Scout Motors has begun assembling the first test vehicles at its new plant in Blythewood, South Carolina. Prototypes of the Scout Traveler SUV and Terra pickup are already being built at the facility. They will be used to test the production equipment and identify problems before the start of mass production.
The plant represents an investment of more than $2 billion and is part of Volkswagen Group’s plans to revive the Scout brand. Construction is in its final phase, while most of the production equipment has already been installed and is operational.
“What we are building in Blythewood is no longer just a promise on paper. Our equipment is coming to life, and our teams are assembling the first test vehicles directly at the plant,” said Scout Motors President and CEO Scott Keogh.
In the body shop, around 160 individual components are joined together to form each vehicle’s structure. More than 750 robots are involved in the process, and each completed body passes through approximately 5,000 welding points.
Scout is also using artificial intelligence systems to monitor welding operations. Additional measurement technologies verify whether the bodies meet engineering requirements. Before painting, the test structures will undergo thousands of individual measurements.
Once it reaches full capacity, the shop will be able to process around 40 vehicles per hour. The initial batches, however, have a different purpose: to test the equipment’s operation and prepare the processes for a gradual increase in production.
After welding, the bodies pass through an automated shop for cleaning, coating application, corrosion protection, painting, drying and quality control. During the final stage, the wiring, windows, seats, steering wheel and tires are installed.
The plant is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs. Scout is already expanding its workforce and working with nearby colleges and universities to train specialists in automotive engineering and manufacturing.
The company has also announced an additional $300 million investment in a supplier park next to the main plant. It is expected to provide around 1,000 supplier jobs and attract a further $368 million in outside investment.
Assembly of the test vehicles will continue through 2027, after which Scout plans to move to pre-production runs. Customer deliveries are scheduled for 2028.