Photo: Volkswagen | Edited
Volkswagen Group's supervisory board met on Friday to discuss plans for two new factories in North America. According to South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, the state will host one dedicated to producing Scout Motors EVs.
Initially, Volkswagen wanted to task a contract manufacturer with the production, but the plans have changed in light of the IRA. Volkswagen will build the trucks in its own factory to benefit from the incentives offered. The rumors have been floating around for some time, but got more substantial a week ago. Both Scout and Audi were looking to build new factories to start U.S. production at the time.
Following a board meeting on Friday, Scout has got its factory. This would be the second production facility Volkswagen will operate in the U.S., after the Chattanooga plant where the ID.4 is produced. There is no word yet about Audi's plant, but it would make sense to build the Q4 e-tron on the same production line with the ID.4, considering the similarities. Meanwhile, it's unclear whether Volkswagen intends to produce an electric pickup alongside the Scout EVs.
Although Volkswagen has not made an official announcement at the time of writing, we already know that the Scout Motors factory will break ground in South Carolina. The news was shared on Twitter by the state's governor Henry McMaster Friday morning. According to his tweet, Volkswagen will invest $2 billion in the new factory and employ 4,000 workers to build Scout's electric trucks. Production is expected to start in 2026, in line with the previous target set by Scout Motors and Volkswagen.
Volkswagen acquired the Scout brand in 2021 and is now making it the centerpiece of its strategy to conquer the U.S. market. Volkswagen has lacked a pickup truck in its lineup and thinks that's why it could not sell more cars in North America. Scout should be the perfect tool to boost U.S. sales and help Volkswagen gain 10 percent of the market. Being an American brand will no doubt help, not to mention that Scout will produce two of the most popular vehicle types in North America.
Like Rivian, Scout Motors intends to produce a pickup truck and an SUV, sharing the same dedicated EV platform. Volkswagen vowed to honor Scout's heritage and make the trucks proper off-roaders, pitching the brand against the likes of Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, like in the good old days. The new company promised to show a concept prototype in 2023, with volume production planned to start in 2026.
Volkswagen is still in doubt about the location of a third factory in North America. This one was called "Volkswagen's first gigafactory" and should produce Li-ion batteries to feed Chattanooga and the newly announced Scout factory in South Carolina. Volkswagen wants to build it in Canada to use its vast mineral resources, but no decision has been made about the location.
Following a board meeting on Friday, Scout has got its factory. This would be the second production facility Volkswagen will operate in the U.S., after the Chattanooga plant where the ID.4 is produced. There is no word yet about Audi's plant, but it would make sense to build the Q4 e-tron on the same production line with the ID.4, considering the similarities. Meanwhile, it's unclear whether Volkswagen intends to produce an electric pickup alongside the Scout EVs.
Although Volkswagen has not made an official announcement at the time of writing, we already know that the Scout Motors factory will break ground in South Carolina. The news was shared on Twitter by the state's governor Henry McMaster Friday morning. According to his tweet, Volkswagen will invest $2 billion in the new factory and employ 4,000 workers to build Scout's electric trucks. Production is expected to start in 2026, in line with the previous target set by Scout Motors and Volkswagen.
Volkswagen acquired the Scout brand in 2021 and is now making it the centerpiece of its strategy to conquer the U.S. market. Volkswagen has lacked a pickup truck in its lineup and thinks that's why it could not sell more cars in North America. Scout should be the perfect tool to boost U.S. sales and help Volkswagen gain 10 percent of the market. Being an American brand will no doubt help, not to mention that Scout will produce two of the most popular vehicle types in North America.
Like Rivian, Scout Motors intends to produce a pickup truck and an SUV, sharing the same dedicated EV platform. Volkswagen vowed to honor Scout's heritage and make the trucks proper off-roaders, pitching the brand against the likes of Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, like in the good old days. The new company promised to show a concept prototype in 2023, with volume production planned to start in 2026.
Volkswagen is still in doubt about the location of a third factory in North America. This one was called "Volkswagen's first gigafactory" and should produce Li-ion batteries to feed Chattanooga and the newly announced Scout factory in South Carolina. Volkswagen wants to build it in Canada to use its vast mineral resources, but no decision has been made about the location.
Here’s the moment it happened: pic.twitter.com/UCgvRzCorA
— Gov. Henry McMaster (@henrymcmaster) March 3, 2023
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