beloved trucks would remain dead and buried.  Just like science fiction characters, however, brands never truly die in the automotive world. 

Unlike the 1980s Scout, these trucks are part of a new company nested under Volkswagen. VW bought the remaining shares of Navistar (aka International Harvester) in 2020 and folded it under its commercial truck division, Traton.  As a result, VW now owns the Scout name.  More detail about Scout history and the VW acquisition can be found in the related article below.

Related article: The Return of Scout

2027 Scout Traveler & Terra Design

Scout Motors has been teasing the design of their new trucks for the past two years.  They were very specific that these would not be retro designs, but instead designs inspired by the original International Scouts.

My initial reaction was mixed during the Scout Motors Reveal Event on October 24, 2024.  I felt the designs looked too much like the Rivian R1S and R1T trucks, and lacked a two door model with a removable roof. Once I took a good look at the Scouts, their heritage became clear, and reflect the best of the original Scout. 

The pictures immediately below compare the new Traveler (left) to the classic Scout (right).  You can see how the rear window kicks up on both as well as the longish hood.   

In the additional pictures below, some special touches really caught my eye. In particular, the cabana roof on the Traveler creates a large opening.  In fact, that opening is large enough to make me forget about the lack of a fully removable roof.

Key Features

After digesting the design elements of both trucks, I turned my attention to the mechanical features of the Traveler and Terra.  Old school off-roaders will appreciate most of these attributes, while new age EV fans will like the electrical specs:

• Body on frame design for off-road strength.
• Live front and rear axles with mechanical locking differential.
• Sway bar disconnect and suspension options that will allow tires up to 35 inches tall.
• Able to ford up to three feet of water.
• Electric motor capable of 1,000 ft-lbs of torque (no horsepower rating was provided).
• Terra tows up to 10,000 pounds; Traveler  is rated for up to 7,000 pounds.
• Payload capacity of 2,000 pounds.
• Electric range of 350 miles that can be extended with the optional gasoline-fueled range extender (called Harvester–a nice nod to its original owner, International Harvester) which will extend the total range to 500 miles.  The original Chevrolet Volt used a similar system.
• Charging will be possible through a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Its 800-volt architecture will allow DC fast charging up to 350 kilowatts. Bi-directional charging capability will allow Scouts to share its juice if needed.

Scout Motors is in the process of building a new plant in Blythewood, South Carolina, where both the Traveler SUV and Terra pickups will be manufactured. Scout plans to sell directly to consumers, using a single-login solution that will cover both sales and service. If you are interested, they are accepting reservations at ScoutMotors.com.

Scout has not announced exact pricing, but suggests they will start under $60,000, and will qualify for incentives that will reduce that to around $50,000. Deliveries are expected to begin some time in 2027.

Final Thoughts & Questions

While I would like to see a smaller, lower priced vehicle from Scout (similar to the upcoming Rivian R2 and R3), I think this is a good start.  The combination of heritage design, beefy mechanicals and thoughtful interior function make this a winner in my eyes.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

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