Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Scout Motors Plans Charlotte, North Carolina, Headquarters Operations

11/15/2025
Automotive manufacturer Scout Motors Inc. plans to establish operations in Charlotte, North Carolina. The $206.9 million project is expected to create 1,200 jobs in Mecklenburg County.

The company’s new 300,000-square-foot corporate headquarters, located at Plaza Midwood Commonwealth, will serve as the home base for research and development, IT, finance, sales, marketing, and other corporate functions.

“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.”

The project will be supported, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $4.8 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs and capital investment, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $46,524,750, spread over 12 years. State payments occur only following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.

The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 67 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost to the state, the state receives $1.67 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.

“Scout Motors carries forward a proud American legacy of innovation and craftsmanship to North Carolina,” noted N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “We’re honored that this storied brand is building its next chapter here—joining dozens of world-class companies that have chosen to invest in our state. With our talented workforce, strong business climate, and exceptional quality of life, Scout Motors reinforces why North Carolina remains America’s Top State for Business.”

Because Scout Motors chose a site in Mecklenburg County, which is classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving as much as $15.5 million into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities anywhere in the state finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.

“We’re pleased to welcome an innovative company like Scout Motors to North Carolina,” added 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.”

In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Central Piedmont Community College, the University of North Carolina System, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina A&T State University, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Mecklenburg County, CharlotteWorks, and the City of Charlotte.

Backed by Volkswagen AG, Scout Motors is an American automotive company reviving the original Scout brand to produce all-electric trucks and SUVs with modern technology, including an optional "Harvester" range-extender system that uses a small gas engine to recharge the battery.

Exclusive Research