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Scout Motors, an automotive manufacturer developing state-of-the-art vehicles that resurrect a storied U.S. car brand, has chosen Charlotte, North Carolina as the location for its U.S. headquarters. The automaker will invest $206 million in the site and create 1,200 jobs for the Charlotte region.
Scout Motors plans to fill these jobs over the next five years and will pay average annual wages of $172,000, nearly double the average annual wage in Mecklenburg County. The company will locate its headquarters within Commonwealth, a mixed-use development in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood.
“Scout Motors is revitalizing an iconic American brand, creating high-quality jobs, and building the next great automotive company right here in the Carolinas,” said North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein. “Our business-friendly climate, our top-tier research universities and community colleges, our leadership in the clean energy economy, our quality of life, and above all, our people make companies want to call North Carolina home.”
A subsidiary of German automotive giant Volkswagen, Scout Motors is reviving the once popular brand of Scout vehicles, which gained fame in 1960s and ‘70s for their rugged, off-roading reputation. At that time, the vehicles were manufactured by International Harvester.
Volkswagen acquired the Scout trademark in 2021, and the next year announced plans to revive the brand through the founding of Scout Motors. The company – whose lineup includes electric and hybrid-powered vehicles – will construct its vehicles at a manufacturing plant in Blythewood, South Carolina, with initial production slated for 2027.
“Charlotte is the ideal home for Scout Motors – a place as dynamic as our people and brand, where heritage and pride meet progress and innovation,” said Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Scout Motors. “With a thriving talent pool, world-class universities, and a deserved reputation as a launchpad for bold ideas, Charlotte offers the momentum we need to scale quickly and sustainably. We’ll build a headquarters that reflects our culture, empowers our teams, and connects us to a region that’s fast becoming a national hub for mobility and manufacturing.”
Scout Motors’ move to become the latest corporate tenant of Charlotte – already home to several Fortune 500 companies and consistently ranked as one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country – underscores North Carolina’s reputation in the business community.
Specifically in the automotive sector, North Carolina has seen robust growth in the last decade. The state has seen a 23% growth rate in the automotive sector since 2014 and annually confers over 1,300 degrees in automotive engineering through its dozens of colleges and universities. Twenty of the Top 100 automotive suppliers in the world have a presence in North Carolina.
“We’re pleased to welcome an innovative company like Scout Motors to North Carolina,” said Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “Our automotive sector is thriving and rapidly expanding, and Scout Motors will only accelerate our state’s reputation as an automotive hub.”
In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Central Piedmont Community College, the University of North Carolina System, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina A&T State University, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Mecklenburg County, CharlotteWorks, and City of Charlotte.
About Scout Motors
The Scout, originally produced by International Harvester from 1961-80, was the world’s first utility vehicle capable of both off-road adventure and family duty. It was the 8-day-a-week truck. The Scout brand is now an American icon whose heritage is kept alive by a dedicated community of doers who continue to push their vehicles on the farm, in the wilderness, and on family outings.
Scout Motors was formed to craft the next era of trucks and rugged SUVs rooted in the same tradition that made the original Scout vehicle an American icon. Scout Motors is revitalizing a legend and returning manufacturing to American shores.
Initial production is targeted to begin at the Scout Motors Production Center near Columbia, South Carolina, in 2027.
To learn more, visit www.scoutmotors.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) is a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina’s statewide economic development organization. Governed by an 18-member board of business and industry leaders from across the state, the EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism and film marketing. The EDPNC, which operates under contract with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, works closely with public- and private-sector partners at the state, regional and local levels. To learn more, visit www.edpnc.com.