2025-01-24-posts.md 3.5 KB
title: Scout Motors Letter slug: scout-motors-letter description: Today I learned more about a couple issues facing Scout Motors <!--- authors:
- name: David Windham title: Something Else url: https://davidawindham.com image_url: https://davidawindham.com/wp-content/themes/daw/img/opengraph_image.jpg --> tags: [automotive, law, politics] image: https://davidawindham.com/wp-content/themes/daw/img/opengraph_image.jpg hide_table_of_contents: true ---
Today I learned more about a couple of issues facing Scout Motors.
I got an email yesterday from Scout Motors asking me to contact my legislators regarding the law in South Carolina that won't allow automakers to sell directly to consumers. I got the email because I put in a deposit on a Traveler as my next planned automotive upgrade.
I just like the idea of a rollback top, all wheel drive, and a bit of ground clearance. As I've gotten older I like to be up off the ground a little bit for ease of entry and exit. The jury is still out as I'm also a fan of the new VW Buzz van too. Regardless, it's the same company and I'm glad to see them investing in our state so I felt like a letter to all of them might be warranted.
Dear Senators Mr. Graham & Scott, & Garrett
Representatives Mrs. Sheri Biggs & Mr. John R. McCravy
I'm writing you in regards to our state law banning direct-to-consumer sales and federal electric vehicle incentives. As a lifelong resident of South Carolina, I was very happy to hear that Scout Motors would be investing in our state. BMW has had a tremendous financial impact on the livelihood of South Carolina. When BMW first moved into South Carolina we became customers partially as an effort to support out local economy. We've had four BMW automobiles and are still currently driving two of them. Several of the BMWs we have bought were manufactured in South Carolina and several of them were electric.
We got our first electric vehicle in 2014 and because of our experience with it, we will be buying electric cars moving forward. Aside from the driving experience and regardless of the environmental impacts of the exhaust from combustion engines, it's really nice not going to one of the gas stations that litter our landscape, supporting the import of foreign oil, and warming the car in the garage. BMW is committed to moving towards an all electric lineup with six fully electric vehicles in production at the Spartanberg plan. Without our support, the role South Carolina plays in their manufacturing could be diminished. BMW allows consumers to custom order a vehicle online and ship it to local dealerships. Scout Motors would like to do the same without the dealership laws. I believe that this is the freedom that consumers in South Carolina deserve.
The investments from BMW, Volvo, Scout Motors, and their various suppliers are significant. South Carolina could play a considerable roll in the automotive future. Trillions of dollars are at stake and I'd strongly encourage y'all to consider this potential impact when discussing both direct-to-consumer automotive purchases and electric vehicle incentives.
Thank you for your consideration,
David A. Windham