Scout EV Forum: Prospective Buyers Give Thumbs Down to All-Electric Model

Hey, fans of the new Scout! Are you ready for an all-electric SUV and pickup?

Well, apparently not. A crowd-sourced list compiled by the Scout EV Forum, based on reservations made by 600 prospective buyers of the new Scout, reveals that fewer than 20 percent of customers are opting for the electric-only model, with the rest specifying models with range-extender gasoline engines.

Here are the stats from the Scout EV Forum:

Full electric or Range Extender:
Electric + Gas (Harvester): 81.3 percent
Full-Electric Only: 18.7 percent
SUV or pickup:
Traveler SUV: 58.2 percent
Terra Pickup: 34.2 percent
Both: 7.7 percent
Previously/currently own an EV:
Yes: 47.1 percent
No: 52.9 percent

Scout hasn’t said how much the range extender will cost. Claims the order page for the Traveler SUV at ScoutMotors.com: “Entry models starting as low as $50,000 with available incentives. Retail prices starting under $60,000. Initial production targeted for 2027.” Same for the Terra, but the entry model is $51,500.

As for the electric vs. range extender models: “Pure electric models offer up to 350 miles of range. Scout’s extended range models offer 500 miles of range or more through a built-in, gas-powered generator. Even in the middle of nowhere, you can still get there.”

Forum member TheShark posted this: “When I saw the Traveler Harvester with the extended range that convinced me to reserve.”

Scout stores will debut in 16 metro locations, and the manufacturer plans for 100 Scout stores around the country. In the order process, you click either the “Electric” or “Electric+Gas” buttons. A $100 deposit is required to hold your place in line. Clicking the second button means you are buying an Extended Range Electric Vehicle, or EREV. Electric motors will still power the vehicle, but the gas-powered generator will send juice to the batteries, not directly to the wheels. That’s why it’s incorrect to call an EREV a hybrid.

Scout hasn’t provided details on the range extender engine, but it will likely be produced by the company’s corporate owner, Volkswagen, and possibly be of three-cylinder design. Range extenders aren’t new—there are plenty of Chevrolet Volts running around with range-extender motors, long after they were introduced in 2010; and several EREVs are coming in the future, including the Ram Ramcharger, which uses the 3.6-liter V-6 to power the batteries. Driving range for the 2025 Ramcharger is projected to be 690 miles.

Anyway, the range extender is resonating with Scout prospectives. It’s a smart move on Scout’s part, and you can be sure that these statistics are the talk of every auto manufacturer today.