Although range anxiety is gradually becoming less of a problem as technology progresses, it remains a significant concern when shopping for a large truck or SUV. Weight is the main enemy of efficiency and, consequently, range. That’s why some automakers are promoting a stop-gap solution until battery technology becomes fully viable for long-range, heavy-duty vehicles. A range-extending gas engine is a temporary fix to unlock those precious extra miles.
Scout’s new models will primarily be EVs, but there will be an option for a range extender. The engine will be manufactured in Mexico and dubbed “Harvester” as a nod to the long-defunct company that originally built the Scout. Volkswagen Group’s Chief Financial Officer Arno Antlitz disclosed this detail during the first-quarter earnings call, cited by Automotive News. He also noted that the engine will skip turbocharging.
Photo by: Scout Motors
The four-cylinder engine will be sourced from the VW Group’s plant in Silao, Mexico, which has been operational since 2013. Previously, Scout CEO Scott Keogh described the range extender as a “good, high-output, four-cylinder, small engine.” As for its placement, the turbo-less unit will be mounted behind the rear axle. Scout’s Senior Director of Strategy commented that the ICE is “so far away you don’t hear it, you don’t feel it, so you still get the sensation of driving a quiet, small electric vehicle.”
The body-on-frame Terra pickup truck and Traveler SUV are projected to cover 350 miles in standard guise. With the Harvester option, they’re expected to reach the 500-mile mark, but with only 150 miles of pure electric range. While the standard models will come with an estimated 120-kWh battery pack, the Harvester-equipped versions will use roughly half that capacity.
In terms of performance, Scout estimates the Terra and Traveler will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in three and a half seconds. Adding the range extender will increase that time by a full second. The four-cylinder VW engine won’t drive the wheels directly; its sole purpose is to serve as a generator, recharging the battery on the go.
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Source: Scout Motors
Scout is far from the first to adopt a gas engine as a range extender in an EV. The Chevrolet Volt and BMW i3 offered similar setups as early as the 2010s, and the upcoming Ram 1500 Ramcharger will use a larger V-6 in the same role. Scout’s parent company, VW, plans to offer range extenders in China first, before bringing the technology to Europe.
Although Scout debuted its new models last October, series production won’t begin until late 2027. The Terra and Traveler will be assembled at a new $2 billion factory in Blythewood, South Carolina, which is expected to create over 4,000 jobs. Up to 200,000 vehicles could be produced annually, an ambitious goal that Antlitz believes could be achieved, thanks in part to the Harvester version.
These Scout models won’t really clash with an existing Volkswagen product, considering that the first- and second-generation Amarok are not sold in the United States. The recently announced first-gen model replacement is unlikely to get a US visa either. Additionally, VW doesn’t have an off-road, body-on-frame SUV in its portfolio.
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Source: Scout Motors
