Cars And Track Staff
If you’ve been refreshing your inbox waiting for a “production started” email from Scout Motors, you might want to settle in for a slightly longer haul. Recent reports from German media, including Der Spiegel, indicate that the highly anticipated revival of the iconic American off-roader has been delayed until at least 2028.
While the original goal was to see the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup rolling off the South Carolina assembly lines by late 2027, a cocktail of technical hurdles and shifting market strategies has pushed that timeline back by about a year.
Why the Delay?
Reviving a legend is never easy, especially when you’re building a brand-new factory and two distinct powertrains at the same time. Here is what’s reportedly behind the shift:
- The Pivot to EREV: Scout initially planned to be all-electric. However, after overwhelming demand for the Harvester (their range-extended electric vehicle) and a cooling EV market, they’ve had to prioritize integrating gasoline-powered generators. Engineering a fuel tank and exhaust system into an EV chassis isn’t an “overnight” fix.
- Software Snags: Like many modern automotive startups (and its parent company, Volkswagen), software remains a bottleneck. Reports suggest that the technical alliance with Rivian is still spooling up, and integrating complex vehicle architectures is taking longer than projected.
- Financial & Regulatory Shifts: With the removal of certain federal EV tax credits in 2025 and a massive $2 billion investment in their Blythewood, SC facility, Scout is navigating a very different economic landscape than when they first broke ground.
Note: A 2028 production start likely means most retail deliveries won’t hit driveways until late 2028 or early 2029.
Is it Still Worth the Wait?
Despite the delay, the “soul” of the Scout remains intact. We’re still looking at a body-on-frame beast with a solid rear axle, mechanical lockers, and a design that successfully marries 1970s nostalgia with 2020s tech.
While the “at least 2028” news is a bitter pill for enthusiasts, it’s a move likely intended to ensure that when these Scouts finally hit the trails, they don’t suffer from the “first-gen bugs” that have plagued other recent EV launches.
