The Volkswagen Group’s all-electric Scout Motors is progressing, with construction beginning Thursday on a new assembly factory in Blythewood, South Carolina.
The business intends to develop off-road competent pickup trucks and SUVs modeled after the International Harvester Scout, built from 1960 to 1980. This $2 billion electric vehicle manufacturing will cover 1,600 acres and provide 4,000 jobs in the neighborhood. It will be home to Scout’s next-generation pickups and rugged SUVs.
Scout President and CEO Scott Keogh told WLTX in South Carolina, “What we’re doing here is relaunching an American icon, and we couldn’t be more proud to do it here in this treasured place.”
This new production facility, which will include three essential components: an assembly line, a paint shop, and a body shop, will produce over 200,000 Scout vehicles annually.
According to WLTX, Scout’s chief production officer, Dr. Jan Spies, discussed how the company will move toward sustainability and carbon neutrality by decreasing emissions from gas exhaust and noise, conserving water, and implementing heat pumps and LED lighting.
The plant’s production will commence by the end of 2026. Scout Motors, formed in 2022, is situated in Tysons, Virginia. It will compete in a segment dominated by Jeep and the Ford Bronco, with a car price of $50,000.
