Scout Motors, the U.S.-based electric vehicle brand owned by Volkswagen (VW), has appointed Oliver Wollinsky as its new Chief Production Officer (CPO). Wollinsky will lead the company’s manufacturing efforts, including overseeing the completion and ramp-up of its production facility in Blythewood, South Carolina. Additionally, former Bentley executive Jan-Henrik Lafrentz has been hired as Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Wollinsky, who previously served as Scout’s Vice President of Production, has a long history in the automotive industry. He was previously the Plant Manager at SAIC Volkswagen, where he played a key role in the construction of manufacturing plants, including Volkswagen Group’s first dedicated electric vehicle production site. Wollinsky also held leadership roles at VW in Germany and Mercedes-Benz, where he worked as Vice President of Manufacturing Operations in Southeast Asia and contributed to production management in Hungary. He will fill the role left vacant by the late Dr. Jan Spies, Scout’s former CPO.
In a statement, Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh praised Wollinsky’s leadership abilities, saying, “Oliver is the kind of leader who rolls up his sleeves and gets the job done. He’s strategic, hands-on and knows what it takes to build high-performing, innovative teams and launch complex manufacturing operations. He’s already been instrumental in getting our Production Center off the ground, and I have no doubt his leadership will ensure we bring Scout vehicles to life with the quality and craftsmanship our customers expect.”
Jan-Henrik Lafrentz, who officially joined Scout as COO on April 1, will focus on finance, sales, and marketing as the company works to scale its operations. A Scout spokesperson confirmed that Lafrentz will divide his time between the $2 billion assembly plant in South Carolina and the company’s research and development center in Michigan.
Scout Motors, a U.S.-based electric vehicle brand owned by Volkswagen, presented concepts of its Traveler SUV and Terra Truck models in 2024. The battery-electric versions of both vehicles are expected to offer a range of 350 miles as standard, with an extended range option of 500 miles. The Terra Truck will have a towing capacity of over 4.5 tonnes, while the Traveler SUV is expected to tow up to 3.17 tonnes. A hybrid version with a petrol-powered range extender, known as ‘Harvester,’ will be offered to increase the range to over 800 km.
See also: Scout Motors Advances South Carolina EV Plant, Marks Key Construction Milestones
Production of the vehicles is scheduled to begin in 2027, with construction of the South Carolina plant having started in February 2024. According to Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume, Scout Motors has already received over 50,000 reservations for its first two electric models. Scout CEO Scott Keogh also mentioned in a recent Bloomberg interview that reservations for the hybrid version of the vehicle have already exceeded demand for the battery-electric models.