The Volkswagen Group’s Scout EV brand may outsource development of its upcoming electric pickup truck and SUV to Magna, according to a new report.
VW has given Magna Steyr, the division of the automotive supplier that builds the rugged G-Class for Mercedes-Benz in Graz, Austria, an order worth $492 million to develop the models, Automotive News Europe reports, citing Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung. Development work is reportedly already underway and, if it’s any further hint, the brand is currently hiring for a number of Detroit-based engineering and software positions.
Given the timing, these very likely the first two products from Scout, previously announced for South Carolina production in 2026. VW confirmed earlier this year that a $40,000 electric SUV will come first, followed shortly after by a larger electric pickup.
Rendering of proposed Scout Motors factory near Columbia, South Carolina
Earlier reports suggested that VW was developing a new, and different, platform for Scout, with a future Audi model potentially set to share it. VW has also reportedly been in talks with Foxconn to make Scout EVs. Now it appears the automaker is going in a different direction.
Scout borrows the name of the classic International Harvester Scout off-roader produced from 1960 to 1980. VW acquired the rights to the Scout name when it bought International Harvester successor company Navistar in 2020.
Anything Scout Vintage Racing Team’s 1976 Scout Terra
When it announced the Scout brand in 2022, VW said the first prototypes would be shown in 2023. That’s since been pushed back to 2024, but the 2026 production timeline has remained consistent throughout, as have hints that eventual Scout EVs will feature simple, squared-off styling like the original Scout.
Magna helped engineer the Fisker Ocean, as well as the related Fisker Alaska electric pickup. While it’s building the Ocean for Fisker, it hasn’t yet disclosed a production location for the Alaska—expected to be somewhere in North America.
Dealers were surprised by the announcement of the brand, which effectively circumvents them from one of the most lucrative kinds of products on the market, with a Tesla-like sales model.
