Scout Motors is an unbiased US firm backed by Volkswagen Group whose board of administrators contains Dr. Gernot Doellner, the pinnacle of group technique at Volkswagen AG, and Peter Bosch, the member of the Bentley Motors board answerable for manufacturing. Its CEO is Scott Keogh, previously head of Volkswagen of America. In a press launch dated March 3, 2023, Scout introduced it is going to construct its first manufacturing facility in South Carolina.

The 1600-acre web site is 20 miles north of Columbia and is bordered by Interstate 77 and Blythewood Street. This locations it close to main cities and expertise hubs comparable to Charleston, Charlotte, Greenville, and Atlanta, and offers entry to main highways, the ports of Charleston and Savannah, and universities which might be targeted on automotive engineering. Groundbreaking for the $2 billion manufacturing unit is deliberate for mid-2023 with manufacturing is projected to start by the top of 2026. Scout Motors says it’s contemplating changing into a publicly traded firm in some unspecified time in the future, a lot as Porsche did final yr.

The announcement claims the brand new manufacturing unit may have an annual capability of 200,000 electrical automobiles and will make use of as many as 4000 staff. “Scout Motors will present hundreds of South Carolinians with beforehand unimagined alternatives and prosperity for generations to return. The Palmetto State, with its wealthy historical past, superior folks, and sterling automotive manufacturing repute, is the right place to restart this iconic American model,” stated Governor Henry McMaster.

South Carolina is a longtime chief in car manufacturing and is presently dwelling to greater than 500 automotive-related corporations and 75,000 automotive business staff. The state is No. 1 within the US for export gross sales of accomplished passenger automobiles and is dedicated to changing into the epicenter of electrical car innovation. An government order issued by McMaster in October 2022 prioritized constructing EV infrastructure, getting ready the state workforce for superior manufacturing jobs, and strategically organizing EV planning underneath a centralized state working group.

All New Proprietary Chassis

Scout’s vans and rugged SUVs will probably be constructed on a newly designed all electrical platform that delivers credible functionality and off highway prowess, the corporate says. With inside engineering targeted on attributes together with floor clearance, method angles, sturdy axles, payload capability, vary, and new digital options, Scout merchandise will honor their heritage whereas injecting contemporary American ingenuity to create a brand new period of iconic all goal automobiles.

The unique Scout was produced by Worldwide Harvester from 1960 to 1980. It arguably was the world’s first utility car able to each off-road journey and household obligation, having pre-dated the unique Ford Bronco by 5 years. It was meant to be a solution to the unique Jeep, however with a totally enclosed physique as an alternative of the Jeep’s canvas enclosure. “The unique is now an American icon whose heritage is saved alive by a devoted neighborhood of doers that proceed to push their automobiles on the farm, within the wilderness, and on household outings,” the corporate says. “Scout Motors is revitalizing a legend and returning manufacturing to American shores.”

“We’re honored to companion with South Carolina to usher on this new period for Scout,” stated Scott Keogh. “Scout has been an American icon since introducing an SUV in 1960. It’s the car that took your loved ones on a tenting journey, that gave entry to the good outside, and that confirmed up on the job web site each morning. At the moment, we’re re-imagining Scout’s unique ingenuity and electrifying its future. We’re bringing the Scout spirit to South Carolina and it’s going to be a hell of a experience.”

Not Your Father’s SUV

A 1971 Scout 800B Comanche. Picture credit score: Scout Motors

In an interview with TechCrunch, Keogh gently mocks the present crop of SUVs which might be extra comfortable highway automobiles than off highway succesful. The phrase he makes use of time and again is “rugged.” Effectively, having ridden in an unique Scout, all I can say is I query whether or not Individuals, who complained bitterly in regards to the harsh rid of early SUVs, actually need the bone-crushing experience of the unique with its two strong axles and large unsprung weight within the suspension and drivetrain. Keogh says the response in focus teams has been overwhelmingly constructive however these folks might not absolutely respect that “rugged” and “comfy” are ar reverse ends of the spectrum.

One factor Keogh did say was that Scout Motors is evaluating the on-line gross sales mannequin pioneered by Tesla. “We now have not determined however we’re taking an extended, exhausting take a look at it,” Keogh stated. Traditionally, he stated, producers dominated the scene, however currently the dealerships have been calling the pictures, usually on the expense of everybody else. “It’s all the time been an business that performed extra in direction of laws, industrialization, networkization, versus what’s the very best shopper expertise,” he stated. “That is the differentiator: Superior retail expertise targeted on the client, targeted on expertise.”

We’re undecided “networkization” and “differentiator” will be present in your Funk & Wagnall’s, however we expect Volkswagen’s America sellers are usually not going to look too kindly on being reduce out of the loop when Scout automobiles go on sale. Then again, Ford has informed its sellers there will probably be some modifications made in the way it sells its electrical vehicles, so something is feasible. There can be few tears round CleanTechnica world headquarters if there have been to be a rebalancing of the ability construction between producers and sellers.

Two Scout Fashions At First

The primary Scout mannequin will probably be a small, off-road targeted SUV that Keogh calls an RUV, which stands for “rugged utility car.” The second will probably be a bigger truck which is able to “lean somewhat bit extra on highway” when it comes to its driving traits.  The RUV will to begin within the $40,000 vary, whereas the truck will probably be “a bit north of there.” Each will probably be constructed on a bespoke body-on-frame chassis. A battery companion has not been introduced, however Keogh says the automobiles will be capable to take full benefit of the incentives contained within the Inflation Discount Act.

Scout’s new EV platform will share some objects comparable to heating and cooling elements, motors, and inverters with different Volkswagen Group automobiles, however Keogh insists the Scout automobiles will take a radically completely different method to software program integration and the general person expertise. Volkswagen has been criticized for being overly involved with comfortable contact controls. Scouts will doubtless have actual controls that individuals can really flip, click on, or twist. Actual knobs on the radio are a definite chance.

“We actually wish to hold loads of the mechanical nature,” Keogh stated. “I believe should you take a look at the American consumers, sure, they respect software program, however they don’t need software program to be all-dominating. I believe you’ll see much more, let’s say, old style physicality, however in a great way.” Whereas Keogh is adamant that the brand new Scout will honor the previous, it received’t be a model hung up on legacy like a few of its fossil fueled competitors. “I don’t wish to make Scout a fossilized retro model that claims, ‘Pricey America, it’s 1977. Once more.’”

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