Scout Motors Selects Charlotte for New Headquarters, Creating 1k+ Jobs

Published on November 12, 2025

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Nov. 12, 2025)—Scout Motors, an emerging automotive manufacturer revitalizing a legacy American brand, will locate its headquarters in Charlotte, employing 1,200 workers by 2030. This represents a capital investment of nearly $207 million.

The headquarters, which will be located at the Commonwealth development in Plaza Midwood, will serve as the central hub for leadership and innovation.

“Charlotte is well known as the home of strong global brands, and we’re thrilled to welcome iconic Scout Motors to that list,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said. “This project is a major job creation milestone for the city and will serve as a catalyst for continued revitalization in a part of our city that’s seeing new life through infrastructure and development. We can’t wait to see the impact this company’s investment will bring to our city.”

This is one of the largest job creation announcements in Charlotte over the past decade.

“Mecklenburg County is quickly becoming a major hub for the automotive industry, and Scout’s major investment underscores that momentum,” Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Jerrell said. “Mecklenburg County has everything in place to support this startup’s success — from world-class transportation infrastructure and a highly skilled engineering workforce to proximity to major manufacturing centers and a pro-business climate that fosters innovation and growth.”

The Charlotte headquarters will serve as the home base for executive leadership, research and development, finance, IT, sales, marketing and other key corporate functions. Scout Motors will begin establishing its Charlotte presence gradually, with plans for initial staffing and office development beginning in 2026 and full headquarters operations scaling up over several years.

Scout will relocate 365 employees currently based in Northern Virginia and expects to hire 835 positions locally. The average salary is $153,978, well above the MSA average.

Scout says Charlotte was chosen following a “comprehensive, multi-state evaluation.”

“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,” president and CEO of Scout Motors Scott Keogh, said. “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 team and connects us to a region that’s fast becoming a national hub for mobility and manufacturing.”

Scout Motors will begin establishing its Charlotte presence gradually, with plans for initial staffing and office development beginning in 2026 and full headquarters operations scaling up in the coming years.

“Scout Motors is revitalizing an iconic American brand, creating high-quality jobs and building the next great automotive company right here in the Carolinas,” said Governor Josh Stein, who announced the company’s selection at a press conference at the Commonwealth that was attended by government and business leaders. “Our business-friendly climate, our top-tier research universities and community colleges, our leadership in the clean energy economy, our quality of life and above all, our people make companies want to call North Carolina home.”

The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County partnered on the project with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the state General Assembly, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, Charlotte Center City Partners, UNC Charlotte, North Carolina A&T State University, the North Carolina Community College System and Charlotte Works.

The Charlotte region is home to many of the world’s most recognized companies, with more than 19 Fortune 500/1000 companies based in the region. In addition to direct hiring, economic development studies find that corporate headquarters have a significant indirect impact, boosting local small businesses. This project is estimated to create more than 3,800 indirect jobs.

During the past 12 months, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have collaborated on more than a dozen economic development projects to support relocations and expansions, including  AssetMark, SoFi Technologies and Pacific Life. These efforts have created more than 3,600 new jobs and $422 million in capital investment in the city. 

The Scout, originally produced by International Harvester from 1961-80, was the world’s first utility vehicle capable of both off-road adventure and family duty. Scout Motors was formed to craft the next era of trucks and rugged SUVs.

Initial production for the Scout Traveler SUVs and Scout Terra trucks targeted to begin in 2027.