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Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

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Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#2
>> Now, amid a historic shift to electric vehicles (EVs), VW sees an opportunity to reconnect with U.S. consumers by offering EVs in the segments they care most about: pickup trucks and large SUVs.

>> Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, will become president and CEO of Scout on Sept. 1

>> He will be succeeded by Pablo Di Si, currently the executive chairman of Volkswagen's South American Region. Di Si will oversee the entire North American region, as did Keogh.

Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#4
I'm pretty psyched about the "Buzz", an electric reboot of the famous T1 bus [1]. Not sure how I would actually use this but it seems they're finally getting to grips with what made people love VW's in the past, and translating that to electric vehicles. I've also driven their electric ID.3 and it's just not nearly as exciting.

1: https://www.vw.com/en/models/id-buzz.html

Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#5

I'm pretty psyched about the "Buzz", an electric reboot of the famous T1 bus [1]. Not sure how I would actually use this but it seems they're finally getting to grips with what made people love VW's in the past, and translating that to electric vehicles. I've also driven their electric ID.3 and it's just not nearly as exciting. 1: https://www.vw.com/en/models/id-buzz.html

The US version will apparently be the long wheelbase expensive version, which imo is disappointing but the variants being offered in EU are pretty exciting.

Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#6
I hope this ends up being smaller than the F150.

I get the popularity of that form factor, but I simply don't believe that many people are hauling yards of soil or towing boats.

2 Seats + 6 Foot bed seems like a winning combination in practicality, but is quite rare in the US.

Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#7
post #6

I hope this ends up being smaller than the F150. I get the popularity of that form factor, but I simply don't believe that many people are hauling yards of soil or towing boats. 2 Seats + 6 Foot bed seems like a winning combination in practicality, but is quite rare in the US.

I get the sense that the pickup truck market in the U.S. particularly in suburbs is driven by brand marketing rather than consumer needs. People are paying a premium, in the cost of purchasing as well as in the cost of insuring, maintaining, and fueling, for the image of the rugged individualistic American ready for any terrain, weather, or load that needs hauling, and maximally armored to "win" should they ever hit a person or vehicle in their path.

There's a subset of contexts where they make sense although I think for _most_ people they're infrequent enough that it's way more sensible to use a cargo van or a sedan and then just rent a truck during the minority of times when you actually need one.

Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#9
post #6

I hope this ends up being smaller than the F150. I get the popularity of that form factor, but I simply don't believe that many people are hauling yards of soil or towing boats. 2 Seats + 6 Foot bed seems like a winning combination in practicality, but is quite rare in the US.

Non-crew cab is almost extinct. I think there are tax/regulatory reasons for this, but it also drives me crazy that so many trucks have beds that are terrible at carrying 8' long items like 2x4s and plywood sheets. At least with a 6' bed the stuff is only sticking out a little past the end of the tailgate.

Re: Volkswagen bringing back Scout brand truck as electric vehicle made in America

#10
post #6

I hope this ends up being smaller than the F150. I get the popularity of that form factor, but I simply don't believe that many people are hauling yards of soil or towing boats. 2 Seats + 6 Foot bed seems like a winning combination in practicality, but is quite rare in the US.

3 Seat bench + 6ft bed for me, but yes. Keep it small.
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