If you were waiting for a Volkswagen brand pickup truck in the US, you might want to start looking for alternatives. VW confirmed a pickup truck is not in the plans for the US. However, a new electric pickup from its off-road Scout brand is still set to debut.
Volkswagen brand pickup truck will not launch in the US
Although the automaker has been teasing fans with VW-branded pickup in the US, that no longer seems to be the case.
Volkswagen Group America CEO Pablo Di Si told MotorTrend at the Chicago Auto Show this week, “It is not in the plans anymore.”
Although part of VW’s 2020 alliance with Ford included building a medium-sized pickup, it won’t launch in the US. The VW Amarok is based on Ford’s newest Ranger and is for sale in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but not North America.
Many expected a VW “Ranger” version of the Amarok to launch in the US, but that part of the deal fell through.
Volkswagen also teased the Tarok pickup concept in 2019, asking, “Is America ready for a smaller pickup again?”
The pickup was based on the same chassis as the Atlas and Tiguan at 193″ long. Although it was 5″ shorter than the Atlas, a foldable rear cabin wall enabled it to carry items up to 73″ long. It’s currently sold in South America, but again, it won’t enter the US.
VW’s Scout EV pickup is the one we’ve been waiting for
Despite dropping plans to launch a VW brand pickup, the automaker does have a truck launching in the US.
Volkswagen acquired the rights to the iconic Scout brand in 2021, confirming plans to resurrect it as all-electric.
“Since Scout was iconically a rugged SUV brand, that’s what we’ll bring to life,” Scout brand CEO Scott Keogh said in December. The brand is known for building some of the first actual off-road Jeep competitors before Ford’s Bronco or GM’s Chevy Blazer hit the market.
With its roots tracing back to the early 1960s, Scout paved the way for the rugged pickup design we see on the road today.
Unlike most Volkswagen and Audi models, he explained that Scout’s electric vehicles will be specifically geared toward the US market.
“It’s a completely unique platform — ground up being engineered and developed.” It will not be a modified version of VW’s MEB platform. Keogh said, “This is 100 percent capable, American, robust, full platform.”
Scout is expected to debut its first electric truck and SUV in the third quarter of this year. Keogh confirmed the design is “85, 90, 95 percent of the way there.”
The brand hired former Stellantis designer Chris Benjamin, known for his work on Jeep and Ram models, to lead the rugged EV design. Scout is expected to begin construction on its assembly plant in SC early this year. Once complete, the brand plans to build 200,000 EVs annually. Production is slated for 2026, with deliveries following shortly after.