Scout Motors Inc. has broken ground at its first facility in the United States. The reborn electric brand, wholly owned by Volkswagen, will focus on its American roots as it brings an off-road focused SUV and a pickup to market in late 2026.
"We believe America is primed for its next moment as Americans are building things again and rediscovering the outdoors. We're excited to enter the largest profit pools in the American market with our truck and rugged SUV that will help connect people to an existing community, their vehicles and the land," Scott Keogh, CEO of Scout Motors told Newsweek.
The plant is part of a $2 billion investment from VW in Columbia, South Carolina has the potential to create 4,000 or more permanent jobs, according to Scout. At full capacity the factory could produce more than 200,000 Scout vehicles per year.
"Scout is more than a name or a brand...it is a calling and a community. Scout is an American icon kept alive by a dedicated community of doers and makers. These rugged, off-road segments are dominated by American brands. That's why we created an independent American company and are revitalizing an American classic. Scout invented the SUV segment, so it's only fitting the Godfather is back," Keogh said.
"We will honor Scout's hardworking heritage while injecting fresh American ingenuity as we work to create a new era of iconic all-purpose vehicles."
Scout picked South Carolina because of its history in the global automotive industry. In addition to the big players like BMW and Michelin, the state is home to more than 500 automotive-related companies and 75,000 automotive industry employees. Scout also notes that the state is the leader in the U.S. for export sales of passenger vehicles and tires.
The campus spans approximately 1,600 acres, less than 20 miles north of Columbia and near Charleston, Charlotte, Greenville, and Atlanta. Scout says this gives the brand proximity to major highways, the ports of Charleston and Savannah, and the automotive engineering students at the local colleges.
All Scout vehicles will be built and sold in the U.S. and will be designed and engineered there too.
The company filed trademarks for potential names including some of its classics like Scout 80, Scout II and Super Scout. It also trademarked new names like Reaper, Spirit and Hauler.
The Scout name's origin story starts at the International Harvester Scout, a lineup of SUVs and pickups that competed with Jeep a half-century ago. International Harvester went on to changed its name to Navistar International, which was then acquired by a Volkswagen subsidiary.
However, the Scout won't use the same electric MEB platform that VW already has in service under its and Audi vehicles. It will use a new setup that is focused on off-road abilities. VW partnered with Magna Steyr on the engineering of the new platform.
"Scout Motors has been using Magna Steyr as an engineering partner, which has been a productive and efficient resource to help ensure we can get our new vehicles to market on schedule. Magna is only involved in the engineering portion and will not have any role in the production of the Scout vehicles at our Scout Motors Production Center in South Carolina," said Keogh.
"During our early days, Scout Motors didn't have an engineering team, so Magna helped get the project off the ground and running. Now, Scout Motors is driving the operation. We have a dedicated vehicle engineering team working in our new Innovation Center in Novi, Michigan."
Scout's plan for its electric vehicle batteries has yet to be disclosed. That will dictate the price and tax incentives. The company says it hasn't made any decisions yet.
Scout will continue playing up its American roots in marketing efforts, despite its German owners. Its vehicles will only be built here, for now, making it as American as the Toyota Camry or Nissan Rogue.
"The Scout brand itself was born in America and found fame here. To revitalize this legend, we've created an independent American company to design, engineer and manufacture the new Scout vehicles in America for Americans," said Keogh.
The company has also been in touch with the massive Scout community that has kept its spirit alive for decades. Scout has an online community and at in-person events it continues to engage with the community, several of whom attended the groundbreaking.
"It never gets old seeing an original Scout put a smile on someone's face and evoke fond memories of family time and exploration. Now, we have the privilege of connecting the past with the future by helping people imagine what is possible with the next generation of Scouts," said Keogh.
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Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
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