Scout Motors Selects Charlotte as Headquarters
Volkswagen Subsidiary Aims to Add 1,200 Jobs
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Much fanfare accompanied Scout Motors’announcement Nov. 12 that it plans to makeCharlotte, N.C., its new, $207 million global corporate headquarters.
The governor was there. So was the mayor, alongside other local bigwigs. And why not. It was one of the biggest job creation announcements inCharlotteover the past decade. Plus, the average minimum salary for thoseScout Motorsjobs is expected to be nearly $173,000, or about double Mecklenburg County’s average wage.
TheU.S.subsidiary ofVolkswagenis aiming to create 1,200 jobs for its new headquarters that will be built in Plaza Midwood’s Commonwealth development, with hiring set to take place between 2026 and 2030.
Here’s what else you need to know aboutScout Motorsand the future for it inCharlotte.
Moving In
Scout Motorswill fully occupy a 145,000-square-foot building for its main office at the Commonwealth development inPlaza Midwood. The company plans to kick off the design of the workspace by the end of the year.
. is revitalizing an iconic American car brand with its HQ right here in North Carolina, bringing $207 million worth of investments that will produce more than 1,200 new jobs in the state.
Welcome to Charlotte! And welcome to North Carolina! — Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor)
And it expects to begin customizing the space sometime in late spring or summer.
Scout Motorswill occupy the rear portion of the historic property built in the early 1910s offCommonwealth Avenue. The company will work with a developer to renovate and adapt the vintage building into a space for vehicle engineering, research and development.
The company said it is looking forward to bringing teams and products together on one campus.
A second office building is planned to accommodate the company’s goal of 1,200 people. The company expects construction of the new office to start in the first half of 2027.
Scout’s Honor
International Harvester was a company known for making agricultural equipment and large trucks, and it made the Scout from the early 1960s until 1980 to compete with the Jeep CJ.
IH vehicles were very popular among farmers and in rural America as an “eight-day-a-week truck” — comfortable on the farm or worksite during the day, and suitable for family outings such as church or off-road adventures on the weekend.
The project will invest more than $206.9 million to establish its corporate headquarters operation in the City of Charlotte. — WCCB Charlotte (@WCCBCharlotte)
The company was known as one that would “feed, build and defend America,”Scout Motorsnoted.
The Scout helped create the modern SUV before the term even existed, offering drivers a comfortable, everyday vehicle that could handle off-road adventures. Launched in 1961 before the Ford Bronco and Chevy Blazer, the Scout set the stage for future icons in the SUV world.
Scout vehicles were designed for toughness and versatility, able to handle rough terrain and farm jobs. Early models featured amenities like a removable roof, while later versions offered stronger engines and more comfort.
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In 2022,VolkswagenintroducedScout Motors, a new company founded to bring back the iconic Scout brand by building a new line of all-electric trucks and SUVs. Now, the revitalizedScout Motorsis producing vehicles with 1,000 pound-feet of torque, massive power for quick acceleration and heavy-duty tasks.
It will also have range extender technology, a powerful battery system that “gives people what they love about electrification,” according to CEOScott Keogh.
Scout Motorsis rolling out a new technology called Harvester in its new vehicles. This system uses a small gas engine to recharge the battery, giving drivers more than 500 miles of range. It combines the instant power and off-road capabilities of an electric vehicle with the convenience of refueling at a gas station or charging with a plug.
Historic Ties
Moving into the historic Commonwealth site is also special forScout Motors.
Built in 1911, the property was a state-of-the-art factory for Cole Manufacturing,Scout Motorsnoted. Cole was an innovator in seed planting equipment, and the factory was once the largest in the world for agricultural seed planters.
By the 1940s, three-quarters of the South’s cotton, corn and peanut crops were planted with Cole planters, according toScout Motors. By 1961, over 2 million planters, spreaders and drills had been manufactured here.
“We’re repurposing a building that helped farmers feed America using innovative technology,” Scout Motor spokespersonJamie Lovegrovetold TheCharlotte Observer. “It doesn’t get much more ‘Scout’ than that.”
Brick by Brick
During a news conference, Keogh revealed an “odd little brick” from the original Scout Motor factory inFort Wayne, Ind. It will be placed in the new headquarters to symbolize a commitment to the past and future.
An ambitious build, done on a tight timeline, against the elements, with an unwavering commitment to the New Scout Era.
Brick By Brick Episode One is live. — Scout Motors (@Scout_Motors)
“Never again will America let its icons get away,” Keogh said. “Never again will America let other people make our things.”
Over 530,000 off-road utility vehicles were produced by International Harvester at theIndianaplant from the 1960s until 1980, when it stopped production due to financial difficulties and a six-month workers’ strike.
Another brick is also at the new$2 billion electric vehicle production factoryinBlythewood, S.C., nearColumbia. It was added to the foundation during a groundbreaking inFebruary 2024.
Connecting the Carolinas
Scout Motor’s announcement forNorth Carolinais also generating excitement across the state line. The new Charlotte headquarters could provide a boost for the larger region, given its proximity to theBlythewoodsite.
“I still think it’s an opportunity forSouth Carolinaresidents,” saidI-77 Allianceinterim President and CEOChris Finn. “There’s no state line when it comes to commuting patterns.”
The I-77 Allianceincludes five counties between Charlotte andColumbia, along or nearInterstate 77. The alliance leverages economic development wins in both metro areas to promote job growth in places likeYork,Lancaster, andChestercounties inSouth Carolina
“We can kind of take advantage of both ends of the interstate there,” Finn said. “We do a good job of capturing the secondary effects, regardless of whether a project is technically in our area.”
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SinceSouth Carolinaannounced the company’s $2 billion plan foraScout Motorsproduction sitetwo years ago, economic development teams just south of Charlotte have touted their areas for secondary businesses that might support the facility.
WhileSouth Carolinawas in the running for the headquarters site as well, the company picking Charlotte may be the next best option.
“If it was going to go anywhere else, going in there still provides a lot of opportunity,” Finn said.
John Markscontributed to this report.
