Emerging Tech Brew Summit Recap: Volkswagen bets EV future on the past

Why invent a new EV brand when you can simply revive a cult-classic brand that’s been dormant since the ’80s?

That’s the question that Volkswagen execs seem to have asked themselves ahead of the company’s all-electric reboot of the mid-century off-roading brand Scout. VW aims to start production of a Scout SUV and pickup truck in 2026, eventually increase sales to 250,000 vehicles per year, and use the brand to hopefully gain a bigger foothold in the large car-loving US.

In late September, as part of our first-ever Emerging Tech Brew Summit, we spoke with Scout CEO Scott Keogh about what’s ahead for the old-is-new-again venture. Keogh was previously head of VW America.

How it started: With “a little bit of fear and a little bit of business objectives,” Keogh said at the event. “I had a boss that said, ‘Hey, how do we get bigger market share as a group in America?’”

• The company is targeting a 10% market share in America, he said, up from “4%–5%” today.

How it’s going: Keogh said the “defining challenge” is infrastructure, in particular raw materials.

“[Sourcing raw materials] is what we are spending a lot of time doing,” he said, pointing to VW’s recent partnerships with mining companies in Canada. “It’s critical to get the raw materials close,” he added.

• Scout plans to release two prototypes in 2023, Keogh said, and hasn’t yet announced a production site.

Looking ahead…Keogh said the automotive world is flipping on its head with the rise of EVs. While automakers used to obsess over whether there was enough demand, now it’s all about the supply side.

“I think we’re going to be in a relatively prolonged environment of higher demand than the ability to meet it,” he said.

Check out the full summit replay here.