VW's Scout receives 50K reservations, gears up for dealer lawsuits

Volkswagen’s Scout Motors has already received 50,000 reservations as it gears up for the launch of its first generation of electric vehicles.

Driving the news: The claim comes from Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume, who said the market’s response to Scout’s recent reveal “has been very, very positive.”

• The EV brand is set to release the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV in 2027, after first revealing the two vehicles late last year.

• While the two models will be all-electric, the company also plans to offer them as extended range electric vehicles (EREV), which use a gas generator to power the battery when its charge runs low.

• According to Blume, 70% of Scout’s reservations have been for the Traveler SUV. Customers must submit a $100 deposit to reserve either of the models.

Zooming in: Once they arrive, the two EVs will be competing in an increasingly overcrowded market, dominated by companies with years of experience in the sector. However, Scout is confident it can outmaneuver other electric car makers.

• Both the Terra and the Traveler are expected to come with a base range of 350 miles. Buyers who purchase an EREV version will get a significant boost of up to 150 additional miles.

• Meanwhile, the vehicle interiors are designed to place an emphasis on both digital and physical controls, hoping to avoid the challenges other automakers have faced by putting too much focus on touchscreens.

• Scout claims its user interface incorporates a wealth of customer feedback collected during the design process, leading to its internal name “Community UX.”

Looking ahead: Whether or not its EVs will be a hit with consumers, Scout may still face an uphill battle accessing certain markets in the U.S.

• The company’s decision to sell directly to consumers rather than through franchised dealerships has already received threats of lawsuits from retailers across the country.

• While some states allow for direct sales, others ban automakers, in this case Scout’s owner Volkswagen, from competing with their own dealers.

• However, the brand believes it is well prepared to win in any legal battles it might face ahead of launch. Notably, it argues that since it is an independent entity under Volkswagen with its own separate customer base (luxury EV buyers) it won’t be competing with Volkswagen retailers.

• Speaking to InsideEVs, Cody Thacker, Vice President of Growth at Scout said the following:

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