Scout Motors, the U.S.-based EV startup operating as an independent subsidiary of Volkswagen Group, has announced that it has racked up more than 160,000 reservations for its ladder-frame Traveler SUV and Terra pickup.
That’s obviously great news considering that the company had reported around 130,000 reservations in late October 2025, which means that it has received 30,000 reservations since—or about 7,500 each month.
It’s worth pointing out that this doesn’t necessarily mean that Scout has 160,000 sales in the bag—far from it. Reservations cost only $100 per vehicle and are non-binding and fully refundable, so the people who placed them can pull out at any time.
Almost 140,000 Reservations Are for the Gas-Powered Extended-Range Hybrid
There’s another number that’s arguably more important, and that’s the mix between fully electric variants and extended-range hybrid (EREV), which is overwhelmingly in favor of the latter. While Scout Motors started out as pure-play EV company in 2022 that intended to offer only battery electric powertrains, it announced a gas-powered range-extender powertrain as well in October 2024 as battery electric vehicle growth stalled in the United States.
Since then, the U.S. electric vehicle market has been affected by the loss of federal tax credits, the rollback of stricter fuel economy standards favoring EVs and a drop in demand. Scout Motors’ reservation numbers totally reflect that, as 87% of reservation holders (139,200) have opted for extended-range models so far—up from 80% in October last year.
This means that the vast majority of people who place reservations for a new Scout Terra or Traveler today go for the extended-range variant.
The current 87/13 split in favor of the EREV is far from the roughly 60/40 split that CEO Scott Keogh had anticipated when the company announced plans to introduce an extended-range variant in October 2024.
The Scout Traveler and Terra off-roaders will be assembled at a new plant currently under construction in Blythewood, South Carolina, and the company plans to launch the EREV versions first, which is not surprising seeing as they are in much higher demand. Both the SUV and the truck are expected to start under $60,000, but it’s not clear which of the two available powertrains will cost more.
Scout CEO Says First Customer Deliveries Coming in 2028
Scout CEO said at an Automotive Press Association event in Detroit on March 4 that the company will begin building prototype models this year in South Carolina, according to Reuters.
The automaker previously said volume production would start in 2027, but Keogh said yesterday he expects the SUV and pickup to be in customer hands by 2028. This appears to confirm recent media reports claiming the rollout has been delayed due to technical challenges.
Volkswagen relies on Scout Motors to increase market share in the U.S. market dominated by SUVs and trucks. But the automaker is having problems with its U.S. retail network as dealers have sued the company over Scout Motors’ direct-to-consumer business model, claiming the move breaches the automaker’s contract with its retailers and that Scout is not an EV-exclusive carmaker anymore.
Keogh stands by the decision, noting that selling Scout vehicles directly to consumers “made the most sense, without a doubt” as far as the U.S. market is concerned.
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