Scout

If you were waiting for a Volkswagen brand pickup truck in the US, you might want to start looking for alternatives. VW confirmed a pickup truck is not in the plans for the US. However, a new electric pickup from its off-road Scout brand is still set to debut.

Infant electric truck brand Scout Motors is expanding its US footprint, announcing plans for a new “Innovation Center” in Michigan that will become home to its R&D, design, and engineering, creating hundreds of new jobs in the area.

The new rugged Scout brand from Volkswagen remains on track to debut its electric pickup and SUV next year. VW Scout CEO Scott Keogh says the designs are upwards of 95% complete.

A recent report out of Austria states that local contract manufacturer Magna Steyr has been chosen by Volkswagen’s new all-electric truck brand Scout, to develop the latter’s first wave of vehicles. The order is reportedly worth nearly $500 million – potentially Magna Steyr’s biggest development contract ever.

The re-emergence of Scout Motors in the electric era just became significantly more interesting. On Tuesday, Scout revealed it hired Chris Benjamin, a key Stellantis designer who crafted the interior style of some of the latest Jeep and Ram models, to lead the design of its rugged, all-purpose electric truck and SUV.

In a Tweet earlier this morning, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has confirmed that Volkswagen Group has chosen the Eastern state as home to its new production facility to build Scout brand EVs. The news comes after recent speculation about where Volkswagen would set up the new facility for Scout Motors after sharing intentions to implement its EV production to the US.

Adventure seekers, buckle up. A new off-road electric pickup and SUV brand is coming to the US. Volkswagen is planning to build an entirely new plant for its recently acquired Scout EV brand, according to the German newspaper Automobilwoche.

Following an announcement in May that it would be reviving its off-road Scout brand for an all-electric future, Volkswagen is reportedly in talks with contract manufacturer Foxconn to help manufacture the vehicles. Additionally, VW is considering Magna Steyr as another notable option.

As more and more all-electric pickup trucks make their way to the US market, those consumers holding out for a Volkswagen branded model may need to let go and look elsewhere. According to Volkswagen’s new global head of passenger cars, an electric pickup truck is not a priority at the moment, despite comments from the German automaker’s newly appointed head of North America validating such desires.