- Scout is constructing a $2 billion plant in South Carolina
- A part of the build-out contains the power to deal with contract manufacturing, or constructing autos for different automakers like VW
- This might assist fund Scout’s ventures and even lead to cross-brand tech sharing sooner or later
Scout Motors, the off-road, U.S.-centric model spun off from Volkswagen, is on the brink of root itself in South Carolina. When its $2 billion Palmetto State plant comes on-line in 2027, it is working to set the model up for achievement—and never simply with its personal two introductory vans.
See, Scout goes about this in a moderately sensible method. Seemingly in contrast to Volkswagen, Scout has a spotlight in relation to EVs. It isn’t about creating home equipment, it is about creating a way of life product {that a} client actually needs. And, positive, there’s going to be some tech sharing occurring amongst dad or mum and little one manufacturers, which is why Scout is hitting the gymnasium early so it could flex its manufacturing muscle groups to the entire automotive trade.
Picture by: Scout Motors
The Blythewood-based facility could have a three-phase launch. In response to Joern Petri, the automaker’s VP of Plant Launch, the primary section might be all about getting the doorways open and pumping out the Traveler SUV adopted by the Terra pickup. After it will get its footing, the plant will proceed to ramp up manufacturing to output round 200,000 autos per yr. And as soon as it does that? Properly, that is the place issues get attention-grabbing.
Scout really constructed its plant with contract manufacturing in thoughts. That signifies that it is going to be in a position to construct autos for different OEMs (like Volkswagen) out of the identical facility, permitting it to share its cool tech and instruments throughout manufacturers whereas serving to automakers meet U.S. manufacturing necessities for autos to qualify for the federal EV tax necessities with out the model constructing an entire new manufacturing unit by itself. A win-win, in the event you ask me.
“We arrange the manufacturing unit in a method that contract manufacturing is feasible for different VW manufacturers, or whoever is ,” stated Petri throughout a presentation late final month.
It additionally means a fast launch of another fashions that Scout has deliberate sooner or later. I assume that is higher futureproofing than establishing a bunch of tents, proper?
Scout’s plant can also be set as much as be fully modular. The already huge plant is architected sort of like Legos, that means that if the necessity for enlargement is there, the model can merely snap on some extra manufacturing unit and proceed constructing. The format and land are each already there, so figuring out that it could double manufacturing capability on very quick discover needs to be a constructive for any automaker seeking to benefit from the model’s supply to deal with contract manufacturing.
All of that being stated, it is probably that Scout will not attain that time till nearer to the highest of the last decade. So whereas all OEMs proceed to get their battery-powered butts in gear, it is good to know that there are extra choices on the market to ramp up EV manufacturing. And if these vans prove half nearly as good as the general public thinks they may, I am positive of us would not thoughts a little bit of Scout underneath the hood.
