Scout Motors chooses South Carolina for its EV manufacturing plant

CHICAGO, Mar. 7, 2023 – Scout Motors Inc. (“Scout”) announced it has chosen a site near Columbia, South Carolina, to manufacture its electric, next-generation vehicles. These trucks and rugged SUVs are designed in the spirit of the iconic Scout vehicles produced from 1960 to 1980. Scout’s $2 billion investment has potential to create 4,000 or more permanent jobs and, at full capacity, the facility could produce more than 200,000 vehicles annually.

JLL’s Greg Lubar and Matt Jackson led the national site selection process. The JLL team spent nine months analyzing sites in more than a dozen states to identify locations with the right combination of technical specifications, proximity to strong talent and access to critical infrastructure.

“We’re honored to partner with South Carolina as we start a new era for Scout,” said Scott Keogh, President & CEO of Scout Motors. “We reviewed 74 sites with JLL, and Blythewood quickly rose to the top. If you look at the infrastructure and logistics capabilities around Columbia, South Carolina, the quantity and talent levels of the state labor force and the willingness of state officials to be collaborative business partners, the decision to locate Scout in South Carolina becomes the obvious choice. We’re grateful for the support that JLL provided to Scout along the way.”

The 1,600-acre site, less than 20 miles north of Columbia, is between I-77 and Blythewood Road. Located at the seat of the state capital and proximate to Charleston, Charlotte, Greenville and Atlanta, the location provides access to a highly skilled labor force, universities focused on automotive engineering, major highways, international air travel, ports and rail.

“Scout was looking for a place they could call home in a vibrant community with a dynamic workforce, and this location was the perfect fit,” said Lubar, JLL Vice Chairman. “We’re pleased to congratulate the entire Scout team on this major milestone in the launch of their company,”

Jackson, JLL Executive Managing Director, added, “The continued growth of the automobile sector in South Carolina made the state a strong contender, and we were impressed by how the state and county-level government worked hand-in-hand with us to make this happen.”

Scout plans to break ground in mid-2023 and begin production by the end of 2026.

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The Scout, originally produced by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980, was the world’s first utility vehicle capable of both off-road adventure and family duty. It was the 8-day-a-week truck. Scout is now an American icon whose heritage is kept alive by a dedicated community of doers that continue to push their vehicles on the farm, in the wilderness and on family outings.

Scout Motors was formed to craft all-electric trucks and rugged SUVs rooted in the same tradition that made the original Scout an American icon. Scout Motors is revitalizing a legend and returning manufacturing to American shores.

Scout Motors is headquartered in Tysons, Virginia. Vehicle production is targeted to begin by the end 2026, with the first retail sales of trucks and SUVs occurring soon thereafter.

To learn more, visit www.scoutmotors.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.