Scout Motors chose South Carolina for speed, says CEO

scout motors Scout said one of the reasons the Greenfield site, just north of Columbia, South Carolina, was chosen over many other sites in the U.S. for the $2 billion new plant was the site and its accompanying The $1.3 billion incentive package was “out of the box.” CEO Scott Keough.

Gov. Henry McMaster signed the incentive package into law on Monday. This includes a $400 million grant to Scout Motors “for company-determined hard assets.” local media reported, citing the State Department of Commerce. Also included are his $650 million for regional infrastructure, his $25 million for training facilities, and his $200 million for soil stabilization.

Speaking to reporters during a video conference Monday, Keough said the Volkswagen Group-owned brand is considering 74 sites in the South, Midwest and West for plants that will produce Scout SUVs and pickups from 2026. said he did. Instead of 12 to 18 months of negotiation and preparation at the Blythewood site, “it took just 60 days,” he said, adding that the factory’s capacity will be 200,000 units.

in response to questions from car newsKeough said an announcement was coming up on how Scout could sell or repair vehicles in the United States.

For the selection of South Carolina, he said, “I don’t know about 12 states, but I’ve looked at 74 sites. I’ve looked at a lot of states in the north, I’ve looked in a lot of states in the south. states, so we have a good idea of ​​what’s going on in the US with 74 sites,” says Keogh. The state had available infrastructure, enough local population to draw an estimated 4,000 workers for the factory, and an existing supply base from other automakers in the state for decades, he said. Keogh said.

“This was the best play based on 74 sites. Full stop,” said Keogh.