Looking for an electric all-American go-anywhere home-from-home? Done. With a unique sometimes silver sometimes blue colour way inspired by southern California, specifically "the mist that rises when waves crash into the Pacific Coast cliffs” according to design director Aileen Barraza, the Scout Traveler Pacific Mist Concept is a peek into the upcoming world of now-VW-owned Scout, a revival of a much-loved US favourite that’s headed in large numbers to showrooms stateside next year. On of the best electric cars we've seen this year so far? Maybe.
Pacific Mist isn’t the easiest effect to create. Scout say it’s a "multi-layer, three-stage finish", nicely set off by black alloys, a black roof, blacked out mirrors and door handles. Interior includes what Scout Motors insist on calling “life-styling”. Beyond that phrase, there’s much to like here, with tasty Brick Red leather off set by denim to seat uppers, head rests and door cards, to create a look that recalls, says Scout’s Barraza, "cowboy boots and jeans, dress slacks and dress shoes, a modern interpretation of classic American materials".
Basis for all of this is the VW Group’s reinvention of the Scout brand, previously part of the International Harvester group, who were responsible for the original and much-loved International Scout - advertising catchline "International Scout: anything less is just a car” - designed to compete with the Willy’s Jeep when first launched in 1961 and produced with only the occasional facelift and tweak until 1980.
Made in Motor City
Look of the new Scout very much references the old. It’ll be made at a ground-up new factory in South Carolina and designed, Scout are keen to emphasise, in a suburb of Detroit, long known of course as America’s motor town. Separate chassis construction is very much old-school and there’s little sharing of technology with other VW Group electric vehicles, to underline classic Scout ruggedness - and that all-American isn’t just a bit of life-styling. With four wheel-drive, 500 mile projected range and range extender models available, the idea is that your Pacific Mist Scout Traveler will be able to traverse the Pacific Coast Highway and easily find those hard-to-reach surf spots.
For the Pacific Mist Concept, a roof rack adds functionality while 22-inch wheels offer tough looks and ability. Rear carrier references the original Scout but adds storage rather than spare wheel. Scout put it like this: "wet and dry storage - wetsuits, picnic kits, camping gear”, emphasising what this new-old brand hopes Scout owners will be doing.
Scout emphasise this concept’s look is a taster. At first blush you’ll probably get close with a generous ticking of the upcoming options list. As we’ve said, it’s set to be a North America only brand for the moment, which makes sense given that heritage. Non-concept examples are already available to reserve, if you happen to be in the US right now, starting at around £45,000. That would buy you a rakish Kia EV6, which is nice but without the go-anywhere look, character and history. See you on the Pacific Coast to swap tales.
