Scout Motors EREVs Will 'Most Likely' Arrive Before Pure EVs, CEO Says

The "Harvester" model uses a four-cylinder gas engine as a range extender. It's been far more popular than the pure EV version.

Scout Traveler Electric SUV

Photo by: Scout Motors

Mack Hogan

By: Mack Hogan

Jan 27, at 3:39pm ET

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Scout Motors' reservations are overwhelmingly for the "Harvester" models, which have gasoline backup generators for extra range.
Ram and Ford are also planning extended range electric vehicle (EREV) versions of their trucks.
Scout CEO Scott Keogh said Tuesday the EREV version of the Terra and Traveler will likely launch first.

Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh surprised me when he announced that over 80% of Scout pre-orders are for the "Harvester" models, which have gasoline-powered range extenders. It was our first sign that demand for extended-range electric vehicles, or EREVs, is real. To meet it, the company will likely launch the EREV version of the Terra and Traveler first, Keogh said Tuesday. But the purely electric version isn't going anywhere.

"Our intention is to do both," Keogh said during an on-stage interview at the BloombergNEF Summit in San Fransisco, referring to pure EVs and EREVs. "We will most likely lead with the range extender, since that's where the volume is."

A new electric brand of the Volkswagen Group, Scout plans to start producing the Terra and Traveler at a new plant in South Carolina in 2027. On Tuesday, Keogh also said the company aims to ramp up to 100,000 units per year within three years.

Keogh said EREV technology is a perfect fit for skeptical first-time electric truck buyers, who are generally worried about range and charging. An EREV avoids that by offering a gas-powered backup generator, but notably still provides an all-electric driving experience, with instantaneous torque and acceleration. It's a compelling idea, which is why the Ram 1500 REV and next-generation Ford F-150 Lightning will also be EREVs.

Gallery: Scout Terra Electric Pickup Truck

Scout Terra Electric Pickup Truck

Source: Scout Motors

"I think this is a classic American solution, where the American solution is generally give me everything I want," Keogh said. "So it has zero to 60 and 4.5 seconds. It has 1,000 pound-feet of torque, 150 miles of EV range and 500 miles of total range, which is more than most internal combustion engine [vehicles]. So we feel it's a slick solution for the American consumer in terms of, let's say, the drama in the EV market."

In theory, it should be. Customers seem interested, it seems unlikely that purely electric trucks will be able to fully replace gas options, at least in the short term. Yet none of the EREV trucks have made it to market yet, and we still don't have the full pricing information for them. If they don't offer considerable savings compared to all-electric options and enough efficiency to justify their price premium, it could be a short-lived love affair.

Scout Terra - Ext - 1

Photo by: Scout Motors

The good news for Scout, Keogh says, is that the company isn't going to live or die based on EREV acceptance. Because the gas generator in an EREV doesn't have to power the wheels directly, there's not much of a difference between the Harvester models and the pure EVs. The factory and supply chain are flexible, the CEO says, so if Harvester demand tapers off the company can quickly ramp up EV production.

"You don't have to rip up your factory, rip up your supply chains. You can manage the market as it ebbs and flows," he said.

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Tim Levin contributed reporting.

Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com.