'What The Cybertruck Was Supposed To Be': Auto Enthusiast Highlights Features Of Scout EV. Will It Be A Hit Or The Next ID. Buzz?

Volkswagen’s attempting to make a big splash with EV-intrigued buyers by re-introducing its Scout badge with a slew of bespoke features. Auto enthusiast Forrest Jones (@forrestautoreviews) gave folks an early look at the Scout Terra pickup truck in a video walkthrough he posted to TikTok.

In his clip, he showed off a slew of unique features that clearly show Rivian’s influence as part of its partnership with Volkswagen. Nifty extras, reviving old school interior design language, and fitting in oft-unseen storage/usage functionality are now becoming synonymous with the Scout EV and EREV.

“This Thing Has Endless Features”

Jones’s 58-second post is a montage of many of the Scout’s bells and whistles. From the jump, he concurs with a comment made by another TikToker who showed appreciation for the Scout’s large front bench seat.

Following that, the camera pans down to reveal a built-in table that pops in and out of the vehicle’s front dash. After Jones pushes the table in, he points to a manual compass located in the Scout’s ceiling.

Gallery: Scout Terra Electric Pickup Truck

36

Source: Scout Motors

Jones also gushed about the truck’s onboard infotainment system. “This software was developed with Volkswagen and Rivian, and that platform is what Scout is using. And it works super fast,” he says, demonstrating a quick swipe that swaps the screen’s music player window with its navigation map seamlessly.

Folks who’ve checked out Rivian’s offerings will know that it comes with a bunch of extra goodies, such as a Bluetooth speaker and a flashlight that’s housed inside of the driver’s side door. The Scout Terra also has some hidden tricks up its sleeve. It comes outfitted with a toolbox, which Jones describes as he stands in the truck’s bed, showing off “this built in ruler stick that can also turn into a shovel.” 

The toolbox also includes an axe, a lantern, a lug wrench, and a pair of binoculars.

Scout Creature Comforts

Back inside the car, Jones says the Scout comes outfitted with a “pet mode that will keep the AC on while you animals are in the car,” a staple of other electric vehicle brands. However, Jones goes on to state that Scout allows folks to scan a QR code on their screen so that they can upload images of their pets to be displayed on the car screen, giving drivers a bit more personalization.

Next up is the Scout’s “outdoor mode,” which features a timer that displays to drivers an active countdown timer of how much power they have left. 

Jones then shows off the “Harvester,” a generator that helps to power the Scout’s electric motor, similar to how the BMW i3 came packed with a range extender. What makes this different from a HEV or PHEV is that there’s no traditional gas engine one would find in an ICE vehicle. Rather, the Harvester uses gasoline to power the batteries that support the Scout’s electric driving capabilities.

Company officials have said that about 80% of all Scout reservations for its Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are for the EREV variants. Outfitting a Scout with a Harvester boosts its range to 500 miles and can help minimize anxiety for those concerned about range or drivers who aren’t keen on going out of their way to find a fast charging solution while on a road trip.

The TikToker shows off the Scout’s mobile app detailing a trip from just outside of Chicago to Los Angeles. “I can also navigate in the app with charging stops included,” he says, pointing to the screen, which displays a slew of different trip information. He also highlights the other data Scout owners can access from their phones with the app. “I can see how much range I have left, activate pet mode, or I can make the car warm, or make it icy,” he says before his clip comes to a close.

Commenters Sound Off

Many folks who replied to Jones’s video echoed his excitement for Scout’s novel list of amenities. “This is what the Cybertruck was supposed to be,” one person wrote. Another wrote, “Yes bench seat. Best thing about old cars.” A third commented, “They actually went really hard with these. I’m surprised.”

However, numerous folks expressed worry at the price range. InsideEVs previously reported that the cars will start at “$60,000 before incentives, destination, and additional fees,” which is a far greater figure than its initially reported $40,000 cost.

Folks who were excited about another Volkswagen EV, the ID Buzz, may fear the Scout will suffer a similar fate to the funky van, where high prices and limited availability culminated in a lack of adoption.  In fact, the ID Buzz garnered so few sales that the automaker skipped out on manufacturing a 2026 model altogether. However, some reports indicate that the Buzz will make a return after the 2026 calendar year.

Could Scout suffer the same fate? Volkswagen’s partnership with Rivian bodes well; the latter company's foray into EV trucks and SUVs has proven to be successful.

InsideEVs has reached out to Jones and Scout via email for further comment.