Audi Off-Roader Based on Scout Platform Spied Testing

Recently, spy shots of Audi's all-electric off-road vehicle test mule were exposed for the first time. The model is developed on the Volkswagen Scout platform, targeting the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and is expected to debut before 2030. This set of spy shots was first captured by a user in Moab, Utah, showing a body-on-frame chassis structure. Subsequent images taken at an Audi test facility in Germany confirmed that this is an early test mule for the Scout Terra pickup and Traveler SUV. The test mule uses the body shell of the Audi Q6 E-Tron as a placeholder body to validate the platform and powertrain. The shell has been fitted with wide-body fenders, the wheelbase is longer than the Q6, cutouts are made at the wheel arches, the battery pack is visible beneath the chassis, side steps have been added, and it is equipped with six-bolt wheels and BFGoodrich all-terrain tires. The rear tow hook is consistent with the Scout show vehicle, and the suspension structure matches the architecture announced by Scout. Regarding the powertrain form, it cannot currently be confirmed whether the mule is a pure electric version or an extended-range version. Scout is developing both powertrains simultaneously: the pure electric model has a maximum range of 350 miles (approximately 563 kilometers), while the extended-range version features a Volkswagen four-cylinder engine mounted behind the rear axle as a generator. Scout plans to put the extended-range model into production first. On the factory side, the Scout plant in Blythewood, South Carolina, broke ground two and a half years ago, with a total investment of $2 billion and an expected creation of more than 4,000 jobs. The plant has now started validation-phase production. The body shop is equipped with 750 robots, assembling 160 parts through 5,000 weld points, with a body shop capacity of 40 units per hour. The body-in-white of the Traveler SUV can be seen in the background of officially released photos. Scout stated that validation vehicle production will continue until 2027, followed by the pre-production phase, with first deliveries planned to begin in 2028.