Scout Motors Teaser
Scout Motors, the independent U.S. company, backed by Volkswagen Group, announced the brand is establishing its first manufacturing plant near Columbia, South Carolina, where it will build all-electric trucks and rugged SUVs,
By reviving the Scout brand, VW is harkening back to the iconic Scout vehicles produced from 1960 to 1980.
The Volkswagen Group is investing US$2 billion with the potential of create 4,000 or more new permanent jobs. At full capacity, more than 200,000 Scout vehicles may be produced annually at the facility.
The site spans approximately 1,600 acres, with the plant itself occupying 1,100 acres. Bordered by I-77 and Blythewood Road, its strategic location is less than 20 miles north of Columbia and near major cities and talent hubs such as Charleston, Charlotte, Greenville, and Atlanta.
This proximity will provide the Scout Motors site access to major highways, ports of Charleston and Savannah, and universities focused on automotive engineering.
Groundbreaking is planned for mid-2023 and production is projected to begin by the end of 2026.
Scout’s trucks and rugged SUVs will be built on a newly designed all-electric platform.They are being designed and engineered to honour the brands heritage with increased ground clearance, approach angles, robust axles, payload capacity, and new digital features, to create a new era of iconic all-purpose vehicles.
“We’re honored to partner with South Carolina to usher in this new era for Scout,” said Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Scout Motors. “Scout has been an American icon since introducing an SUV in 1960. It’s the vehicle that took your family on a camping trip, that gave access to the great outdoors, and that showed up on the job site every morning. Today, we’re reimagining Scout’s original ingenuity and electrifying its future. We’re bringing the Scout spirit to South Carolina and it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”
Also » The Detroit Bureau » Scout May Bring Two Plants to North America
1973 International Scout II