Volkswagen's reborn Scout brand to be made in South Carolina

Scout Motors, the classic American off-road company recently revived by the Volkswagen Group, has selected the site of its forthcoming manufacturing plant in Columbia, South Carolina.

Scout is seeking to become a major producer of next-generation off-road electric vehicles to rival Ford's Bronco and Jeep's Wrangler, tapping the American brand's cult 4x4 produced by International Harvester (acquired by VW Group in 2020 for US$3.7 billion) from 1961 to 1980.

5

The brand has pledged a US$2 billion investment towards the manufacturing site, which is expected to produce around 4000 permanent jobs with a production capacity of over 200,000 vehicles per annum.

"Scout Motors will provide thousands of South Carolinians with previously unimagined opportunities and prosperity for generations to come," said South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster. "The Palmetto State, with its rich history, superior people, and sterling automotive manufacturing reputation, is the perfect place to restart this iconic American brand".

5

McMaster signed an executive order in October 2022 in order to prioritise and fast-track EV infrastructure, preparing the state workforce for advanced manufacturing jobs, and strategically organising EV planning under a centralised state working group.

Scout's forthcoming manufacturing site spans approximately 1600 acres, with the plant itself occupying a 1100-acre footprint. Groundbreaking is expected to commence from mid-2023, with production slated to begin by the end of 2026.

5

Future Scout products will take the form of rugged American trucks and SUVs, and will be built on a newly designed all-electric platform. What platform that is remains to be seen, however, a development or variant of the Volkswagen Group's forthcoming Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) would be a pragmatic approach, and is expected to come to market in 2026.

Like the original Scout International Harvester, the revived product range will begin with an SUV and pick-up truck, expected to be revealed some time in 2023.

5

In line with the brand's off-road roots, Scout's future vehicles will be focused on delivering formidable off-road capability with considerable ground clearance, approach angles, robust axles, payload capacity, all-electric driving range, and new digital features.

Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Scout Motors, said: "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."