Volkswagen's Scout to partner with Magna Steyr on US$40,000 off-road EV to challenge Cybertruck, Rivian competition

Volkswagen announced last year that it would be developing a US$40,000 SUV for launch under the Scout Motors brand to rival the Rivian R1S. It was later revealed that the brand had hired designer Chris Benjamin of Jeep fame to head the design department, indicating that VW is serious about turning Scout into a strong competitor in the electric off-roader space.

A new report from Automotive News Europe, citing inside sources from Austrian publication Kleine Zeitung, now Scout will start the development of its off-road EV by partnering with Magna International's Magna Steyr. This goes against previous reports that the electric SUV would be produced at a new Carolina plant that VW was planning to construct.

Magna Steyr is no newcomer to the automotive engineering or electric car space, having already developed an 800 V EV platform, and even an off-road ready Electric Axle Drive System with locking differentials.

The cooperation with Magna to develop the Scout EV may be an effort to reduce research and development costs, which is to be expected in light of the recent production cuts to Volkswagen's EV division.

The Rivian R1T, GMC Hummer EV, and Ford F-150 Lightning are currently the best electric vehicles for off-road enthusiasts, but it remains to be seen whether the Tesla Cybertruck shakes things up in the space at all. Recent off-road tests of Tesla's upcoming electric pickup aren't promising, despite Tesla's repeated assurances that the Cybertruck will be ready to tackle the harshest terrain.

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