What is Scout Motors? 5 things to know about Volkswagen EV company that’s bringing $2B plant to SC

Automotive company Scout Motors plans to bring a $2 billion electric vehicle manufacturing plant with 4,000 jobs to Blythewood in Richland County, in a historic economic development deal announced by the company, state and county leaders Friday.

Here’s what you need to know about Scout Motors Inc., the American electric vehicle company newly created by Volkswagen to produce electric trucks and SUVs, ahead of its arrival in South Carolina.

▪ The original Scout brand vehicle was produced by American manufacturer International Harvester from 1960 to 1980. It was the world’s first utility vehicle capable of off-roading and on-roading, according to a press release. It was a vehicle, at its inception, that was seen as a Jeep competitor and one that was suited for emerging outdoor lifestyles of the era.

But International Harvester dropped Scout from production after the 1980 model because the company’s business model was unable to keep up with competitors, according to reporting by the Springfield News-Sun.

▪ Classic Scout models are selling for upwards of $60,000 on Autotrader.

▪ Volkswagen announced plans last spring to start a new company under the Scout brand with a new focus on electric vehicles, according to reporting by the U.S. News and World Report. Scout Motors became officially incorporated in May 2022, and Scott Keogh was name the company’s first president and CEO in September 2022.

▪ Scout’s board of directors includes Dr. Gernot Doellner, Volkswagen’s head of group strategy; and Peter Bosch, a member of the Bentley Motors Board for Manufacturing, according to news releases.

▪ The new company will produce its first next-generation trucks and SUVs in Richland County, according to a press release. The trucks and SUVs will run completely on electric power and be fully designed and produced in the U.S.

“Scout products will honor its heritage while injecting fresh American ingenuity to create a new era of iconic all-purpose vehicles,” according to the press release.

The announcement of Scout Motors’ Richland County plant comes months after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order to prioritize the electric vehicle industry.

Scout chose the Palmetto State for its new home because South Carolina is “an established leader in the global automotive industry with over 500 automotive-related companies,” according to the Scout press release.

South Carolina leads the nation in exports of completed passenger vehicles and tires, according to a press release from the governor’s office.

The company plans to break ground on the manufacturing facility in Blythewood Industrial park in mid-2023, the press release said. The plant could be up and running by the end of 2026, the press release said.