Scout Motors wants owners to know to repair its electric trucks without visiting the store unless necessary. Now it's giving us more details on how it plans to make that happen.
When it introduced versions of the Traveler SUV and Terra truck concepts last October, Scout said approx 80% of the repairs can be done without a dealer visit. In an interview with The Drive at CES 2025 this week, Scout Motors Strategy Director Ryan Decker said that will be done with parts that are easy to remove for repair or replacement.
Scout Traveler concept
“Maybe things they are not glued, they are tapedright? Things should be easy to fix,” said Decker.
This approach was initiated during the design process, when Scout eschewed the “seamless and hybrid” look of many modern vehicles in favor of separate bumpers and easily accessible body panels, Decker explained, adding that easily removable bumpers made better sense for scout vehicles 'intended for off-road use.
Scout Terra concept
Decker also promised “Clear” repair guides and manuals which will be easily accessible to customers, avoiding what he calls the “black box” nature of other EVs. The mere willingness to let customers work on their cars is a stark contrast to Tesla's initially negative attitude toward independent repair and customization shops.
Like Tesla, however, the Scout aims to rely on direct sales model instead of franchised locations. Those are shareholders of the Scout's parent company, Volkswagen, in California, who say the move violates state laws because VW already relies on franchise sales for its other models. Currently, Scout is completing a $2 billion South Carolina factory with the goal of starting production in 2027.