Scout has finally announced its electric SUV and pickup trucks, the Traveler and Terra, but many people think they look like Rivian trucks through a retro filter, or a mix between a Rivian and a Ford Bronco. states. There’s some truth to this, but it’s also a completely different truck in terms of size, scope, and philosophy, at least visually.
When the Scout Traveler enters the market in 2027, it will face direct competition from the Rivian R1S. The Traveler unveiled at the official announcement is only a mass-produced model (the concept has been officially defined by the manufacturer) that is approximately 85% complete.
Several things can change in the three years before it goes into production. The R1S, on the other hand, has been around for several years and recently underwent a major facelift for the 2025 model year.
size
Although the Traveler and R1S look very similar at first glance, they actually have very different proportions. The Scout has a longer overall length at 207.9 inches compared to the Rivian’s 200.8 inches, but its wheelbase is slightly shorter at 120.4 inches. This means that even though the R1S is shorter, it has more space between the axles and more interior space.
The Traveler is considerably wider than the R1S, measuring 91.6 inches without mirrors. The R1S is about 10 inches narrower with the mirrors folded down, making it 82 inches wide. To put this into context, the Traveler is even wider than the GMC Hummer EV SUV and Ford Bronco Raptor, which are 86.5 inches and 86.9 inches wide, respectively.
The Scout is lower than the Rivian (76.3 inches vs. 77.3 inches) and has lower ground clearance (12.1 inches vs. 14.9 inches). This is likely for a standard steel spring suspension setup. The manufacturer does not say how much the ride height changes with the available adjustable air suspension.
force
The Rivian R1S delivers 533-665 horsepower in a dual-motor configuration, 850 horsepower in a tri-motor configuration, and 1,025 horsepower in an upcoming quad-motor configuration. The least powerful model can accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, but that drops to 3.4 to 3.5 seconds for the 665-horsepower dual-motor performance model. The tri-motor R1S will do the sprint under the 3-second mark, while the quad-motor will do the sprint in about 2.5 seconds.
Scout didn’t mention specific power outputs for the Traveler, but all versions will come with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration. The manufacturer said you can expect torque levels of up to nearly 1,000 pound-feet, and the fastest version can accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
range
The significantly improved Rivian R1S features a new battery pack with a usable capacity between 92.5 and 141.5 kilowatt hours. EPA range ranges from 270 to 410 miles, making the R1S one of the longest-range SUVs available today. It has a 400-volt electrical architecture, so it can only charge up to 220 kW, but it’s still fairly quick, and you should expect a 10-80% charge to happen in 30-40 minutes, depending on the environment. Rivian says. Battery pack size.
Thanks to its 800-volt body-on-frame platform (developed specifically for the two upcoming Scout models), the Traveler features a higher maximum charging power of 350 kW. 350 miles is also the maximum number of miles travelers can drive on a single charge. Scout doesn’t make any claims about 10-80% charging time, but thanks to the higher charging power it should be around 20-25 minutes.
Scout buyers can specify an optional range extender, a combustion engine that acts as a generator to replenish range while on the move, increasing range to 500 miles. The Ram 1500 Ramcharger extended range pickup is powered by a similar system but has a smaller battery than the all-electric Ram 1500, while the Scout EREV’s battery will be the same size.
Scout confirmed that the Traveler is equipped with a NACS charger and is natively compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network. If you want to charge your Rivian R1S with a Tesla charger, you will need a CCS-to-NACS adapter to make that happen. Both vehicles support bi-directional charging.
towing
Scout says the Traveler’s maximum payload capacity will be nearly 2,000 pounds, which is comparable to the R1S’s 1,764-pound rating, although final numbers were not disclosed. When it comes to towing, the Rivian has the advantage at 7,700 pounds, or 700 pounds more than the Scout.
Features
The Rivian R1S is a three-row SUV, so it can carry more passengers than the strictly two-row Scout Traveler. It also has a built-in air compressor, which is very useful for pumping up tires after deflating them for better traction off-road. The Rivian is also known to be very good at driving on pavement, and with the standard air suspension in its lowest, firmest setting, it can actually corner at higher speeds than you’d expect.
The Scout Traveler seems to be a more off-road focused vehicle. Features a stabilizer disconnect (like the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco) that increases wheel articulation off-road and helps prevent the car from wobbling on two wheels when going diagonally over crests. Masu. The Scout also features front and rear mechanical differential lockers, like the proper off-road SUV it aspires to be.
Another cool feature of the Scout, also a retro touch, is the front bench seat. This was a staple of old American trucks, but is not often seen on today’s models. Having three people in front will be a very unique experience and given that it’s wider than its rivals, shoulder space won’t be an issue.
We’re very happy that Scout doesn’t force users to interact with the touchscreen to access various features. In most cases, dedicated physical switches are conveniently located in a row below the central display. It also features an optional cabana top. This is a retractable canvas roof that, once opened, provides unlimited headroom for both rows of seats.
price
Scout will use a direct sales model similar to Tesla. This means you can’t order a Scout vehicle through a regular Volkswagen dealer. The company wants to be in direct control of the purchasing experience and will also offer maintenance and repairs through its own dedicated service centers.
Like Tesla and Lucid (and now Scout), Rivian is bypassing the traditional dealer network model and adopting a direct sales model that sells vehicles directly to customers.
Including current federal tax credits, the Scout Traveler can be purchased for about $50,000. That’s on par with gasoline-powered rivals like the Wrangler and Bronco. While the price will be slightly higher than the $40,000 Scout we first mentioned, these vehicles will still be very affordable for their size.
The range-extender powertrain adds a few thousand dollars to the price, but the Traveler is unlikely to become a $60,000 car.
Rivian wants $77,000 for the base R1S, which qualifies for a $3,750 federal tax credit. If your vehicle is worth more than $80,000 (which is the case if you want a more powerful, long-range version), you can’t claim the tax credit. Pricing for the current top-of-the-line model, the R1S TriMax, starts at $105,900, and future top-of-the-line quad motors could cost more than $120,000.