The long-running conversation regarding the possibility of a Volkswagen pickup truck for the US continues. Speaking to Automotive News, Thomas Schafer, global head of the VW brand, not only dashed hopes for a VW-branded truck but confirmed once and for all the German automaker has no plans to utilize the EV platform being developed for the reborn Scout brand.

"At the moment, our focus on the lineup doesn't include it," said Schafer. "At the moment, we have a clear lineup all the way through the second half of this decade. Then again, in the American market, if you don't play in certain segments, then you have to stay in a certain market share area. But the question of [VW's new Rugged SUV platform] is not our priority at the moment."

Schafer's confirmation will definitely come as a major disappointment for North American VW dealers.

They've been clamoring for a truck for years but VW has, understandably, been reluctant to enter the space due to heavy hitters from Detroit's big three. Nissan has learned this lesson with its latest generation Titan, a full-size truck that's already been dropped from the Canadian market and the US is expected to be next. The Titan simply couldn't compete with Detroit and even Toyota. However, there does appear to be some internal debate happening at VW at the moment.

Newly appointed President and CEO of VW America, Pablo Di Si, is keen on getting a truck. "What are the relevant segments in the U.S.? SUVs and pickups. Are we going to have a pickup? I will try. Do we have one now? No," Di Si said. "Right now, my focus is on strengthening the SUV portfolio. I will address pickups at the right time, but right now, I have other issues to tackle."

Whether an electrified truck is the right fit for VW America is one matter, but the fact remains the revived Scout Motors will have one for sale sometime in 2026. Because of this, VW may not require such a model and instead focus on family-friendly SUVs instead, such as the ID.4 and the next-generation Atlas. Still, many US VW dealers remain adamant they need a truck to sell and claim Di Si understands this.

For example, it was under his watch when the Tarok compact unibody truck concept was introduced when he served as the top boss of VW's Latin American region. The concept was shown at the 2019 New York Auto Show to gauge US interest but VW ultimately decided against a US market launch. Prior to that, there was the Atlas-based Tanoak Concept. To date, its Latin America production remains on hold due to ongoing issues resulting from the global pandemic.