BLYTHWOOD, S.C. — Electric vehicle startup Scout Motors has received about 212,000 reservations for its next EV as it nears completion of its new $2 billion factory in South Carolina, CEO Scott Keogh told CNBC.
Reservations are for the Volkswagen-backed company’s Terra pickup truck and Traveler SUV, with production scheduled to begin in earnest next year and deliveries to customers in 2028.
As the U.S. auto industry has learned over the past decade, reservations don’t necessarily translate to sales. especially, ford F-150 Lightning, tesla Products like Cybertruck generated strong interest, but did not result in significant purchases.
Keogh said he expects Scout could nearly double its bookings by the time customer production begins, but said what’s more important is converting early interest into actual sales as production approaches.
“It was a consistent drumbeat,” Keough said in an interview at the Scout factory outside Columbia, South Carolina. “Without much effort, I think we can easily get over 400,000 reservations. The important thing for us is how much of our initial production can we pre-sell 100%.”
Keogh said it would be “a great thing” to achieve a 12 to 18 month order book, something the company thinks it can do before production. The Scouts said Thursday that construction is “in the final stages.”
Scout Motors’ Terra Pickup and Traveler SUV will be unveiled at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 21, 2025 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, California.
Josh Lefkowitz Getty Images
Scout vehicles will be offered in fully electric versions as well as electric hybrid versions, known as long-range electric vehicles (EREVs), with the engine as a backup generator for the electric motor and battery.
Scout, which was an American car brand from 1961 to 1980, was expected to offer only EVs as the German automaker expanded its presence in the United States, but due to the slower-than-expected introduction of EVs and higher costs, the company decided to also offer EREVs.
Keough said EREVs and SUVs have made up the majority of reservations so far, with about 87% choosing EREV models and 75% SUVs.
The company is also seeing interest from owners of its target markets, including off-road vehicles such as the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, full-size pickup trucks and U.S. EV leader Tesla.
Keogh said given the interest shown by bookings, the company plans to launch the EREV first, followed by the EV. He also said the company plans to launch with mid-range models first, unlike many companies that start with the highest-priced models.
Scout Motors unveiled one of its older gas-powered models during a ceremony celebrating the start of construction of its new electric SUV on Thursday, February 15, 2024, in Blythewood, South Carolina.
Jeffrey Collins AP
Both the Traveler and Terra will start at less than $60,000. The company says the EREV model is expected to have a range of more than 500 miles, while the all-electric model has a range of 300 miles.
“The most important thing for me is that I want to get the highest volume as quickly as possible,” Keogh said. “In my opinion, it’s all about how quickly we can get to 100,000 units. At 100,000 units we can start punching through.”
His comments will come in a few months. Rivian Automotive It received criticism online for launching the R2 SUV with the highest-priced model first, despite this being a common practice in the auto industry.
Keogh said Scout’s South Carolina plant is about 85% complete, but support infrastructure and the installation of a $300 million supplier park continues.
Bookings for Scout vehicles first opened in October 2024, with the Traveler and Terra unveiled, featuring a sleek yet rugged exterior that pays homage to the brand’s historic models.
