By David Shepardson
(Reuters) -Volkswagen’s Scout Motors unit on Thursday unveiled its concept electric SUV and truck and said it will offer extended-range versions that include a small gasoline engine.
The German automaker announced the brand in May 2022 as an EV-only standalone company, but Scout said on Thursday that it had listened to the concerns of some U.S. drivers about recharging abilities.
VW is building a $2 billion factory in South Carolina and expects to begin production of the new vehicles in 2027. The full EV versions will offer up to 350 miles (560 km) of range on a charge while the extended-range version will have 500 miles (800 km).
“It makes the platform future proof,” Scout CEO Scott Keogh said, adding that the company can divide production between the variants based on demand.
The gas-powered engine will recharge the vehicle’s high-voltage battery, but will not have a direct connection to the wheels, the company said.
Like Tesla, Scout will forgo a traditional independent dealer network in favor of directly selling and servicing vehicles, and it pledged full price transparency and transactions that can be completed in minutes. Keogh expects Scout will have around three dozen U.S. retail centers when sales start, eventually rising to 100.