Volkswagen has made several managerial hires in preparation for the debut of Scout, its new rugged electric vehicle brand. Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America since November 2018, will relinquish his position to concentrate completely on the Scout brand’s growth in the United States.
Volkswagen has appointed new executives as the manufacturer prepares to launch Scout, its new electric truck brand that will compete with Rivian in the electric adventure vehicle category.
Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America since November 2018, has been named President and CEO of Scout, an independent business based in the United States. Scout will enter the US market with totally electric pickup trucks and tough off-road SUVs.
Keogh will hand up his responsibility for Volkswagen Group of America operations to senior management in order to concentrate completely on the Scout brand’s growth.
Pablo Di Si, the current Executive Chairman of Volkswagen South America Region, will take up Keogh’s previous position. Di Si was named President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, as well as CEO of Volkswagen North American Region.
On September 1, 2022, Di Si will begin his new post as President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region.
His replacement as CEO of Volkswagen South America will be named soon.
The new appointments, according to VW, will expedite the automaker’s expansion plan in the United States, which will ultimately comprise a range of more than 25 all-electric cars by 2030.
“Scott and Pablo have played critical roles in turning around the companies in North America and South America, respectively,” stated Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess. “In their future roles, they will be critical in grabbing historic market possibilities in the United States, propelling our development plan in the area to new heights.”
Keogh has extensive experience in the automobile business. He started his career in 1995 as Mercedes-Benz USA’s general manager of marketing communications. In 2006, Keogh joined the Volkswagen Group as Chief Marketing Officer for Audi of America.
Koegh was named President and CEO of Audi of America in 2012 before taking over as CEO of Volkswagen Group of America.
For the first time in years, Keogh supervised Volkwagen’s return to profitability. He has been the driving force behind Volkswagen’s electric mobility drive, and he was important in bringing the VW ID.4 and Audi e-tron SUVs to North America. He will now be in charge of creating the Scout brand in the United States.
In May, Volkswagen announced the debut of the Scout brand, which would capitalize on the rising demand for rugged recreational vehicles, which helped make Ford Motor Company’s comeback of the Bronco SUV a huge success. Scout, being an all-electric brand, will most likely compete with Rivian’s R1T truck and R1S SUV.
The first two Scout models are an all-electric SUV and an electric pickup truck. The two electric cars will be conceived, produced, and manufactured in the United States. The robust EVs will go into production in 2026.
Volkswagen’s latest senior appointments will aid the automaker’s transformation as part of its aggressive NEW AUTO strategy. Over the next decade, the business’s objective is to evolve into an advanced mobility company, which involves investments in battery technology and software-based cars that can be upgraded over-the-air.
Volkswagen’s goals include for the corporation to become an electric transportation supplier as well as a software-driven technology company.
The SSP is VW’s next-generation EV platform (Scalable Systems Platform). By sharing key components amongst models, it will drastically decrease complexity over time. Volkswagen intends to combine three combustion engine platforms and two EV platforms into a common architecture for the company’s complete lineup.
In 2026, the manufacturer intends to begin producing 100% electric cars on the highly scalable SSP. The SSP might potentially serve as the basis for millions of Volkswagen EVs.
Volkswagen acquired the Scout brand when its Traton truck company purchased Navistar International in 2020. When International Harvester closed its doors in 1985, Navistar International was formed.
From 1961 through 1980, International Harvester manufactured the first Scout SUV in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Scout was considered as the forerunner of today’s tough SUVs, such as the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. Both of which the electric Scout will face.
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