Scout Motors, a Virginia-based electric pickup truck manufacturer backed by Volkswagen, has selected Novi for its new research and development facility, which is expected to bring 200 jobs to the area.
Scout Motors will make a capital investment of $11 million and create 200 high-paying jobs in Michigan that support the state’s work to position itself as the global leader in the future of mobility and vehicle electrification.
The project is expected to bring immediate, high-wage engineering, design, and development jobs to southeast Michigan with a growing auto manufacturer, and further builds on Michigan’s strength in mobility and automotive R&D.
The company received a $10 million Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant in support of the project. It also collected a $150,000 grant from Oakland County.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming Scout Motors to Michigan as we continue to secure our position as the leader in future mobility and electrification,” says Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of the MEDC and president and chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “This project represents the kind of R&D investment we continue to put Michigan in a position to win through a Make It in Michigan strategy.”
Scout Motors is an independent U.S. auto manufacturer backed by Volkswagen Group. The company was formed in 2022 to design and manufacture all-electric trucks and SUVs in the same tradition that made the original Scout an American icon. Originally produced by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980, the Scout was the world’s first utility vehicle capable of both off-road adventure and family duty. The company plans to revitalize the brand and is expected to begin vehicle production at the end of 2026.
The company’s new research and development facility in the city of Novi will serve as a hub for future innovation and development for the auto industry within the U.S.
“Our new vehicles will honor Scout’s hard-working heritage while injecting fresh American ingenuity to create a new era of iconic all-purpose vehicles,” says Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Scout Motors. “As we design and engineer our vehicles, Michigan is the perfect place to establish our Innovation Center due to its deep automotive roots, continued investment in innovation and ability to attract and train a talented, diverse workforce.”
