Electric vehicle startup Scout Motors has accumulated roughly 212,000 reservations for its upcoming Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck as construction on its South Carolina manufacturing plant reaches its final phase, according to reservations and plant completion figures reported by CNBC.
Plant Nears Completion in Blythewood
Construction at the Blythewood, South Carolina complex sits at roughly 85% completion, as confirmed by Yahoo News. The facility has officially transitioned from blueprint to active assembly.
Teams are now building the first validation prototypes on-site.
These validation builds test manufacturing equipment, verify assembly line sequencing, and catch bottlenecks before full series production begins. The 1,600-acre site relies heavily on automated manufacturing. Backed by AI-assisted weld monitoring and precision dimensional scanners, its body shop uses upwards of 750 industrial robots to fuse roughly 160 stamped parts per auto through about 5,000 weld points.
Engineers extract test bodies from the line for thousands of distinct measurements ahead of the paint shop.
Finished bodies move onward into an electrified paint shop where they undergo cleaning, anti-corrosion applications, primer and color layers, baking, and visual quality checks. In the general assembly section, technicians install wiring harnesses, glazing, interior seating, steering assemblies, and wheels and tires. At full operating speed, the body shop is engineered to turn out roughly 40 vehicles per hour, though Scout operates well below that pace to prioritize calibration and repeatability.
What we are building in Blythewood is no longer a promise on paper. Our equipment is coming to life, and our teams are building our first validation vehicles right here in the factory.
Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Scout Motors
Traveler and Terra Offer Electric and Extended-Range Versions
The revived brand offers both the Traveler SUV and Terra pickup in all-electric battery versions as well as extended-range electric vehicles known as EREVs. These range-extended models feature an engine to generate power for the motors and batteries, boasting more than 500 miles of range compared with 300 miles of range for the all-electric models.
Reservations opened in October 2024 alongside the reveal of both models, featuring sleek yet rugged exteriors that pay homage to the brand’s historic models produced from 1961 to 1980.
Scott Keogh said in an interview near Columbia that the company could easily push past 400,000 reservations without excessive effort, setting a target to achieve an order book covering 12 to 18 months before production begins. Given the interest signaled by reservations, Scout plans to launch with the EREVs first, followed by the EVs.
Canada has been part of Scout Motors’ North American launch blueprint from the start. Canadian consumers can place refundable reservations for both vehicles, with the automaker planning an exclusive direct-to-consumer retail and service network across key provinces including Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia under the same 2028 delivery timeline.
Customer Deliveries Set for 2028
Customer deliveries are slated to begin in 2028.
“In my mind, it's how quick can you get to 100,000 units? It's at 100,000 units where you can start to punch through,” Keogh said, contrasting his approach with recent industry criticism faced by Rivian Automotive after it launched its R2 SUV with highest-priced models first.
Economic Footprint in South Carolina
Scout is investing $300 million in an adjacent on-site supplier park in addition to the main assembly plant.
Earlier coverage: Scout Motors Hits 212,000 Reservations as South Carolina Plant Nears Completion
