According to foreign media reports, on May 11, Volkswagen Group confirmed that it will launch a sub-brand called Scout in the United States, as well as a new electric pickup truck and SUV. The new car will be built on a new platform, different from Volkswagen's current huge global product line. The first prototypes of the new car will be unveiled next year and production will begin in 2026, although the exact location is unclear.

　　Scout will operate as a separate unit of Volkswagen in the U.S. alongside the company's other brands, The Wall Street Journal reported on May 10. VW is initially set to invest $1 billion in Scout and will look for other investors later.

　　Volkswagen Group, one of the world's largest automakers but with relatively small U.S. sales, has been leaning toward expanding its light-truck lineup in recent years. The light truck segment, particularly SUVs, pickups and crossovers, is booming and is one of the most lucrative segments of the U.S. auto industry. Volkswagen Group plans to revive the Scout brand to gain a bigger share of the huge U.S. light-duty truck market.

　　Image source: Volkswagen

　　Volkswagen has struggled to break into the U.S. pickup market, which has long been dominated by Detroit's Big Three. Also, VW lacks an off-road SUV like the Jeep Wrangler or Land Rover Defender.

　　In 2020, Volkswagen acquired the Scout brand when its truck subsidiary Traton acquired Navistar International. Navistar was founded in 1985 when International Harvester, which owned the Scout brand at the time, collapsed.

　　International Harvester, known for its tractors and heavy-duty trucks, began production of the Scout in November 1960, about five years before the Ford Bronco. As the industry's first SUVs, the Scout became International Harvester's most consumer-friendly vehicle ever. International Harvester discontinued production of the Scout line of trucks in 1980, 10 years before Ford introduced another Explorer that brought more power to the SUV market.

　　Revitalizing a popular brand is an opportunity for automakers. Ford said last week that up to 70 percent of U.S. consumers buying the company's Maverick compact pickup, Bronco SUV, Bronco Sport crossover and Mustang Mach-E crossover are new Ford customers.

　　It is reported that Volkswagen aims to sell as many as 250,000 Scout-branded vehicles in the United States each year.

　　This article is reproduced from Gasgoo