- Scout is constructing a $2 billion plant in South Carolina
- A part of the build-out consists of the power to deal with contract manufacturing, or constructing automobiles for different automakers like VW
- This might assist fund Scout’s ventures and even end in 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 fulfillment—and never simply with its personal two introductory vehicles.
See, Scout goes about this in a moderately sensible manner. Seemingly in contrast to Volkswagen, Scout has a spotlight with regards to EVs. It is not about creating home equipment, it is about creating a way of life product {that a} client really needs. And, certain, there’s going to be some tech sharing occurring amongst father or mother and baby manufacturers, which is why Scout is hitting the fitness center early so it could possibly flex its manufacturing muscle mass to the entire automotive trade.
Picture by: Scout Motors
The Blythewood-based facility can have a three-phase launch. In accordance with Joern Petri, the automaker’s VP of Plant Launch, the primary part shall 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 automobiles per yr. And as soon as it does that? Effectively, that is the place issues get attention-grabbing.
Scout truly constructed its plant with contract manufacturing in thoughts. That signifies that it will likely be capable of construct automobiles 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 automobiles to qualify for the federal EV tax necessities with out the model constructing a complete new manufacturing facility by itself. A win-win, for those who ask me.
“We arrange the manufacturing facility in a manner 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 some other fashions that Scout has deliberate sooner or later. I suppose that is higher futureproofing than organising a bunch of tents, proper?
Scout’s plant can be set as much as be utterly modular. The already huge plant is architected form of like Legos, that means that if the necessity for enlargement is there, the model can merely snap on some extra manufacturing facility and proceed constructing. The structure and land are each already there, so understanding that it could possibly double manufacturing capability on very quick discover needs to be a constructive for any automaker seeking to make the most of the model’s provide to deal with contract manufacturing.
All of that being stated, it is seemingly 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 vehicles end up half nearly as good as the general public thinks they are going to, I am certain of us would not thoughts a little bit of Scout beneath the hood.
