Scout Motors has started building its first vehicles in South Carolina, and the reservation list behind them keeps growing. On November 12, Scout said it is now welding, painting and assembling validation vehicles at its Production Center in Blythewood. The same day, CEO Scott Keogh told CNBC that Scout Motors reservations have reached about 212,000 for the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup.
The more telling number is how people are reserving. Keogh said about 87% chose the extended-range Harvester version, which carries a gas engine that works as a generator, and about 75% picked the Traveler SUV over the Terra truck. If you are thinking about putting down $100, here is how the two powertrains compare, and why a long reservation list doesn’t guarantee your Scout arrives on schedule.
About 212,000
reservations, per CEO Scott Keogh
87%
chose the Harvester range extender
2028
first customer deliveries expected
Where Scout’s factory stands
Validation vehicles aren’t for sale. They exist to test the factory and the design before real production starts. In its November 12 release, Scout said these builds are meant to validate “vehicle engineering, buildability and parts maturity” and confirm the newly installed equipment works as expected.
Scout gave a few details on the scale of the operation. Each vehicle body is built from about 160 parts with roughly 5,000 weld points, and more than 750 robots support the Body Shop. Scout says the Body Shop is designed for about 40 vehicles per hour at full capacity, but it is not running at that pace yet. Teams are still confirming the equipment is set up and working.
The release says validation builds will continue into 2027, followed by pre-production builds, and customer deliveries are expected to begin in 2028. Keogh told CNBC the plant is about 85% complete. Scout is investing more than $2 billion in the site and expects it to create more than 4,000 jobs.
Harvester or all-electric: how they compare
Both versions of the Traveler and Terra are electric-drive vehicles. The difference is where the energy comes from on a long trip. The all-electric model runs only on its battery. The Harvester adds a gas engine that charges the battery, so you can refuel at a gas station when there is no charger around.
These are Scout’s own figures from its reservation and Traveler pages. None of them is final.
| Spec | All-electric | Harvester (range extender) |
|---|---|---|
| How it’s powered | Battery only | Battery plus a gas-powered generator |
| Scout’s estimated range | Up to 350 miles | 500 miles or more, battery plus a full tank |
| EPA rating | Not yet | Not yet |
| Starting price | Under $60,000 for entry models | Under $60,000 for entry models |
| Charging port | NACS | NACS |
| Reservation | $100, fully refundable | $100, fully refundable |
| Launch order | After the Harvester | First |
The launch order comes from Keogh, who told CNBC that Scout will start with the range-extended models and add the all-electric versions after. He also said Scout plans to launch mid-level trims first, rather than starting with the most expensive versions.
Scout hasn’t split its under-$60,000 starting price by powertrain, and some other numbers buyers will want aren’t public yet. Its pages don’t list how far a Harvester can drive on electricity alone or final towing figures.
Why most reservation holders picked the Harvester
The 87% split isn’t new. Scout had about 160,000 reservations in March with the same Harvester share, EVXL reported. The pattern makes sense for who Scout is courting. Keogh told CNBC the company is drawing interest from Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler owners, full-size pickup drivers and Tesla owners. Many of those buyers tow, drive in remote places and take long trips, which is exactly where a 500-mile estimate and the option to fill up with gas are most appealing.
Using Keogh’s rounded figures, that works out to roughly 184,000 Harvester reservations and 28,000 for the all-electric versions. By body style, it’s about 159,000 Travelers and 53,000 Terras. Treat those as approximate.
The Harvester fits if
- You tow, or regularly drive long stretches without fast chargers.
- You want the first Scouts off the line, since the Harvester launches first.
- You’re coming from a Bronco, Wrangler or gas pickup and don’t want to plan trips around charging.
The all-electric version fits if
- Most of your driving is local and you can charge at home.
- You want to skip gas and engine maintenance entirely.
- You’re fine waiting longer, since it comes after the Harvester.
Why 212,000 Scout Motors Reservations Aren’t 212,000 Sales
A Scout reservation costs $100, and Scout says it is fully refundable. It doesn’t lock in a price. The reservation page says “pricing, available options, and specs are subject to change until we build your actual vehicle,” and the Traveler page notes the vehicles are still at the concept stage and not yet available to buy.
That makes a reservation an easy, low-risk way to show interest, and an easy one to walk away from. As CNBC noted, the F-150 Lightning and Cybertruck both drew huge early interest that didn’t turn into matching sales. We looked back at how the Cybertruck played out in our Cybertruck retrospective.
Keogh seems to know this. He told CNBC that he thinks reservations could pass 400,000 “without doing too much effort,” but that “the big thing for us is how much of the initial production can we 100% presell.” He said a 12 to 18 month order book before production would be great. That conversion, from a $100 deposit to a signed order at a real price, is the number to watch. Scout hasn’t said when it will open firm orders.
Capacity is the other limit. Autoblog reported the plant is designed for 200,000 vehicles a year, but new plants usually take time to reach full speed. Scout’s own release describes a step-by-step ramp, from equipment setup to process validation to “scaling those processes toward production speed.”
Should you reserve one?
If you’re seriously interested, $100 refundable is a small cost to hold a place in line. Just go in knowing what you aren’t getting yet: a final price, an EPA range, the Harvester’s electric-only range and a firm delivery date. Rivian’s R2 rollout is a useful comparison for how a launch order and trim mix can shape when you actually get a car. See our R2 trim guide and R2 delivery wait times.
If you want the all-electric version, expect a longer wait, because Scout says the Harvester comes first.
FAQ
How many reservations does Scout Motors have?
About 212,000 for the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup combined, according to CEO Scott Keogh in a November 12, 2026 interview with CNBC. He said about 87% are for Harvester extended-range models and about 75% are for the Traveler.
Is a Scout reservation refundable?
Yes. Scout’s reservation page lists a $100 reservation fee that is fully refundable. It holds your place in line but doesn’t lock in a price or options.
When will Scout start deliveries?
Scout says customer deliveries are expected to begin in 2028. Validation builds started in November 2026 and continue into 2027, followed by pre-production builds.
What is the Scout Harvester?
It’s Scout’s extended-range version. It drives on electric motors like the all-electric model, but adds a gas-powered generator that recharges the battery. Scout estimates 500 miles or more of total range on a full battery and full tank, compared with up to 350 miles for the all-electric version. Neither has an EPA rating yet.