Volkswagen Scout to be considered as a rugged electric SUV

The International Harvester Scout is for the EV era.

The rumors of a rugged, electric Volkswagen SUV first surfaced in 2018 but they were not confirmed until 2020. Although strange names such as “T-Rug”, “Ruggdzz”, and “Ruggdzz” have been rumored, it seems that the model could be given the familiar moniker Scout. Motortrend was present at a meeting with Johan De Nysschen (VWGA Chief Operating Officer), who raised the possibility of a zero emission off-roader.

VW now holds the rights to “Scout” through Traton. This subsidiary combines the Navistar, Scania and Man brands under one corporate umbrella. Navistar, which was established in 1986 to succeed the old International Harvester company, still owns the “Scout” trademark.

Traton bought Navistar in July for $3.7 billion. This effectively means that VW now has the name “Scout” to use for future models. The trademark covers cars, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and SUVs that have a gross vehicle mass of more than 2,400 lbs (1,088 kg).

Volkswagen Scout to be considered as a rugged electric SUV

MT speculates that “Scout” could be a brand other than VW. The model could also be sold in separate dealerships, rather than sharing the showroom with Volkswagens. It is unlikely that it will be called “International Harvester Scout”, considering Case IH, an agricultural company, has held the name “International Harvester” since 1985.

Name aside, an all-terrain EV from Wolfsburg may still be many years away. The German brand teased the Trinity sedan, which will be available in 2026. However, VW still has larger fish to fry. The ID is one of the new EV models. Next year will bring Buzz, then the Aero B sedan and the ID.1/ID.2 in 2023. These models were previewed earlier this month at the ID. IAA Munich’s Life concept.

The platform that it would use is still unknown, considering VW already stated it will combine MEB and PPE in order to create one Scalable Systems Platform (SSP). Trinity will be the first model with high volumes to utilize the underpinnings. These will, of course, be shared with other VW Group brands in order to realize economies of scale.

Jeep hinting at an electric Wrangler, and Ford suggesting that a Bronco E-V is in development, it makes sense for VW to want to be part of the action with its off-road-oriented EV.