Scout Motors announced it will establish its new corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. The company plans to invest $206 million in the new site and create 1,200 jobs over the next five years, significantly boosting the region’s economy and reinforcing the state’s growing reputation as an automotive hub.
The new positions are expected to offer an average annual wage of $172,000, which is nearly double the current average salary in Mecklenburg County. The headquarters will be located in the Commonwealth, a mixed-use development in Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood neighborhood, positioning the company in a vibrant and growing part of the city. The project was a collaborative effort involving numerous state and local partners, including the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance.
“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.”
Scout Motors Long Term Plan
This is the next step for Scout Motors, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, in their plan to bring back the storied Scout brand. Scout originally gained a following in the 1960s for its off-road utility vehicles and was previously owned by International Harvester. After acquiring the trademark in 2021, Volkswagen founded Scout Motors to develop a new generation of all-electric and hybrid-powered trucks and SUVs. While the vehicles will be built at a manufacturing plant in Blythewood, South Carolina, with production slated to begin in 2027, the Charlotte headquarters will serve as the company’s strategic and operational hub.
“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.”
Economic Growth for North Carolina
The move adds another major corporate tenant to Charlotte, a city already home to several Fortune 500 companies. It also solidifies North Carolina’s position in the automotive sector, which has seen a 23 percent growth rate since 2014. The state is already home to facilities for 20 of the world’s top 100 automotive suppliers.
“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.”
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