In February this year, a report claimed that Scout would only launch in 2028, something the Volkswagen-backed automaker denied in a forum post, though it did concede that delays related to setting up a new factory and launching multiple powertrains were certainly possible. Now, a new report from AutoForecast Solutions, first noted by Automotive News, suggests that customer vehicles may not start to reach driveways in late 2027 or early 2028 as planned, but that the Traveler SUV will only enter production in September 2028, while the Terra pickup is only expected to launch in March 2030. Scout, however, denies this. Let’s look at the full picture.
Why Analysts Believe Scout Is Behind Schedule
Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, told AutoNews that the delayed forecasts were based on a weekly update Scout provides customers, adding that he and his colleagues also came to their conclusions with the help of various industry sources. It’s also worth noting that when Scout was formed in 2022, the outlook for all-electric vehicles was far rosier than it is now, and extended range electric vehicles (EREVs) were seen almost as a side project. That outlook has changed, and nearly 90 percent of Scout reservation holders have opted for the latter. As a result, Scout has undoubtedly been forced to readjust its expectations, pivoting to meet customer demand. This is one of the biggest factors influencing analysts’ expectations that Scout’s SUV and truck will launch later.
Related: Scout Hasn’t Started Selling Yet and It’s Already $1 Billion Over Budget
“A lot of the more recent changes have been in the reengineering of the vehicle to get the EREV out first,” Fiorani said. “When the vehicle was originally announced, it was going to be fully electric, and the market has shifted since then. It makes a lot more sense to target the EREV, especially when you’re looking at trucks.” So what does Scout have to say about all this?
Scout’s Response to Delay Claims
Scout Motors
A Scout spokesperson told Motor1 that the report was unfounded, adding that it still expects to produce its first pre-production vehicles before 2026 comes to an end:
“Scout Motors has not spoken with AutoForecast Solutions, and we do not have anything additional to share regarding timing beyond what we’ve already announced. As we’ve previously shared, initial production is targeted to begin in 2027. We will start producing initial validation vehicles this year. That effort will continue and mature into 2027. We expect customers will begin taking delivery of new Scout vehicles in 2028.”
Whether Scout will meet its own expectations or not remains to be seen, but the pressure is on in a big way. The Ford F-150 Lightning is being turned into an EREV, and it’s quite possible that one of Ford‘s five new affordable vehicles planned to arrive by 2030 will be a range-extended SUV, too. Moreover, Kia just announced plans to take advantage of the “untapped” EREV midsize pickup market with a truck of its own, following news that Hyundai will produce an SUV and pickup with styling inspired by the imposing Boulder concept. Scout was going to be one of the first to play in this space, and now it seems it may be just another competitor, depending on whose comments you believe. Will Scout customers start receiving their orders next year? We’ll keep an eye on developments.
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