- Scout Motors has made numerous filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as first reported by CarBuzz.
- Among the trademarks are familiar names like “Scout 80” and “Scout II” as well as all-new ones like “Scout Hauler” and “Scout Reaper.”
- It’s unclear which names—if any—will apply to the resurrected brand’s upcoming electric pickup truck and SUV, which are due sometime in 2026.
Fans of International Harvester are undoubtedly intrigued by Scout Motors. While the new brand operates under the Volkswagen Group’s umbrella, it’s basically a spin-off of the International Harvester Scout, which included off-road pickup trucks and SUVs in the 1960s and ’70s.
After 45 years, the Scout nameplate is set to return to U.S. streets and trails in 2026 with the same body styles and a similar mission as before, albeit with electric-only powertrains. That much we’ve known for awhile, but now we’ve learned about possible names for Scout’s upcoming EV SUV and truck.
Scouting Potential Model Names
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is like a government-funded rumor mill. That’s because company’s are constantly filing trademarks that never see the light of day, yet for automotive sleuths like us, they fuel lots of speculation. Take, for example, the latest batch of filings by Scout Motors Inc. that were first discovered by CarBuzz.
Among the 41 trademarks the company filed in 2023, it’s possible that at least a couple of them will go on to be actual badges on Scout’s new EVs. Whether they become standalone model names, trim levels, or optional packages remain to be seen.
Let’s start with the most familiar trademarked names. Folks who remember the classic International Scout will recognize “Scout 80,” which was the original standard model built between 1960 and 1965. It’d go on to spawn the Scout 800 (1966–’71) and then the Scout II (1971–’80), both of which are among the trademark filings.
The 1978 International Scout II family.
Some of the other nostalgic names among the USPTO filings are Super Scout, Scout Traveler, Terra, Travelstar, and Trailstar. To celebrate America’s bicentennial in 1976, International Harvester offered a special edition called the Spirit of 76, which likely has ties to the “Scout Spirit” trademark.
Obviously, the Scout brand will be entering uncharted territory when it relaunches with an EV-centric approach, so it makes sense that the lineup will include new-age names. Among the trademarks with no ties to the past that stood out to us are “Scout Hauler,” “Scout Reaper,” “Tellus,” and “Thresher.”
Only time will tell which—if any—of these names will be worn by a future Scout EV. For now, we’re still waiting to see an actual concept or prototype. With production set to start in about two years, we expect those to break cover sometime next year.
Senior Editor
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.