VW leans into small car nostalgia for marketing, as this year’s Super Bowl commercial proved. But while Beetles may warm hearts, the current lineup has gone spacious crossover-heavy in order to meet American tastes.
The next frontier on the horizon for the brand, one VW has long been toying with, has been to launch a pickup truck in the United States. And according to a Wards Auto report, Volkswagen’s on-again-off-again flirtation with launching a truck in America is back on once mopre.
Here’s what we know about the VW pickup truck so far.
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VW is designing an all-electric pickup truck
According to Wards Auto, the VW truck plans that had previously shelved were for an internal combustion pickup based on the Atlas. The truck VW is working on now, however, will be a dual-motor EV. It will use the same rugged ladder frame platform as Scout Motors’s new pickup. It will be capable of permanent all-wheel-drive, torque vectoring and a tank turn.
VW’s truck sounds like it will be a full-size truck
VW hasn’t revealed any dimensions for the new truck, obviously, as the brand hasn’t even confirmed it yet. But Wards Auto says the truck will be larger than the Rivian R1T.
When will the VW pickup truck arrive?
It’s probably not imminent. Wards Auto described the vehicle as in the “early stage of design development.” The Scout pickup, debuting later this year, will arrive at dealers in the second half of 2026. The VW truck would likely arrive sometime after that.
How much will the VW truck cost?
Scout is reportedly targeting a more affordable truck in the $40,000 to $70,000 range. It’s unclear where VW would position the truck to differentiate it from Scout’s offering, but it might be more expensive to put some daylight between the two pickups.
VW plans to build the truck in the same plant as Scout’s vehicles in South Carolina, according to the report, while batteries are expected to be sourced from a new plant in Canada. As such, VW’s truck would be eligible for the $7,500 tax credit under the current guidance.
VW may not be the only upcoming entrant into the electric pickup market
Rivals Kia and Hyundai are reportedly prepping to enter the EV pickup market along with VW. And if reports are to be believed, Toyota may have three electric trucks in the works: a full-size EV truck, a mid-size EV variant of the Tacoma and a Maverick rival based on the EPU concept.
Scout MotorsVolkswagen Electric Truck
Specs
| Powertrain | EV |
| Body Style | Pickup |
| Arrival Date | 2027 (estimated) |
Pros
- Built on rugged Scout platform
Cons
- Not clear what market is for VW full-size pickup
