Scout Launch Delayed to 2028: Report [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS]

[TexasBob]

https://www.scoutforums.com/forum/threads/scout-launch-delayed-until-2028-summer-report.17132/

Edit 1:
And the non-denial denial arrives:
https://www.autoblog.com/news/scouts-launch-delayed-to-2028-amid-budget-overruns-and-dealer-lawsuit

Edit2:
Now confirmed by CEO
https://www.scoutforums.com/forum/t...hybrid-ceo-says-first-delivery-in-2028.17142/

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[kanundrum]

Called it

 

[VandalSibs]

Well, that sucks for Scout reservation holders, and I hate seeing any bad news about an EV company (more EVs is always a good thing!).

I've seen some speculation that this might be connected to the Rivian/VW JV as well, but I wonder/hope if it's something more wrapped up in the design of the vehicles themselves....

 

[emoore]

Maybe the speculation that the gas engine wasn't powerful enough for towing was correct and they need to fit a large generator in there. I assume they want to make everything else the same between the EV and EREV, that could be why they aren't just working on the EV version first.

 

[TexasBob]

Very good for Rivian. Maybe just the break they needed. Let’s see if they can capitalize.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Well, that sucks for Scout reservation holders, and I hate seeing any bad news about an EV company (more EVs is always a good thing!).

I've seen some speculation that this might be connected to the Rivian/VW JV as well, but I wonder/hope if it's something more wrapped up in the design of the vehicles themselves....

Hard enough to launch a new brand/car in any climate. But in a openly anti-EV climate? talk about head winds.

Very good for Rivian. Maybe just the break they needed. Let’s see if they can capitalize.

Both Scout cars are larger/wider. Not a direct competition to begin with. Plus, EVs are less than 10% of total market. Win, survive or fail... There is room for everyone (who dares to enter).

 

[impulsoren]

I will put my thoughts here: I have an old Chevy volt with a gas generator. It can barely pull itself up a hill if the battery is depleted and it’s depending on the generator to run the vehicle.
if the Scout doesn’t use some advanced logic to keep something in the batteries depending on either a selected navigation route or if the driver doesn’t use nav a screenshot of surrounding potential elevation changes, to keep the battery up, there will be some disappointed owners dragging ass uphill with the gas engine redlining.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I will put my thoughts here: I have an old Chevy volt with a gas generator. It can barely pull itself up a hill if the battery is depleted and it’s depending on the generator to run the vehicle.
if the Scout doesn’t use some advanced logic to keep something in the batteries depending on either a selected navigation route or if the driver doesn’t use nav a screenshot of surrounding potential elevation changes, to keep the battery up, there will be some disappointed owners dragging ass uphill with the gas engine redlining.

While details are missing from Scout, apples and oranges. Volt is a much smaller car with greater packaging constraints. The Scouts are much larger. Take Ram's now canceled EREV truck into consideration. It was planned with a much larger generator: a friggin 3.6L V6 from their existing catalog of gasoline engines. And a full size Ram is a lot closer to the Scouts. Ram determined that's what would be needed to generate enough juice without compromising driveability.

Adding:
EREVs only make sense from range perspective (like towing or extended off-grid use). In other [majroity] uses, you get the best and worst of both BEV and ICE in one package.

 

[NY_Rob]

"The reason for the impending delay: In addition to the development of the hybrid drive with a so-called range-extender (REEV), the software is also taking longer than usual, as is so often the case within the Volkswagen Group. Because the software alliance with the US start-up Rivian has not yet delivered what Scout needs, Volkswagen's own, itself crisis-ridden, development unit Cariad has to step in."

Could you imagine the turmoil VW has now caused by having their own dysfunctional/failed SW team "step in" Rivian's project? "Hey, here's a Division that's failed miserably at SW development so far.. let them help out the Rivian team!"

2028 now? Well, TBH I wouldn't be completely shocked if VW just unilaterally decided to shelf the whole Scout project since they are under "new strict cost cutting mandates by the CEO." The new plant where the Scout vehicles were to be assembled is projected to cost three billion dollars. Not exactly pocket change!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

" The reason for the impending delay: In addition to the development of the hybrid drive with a so-called range-extender (REEV), the software is also taking longer than usual, as is so often the case within the Volkswagen Group. Because the software alliance with the US start-up Rivian has not yet delivered what Scout needs, Volkswagen's own, itself crisis-ridden, development unit Cariad has to step in."

Could you imagine the turmoil VW has now caused by having their own dysfunctional/failed SW team "step in" Rivian's project? "Hey, here's a Division that's failed miserably at SW development so far.. let them help out the Rivian team!"

2028 now? Well, TBH I wouldn't be completely shocked if VW just unilaterally decided to shelf the whole Scout project since they are under "new strict cost cutting mandates by the CEO." The new plant where the Scout vehicles were to be assembled is projected to cost three billion dollars. Not exactly pocket change!

The good old corporate blame game. Never mind their factory is way over budget and SC taxpayers are expected to pay the tab.

 

[NY_Rob]

The good old corporate blame game.

Finger pointing 101... he who lies the best wins!

Rivian has already proven they can develop EV software, VW??? Not!

It's very possible Rivian will eventually regret getting involved with VW, yes the money was good, but look at what you have to deal with.

 

[NY_Rob]

I hope SLATE is not next with the bad news, although their vehicle is super simple by design. It's like the Galactica.. no network computers on board.

 

[shamoo]

Dang, I was hoping to replace my Rivian with a Scout, but yeah… not surprised by the delay.

For one, there’s basically zero real info on how this “harvester” is supposed to work (or a bunch of other stuff), so a delay makes sense. I’ve also heard from a somewhat insider that leadership kind of dreamed up the harvester idea during a public announcement, and even engineering didn’t know about it at first. Then suddenly everyone had to figure out how to build it.

Which explains the chaos on the Scout forums. Tons of questions and speculation, and still no actual answers from Scout after all this time.

If the delay is because of the harvester, that makes sense. If it’s for some other reason… I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.

 

[BigSkies]

I'm honestly surprised they didn't just cancel it. It sounds like VW has over-committed on capital anyways, and the premium end of the US EV market isn't exactly screaming for more competitors.

We'll probably see a change in political winds in 2028 which might help at the margins. But not enough to justify what Scout is trying to do.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Finger pointing 101... he who lies the best wins!

Rivian has already proven they can develop EV software, VW??? Not!

It's very possible Rivian will eventually regret getting involved with VW, yes the money was good, but look at what you have to deal with.

And it can't be that hard for Rivian to incorporate ICE management software. In 2000 I watched two college grads, who never went to school for automotive engineering, modify VW ECU software and make custom tuner chips for the VR6, right from a store-bought desktop PC... and built a whole business out of it. And generators don't need software as complex, only when to turn on at what rpm to run (steadily) and for how long.

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