Born again truck brand Scout Motors hit a significant milestone this morning, breaking ground in Blythewood, South Carolina, the site of its future US hub for electric truck production. We’re still a ways away from the public debut of Scout’s flagship model. Still, there’s a lot to be excited about, and the brand’s heritage is already garnering a loyal fanbase in full support of its all-electric transition.
Born again brand Scout Motors stems from a classic nameplate of off-road vehicles from the ’60s and ’70s built by International Harvester. While only about 530,000 Scout trucks were built during its 20-year production run, the early Jeep competitor… harvested a relatively small but passionate fanbase.
Today, it’s not difficult to find someone whose grandfather drove a Scout II or grew up seeing one around town – creating an impressive level of heritage and nostalgia for such a scarce fleet. Volkswagen Group is looking to capitalize off that heritage and revive the namesake for the modern, all-electric age.
In 2022, the Group confirmed it would revive the brand as an entirely electric marque that still delivers the rugged, off-road performance the original Scouts are still celebrated for. Following a recent partnership with Magna – no strangers to impressive electric performance on tough terrain, it’s clear that Scout Motors means business.
While we’ve only seen teaser renderings of Scout’s first two EV models in development, we know they will be built in the US. In March 2023, Scout and the Governor of South Carolina announced the Palmetto State would become the new home to the budding VW Group brand.
Scout has since expanded its US footprint in Novi, Michigan, where its electric trucks are currently being designed and developed, while a new Innovation Center is erected nearby. This morning, Scout officially broke ground on its South Carolina production facility ahead of an EV debut this year.
Build of Scout EV truck facilities now underway
Large trucks hummed in the background, leveling Blythewood, South Carolina’s iron-rich soil, as a crowd of local and state officials, media, and classic Scout enthusiasts gathered for the EV-centric automotive brand’s groundbreaking ceremony earlier today.
No shiny shovels, no hard hats, and no ceremonial digging – just a coming together of individuals from the automotive industry and South Carolina residents to join in the excitement for the opportunities the new facilities will provide.
As detailed above, Scout trucks are classic vehicles with a legacy, but the name, although noteworthy, was only its own brand once Volkswagen Group stepped in. Still, the legacy and constancy of the vehicles that led to today’s latest chapter are a massive part of Scout Motor’s company ethos.
For example, the land in Blythewood acquired by Scout was previously owned by the Swygert family, who lived there from 1961 to 2013. The red house that still sits on the property (seen above) was built by David Swygert, and the Scout team intends to keep it there.
The original Scout trucks from International Harvester were built in Fort Wayne, Indiana. So to pay homage to its roots in off-road builds, Scout Motors organized a cross-country rally of owners of the classic vehicles to transport a brick from the original plant to South Carolina to be part of the upcoming construction, with plenty of stops through mud, water, and rocky terrain along the way.
When construction is complete and at total efficiency, Scout expects the new facility to produce 200,000+ electric trucks per year – operating 40 EV jobs per hour. Being an all-electric brand, Scout’s Chief Production Officer, Dr. Jan Spies, says the company will rely on green energy alternatives to reach carbon neutrality while reducing key inhibitors such as energy and water usage.
Scout will debut two bespoke EVs this summer
Following the groundbreaking ceremony, the media got to sit down with Scout Motors President and CEO Scott Keogh to discuss the future of the young all-electric brand. From the get-go, Keogh expressed the advantage Scout Motors has as a clean slate that already has momentum in heritage, backed by the purchasing and production expertise of Volkswagen Group.
That said, Scout intends to do its own thing when it comes to EV development and design. Dr. Spies told us that the platform technology Scout’s first two trucks will sit atop is “not a twin, daughter, or brother” to any of the platforms currently used in the larger VW Group.
Spies said this bespoke platform gives Scout an advantage in terms of development speed and offers a beautiful opportunity to deliver a unique car for its environment. Keogh shared similar intentions when speaking to the young brand’s potential in the US market:
That’s what Scout does. It gives you a brand with credibility, it gives you the name with the character, and it allows us to plunge into the two biggest profit pools in America (pickups and SUVs). That’s the strategic intent, and that’s exactly what we’re executing.
I think the smart thing, though, is to structure the company with a clean slate as a startup, so you’re not inheriting the legacy challenges. A company which the (Volkswagen) Group is, of 660,000 employees is going to have a whole different series of systems and processes than a startup that right now has 350 employees. So I think that was the genius of this thing. It’s allowing us to execute at a good pace and good speed as opposed to always following the prescribed path.
Keogh sees Scout’s electric trucks as something other than a brand for one particular audience. We’ve been assured they’re badass and “robust,” designed to tackle the elements and stay true to the legacy of trucks that inspired it. The CEO imagines Scout’s image to become something similar to Levi’s as a “cool, iconic American brand.” They can be worn out to a nice sushi dinner in Malibu and on the dirt paths of a construction site.
That being said, if you think the Volkswagen Group sub-brand is just reviving a popular name from the ’70s, polishing it up, and electrifying it for consumers to get groceries in, that’s not the goal. Keogh elaborated:
In terms of our competitors, I think in my mind we want to make what we would call sort of a tribe community type of vehicle. Not a mainstream ‘just another SUV.’ Who has done a great job of this to give credit? I think certainly Bronco has done a good job of this, I think at the higher-end Defender has done a fantastic job of this; Wrangler obviously has its thing. So, the part will have a point of view but it’s definitely going to be more in the camp of ‘we’re not building something to navigate the strip malls of America,’ were building something like, ‘navigate America.’ So I think it’s going to be a community, cool oriented car.
Keogh relayed that the final design of its first two trucks is super close, with the engineering of the EVs not far behind. The young automaker intends to unveil both models this summer but told us production will require some cadence while the plant continues to scale. Which model will be built first has yet to be determined… or at least made public.
Scout will acquire battery cells from an outside supplier but intends to assemble its own modules in-house at the South Carolina facility. The company is still determining the most effective sales strategy for Scout Brand trucks and continues to explore all options.
We will learn more as the official debut of Scout’s first two electric trucks approaches in Q3. Stay tuned. Want to see more? Here’s Scout’s animated rendering of the incoming US facility:
Source: Scout Motors
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Forget fumbling with cables or hunting for batteries – TILER is making electric bike charging as seamless as parking your ride. The Dutch startup recently introduced its much-anticipated TILER Compact system, a plug-and-play wireless charger engineered to transform the user experience for e-bike riders.
At the heart of the new system is a clever combo: a charging kickstand that mounts directly to almost any e‑bike, and a thin charging mat that you simply park over. Once you drop the kickstand and it lands on the mat, the bike begins charging automatically via inductive transfer – no cable required. According to TILER, a 500 Wh battery will fully charge in about 3.5 hours, delivering comparable performance to traditional wired chargers.
It’s an elegantly simple concept (albeit a bit chunky) with a convenient upside: less clutter, fewer broken cables, and no more need to bend over while feeling around for a dark little hole.
TILER claims its system works with about 75% of existing e‑bike platforms, including those from Bosch, Yamaha, Bafang, and other big bames. The kit uses a modest 150 W wireless power output, which means charging speeds remain practical while keeping the system lightweight (the tile weighs just 2 kg, and it’s also stationary).
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TILER has already deployed over 200 charging points across Western Europe, primarily serving bike-share, delivery, hospitality, and hotel fleets. A recent case study in Munich showed how a cargo-bike operator saved approximately €1,250 per month in labor costs, avoided thousands in spare batteries, and cut battery damage by 20%. The takeaway? Less maintenance, more uptime.
Now shifting to prosumer markets, TILER says the Compact system will hit pre-orders soon, with a €250 price tag (roughly US $290) for the kickstand plus tile bundle. To get in line, a €29 refundable deposit is currently required, though they say it is refundable at any point until you receive your charger. Don’t get too excited just yet though, there’s a bit of a wait. Deliveries are expected in summer 2026, and for now are covering mostly European markets.
The concept isn’t entirely new. We’ve seen the idea pop up before, including in a patent from BMW for charging electric motorcycles. And the efficacy is there. Skeptics may wonder if wireless charging is slower or less efficient, but TILER says no. Its system retains over 85% efficiency, nearly matching wired charging speeds, and even pauses at 80% to protect battery health, then resumes as needed. The tile is even IP67-rated, safe for outdoor use, and about as bulky as a thick magazine.
Electrek’s Take
I love the concept. It makes perfect sense for shared e-bikes, especially since they’re often returning to a dock anyway. As long as people can be trained to park with the kickstand on the tile, it seems like a no-brainer.
And to be honest, I even like the idea for consumers. I know it sounds like a first-world problem, but bending over to plug something in at floor height is pretty annoying, not to mention a great way to throw out your back if you’re not exactly a spring chicken anymore. Having your e-bike start charging simply by parking it in the right place is a really cool feature! I don’t know if it’s $300 cool, but it’s pretty cool!
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Tesla has launched a new software update for its vehicles that includes the anticipated integration of Grok, but it doesnt even interface with the car yet.
Today, Tesla started pushing the update to the fleet, but there’s a significant caveat.
The automaker wrote in the release notes (2025.26):
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Grok (Beta) (US, AMD)
Grok now available directly in your Tesla
Requires Premium Connectivity or a WiFi connection
Grok is currently in Beta & does not issue commands to your car – existing voice commands remain unchanged.
First off, it is only available in vehicles in the US equipped with the AMD infotainment computer, which means cars produced since mid-2021.
But more importantly, Tesla says that it doesn’t send commands to the car under the current version. Therefore, it is simply like having Grok on your phone, but on the onboard computer instead.
Tesla showed an example:
There are a few other features in the 2025.26 software update, but they are not major.
For Tesla vehicles equipped with ambient lighting strips inside the car, the light strip can now sync to music:
Accent lights now respond to music & you can also choose to match the lights to the album’s color for a more immersive effect
Toybox > Light Sync
Here’s the new setting:
The audio setting can now be saved under multiple presets to match listening preferences for different people or circumstances:
The software update also includes the capacity to zoom or adjust the playback speed of the Dashcam Viewer.
Cybertruck also gets the updated Dashcam Viewer app with a grid view for easier access and review of recordings:
Tesla also updated the charging info in its navigation system to be able to search which locations require valet service or pay-to-park access.
Upon arrival, drivers will receive a notification with access codes, parking restrictions, level or floor information, and restroom availability:
Finally, there’s a new onboarding guide directly on the center display to help people who are experiencing a Tesla vehicle for the first time.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla is really playing catch-up here. Right now, this update is essentially nothing. If you already have Grok, it’s no more different than having it on your phone or through the vehicle’s browser, since it has no capacity to interact with any function inside the vehicle.
Most other automakers are integrating LLMs inside vehicles with the capacity to interact with the vehicle. In China, this is becoming standard even in entry-level cars.
In the Xiaomi YU7, the vehicle’s AI can not only interact with the car, but it also sees what the car sees through its camera, and it can tell you about what it sees:
Tesla is clearly far behind on that front as many automakers are integrating with other LLMs like ChatGPT and in-house LLMs, like Xiaomi’s.
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Robinhood stock hit an all-time high Friday as the financial services platform continued to rip higher this year, along with bitcoin and other crypto stocks.
Robinhood, up more than 160% in 2025, hit an intraday high above $101 before pulling back and closing slightly lower.
The reversal came after a Bloomberg report that JPMorgan plans to start charging fintechs for access to customer bank data, a move that could raise costs across the industry.
For fintech firms that rely on thin margins to offer free or low-cost services to customers, even slight disruptions to their cost structure can have major ripple effects. PayPal and Affirm both ended the day nearly 6% lower following the report.
Despite its stellar year, the online broker is facing several headwinds, with a regulatory probe in Florida, pushback over new staking fees and growing friction with one of the world’s most high-profile artificial intelligence companies.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened a formal investigation into Robinhood Crypto on Thursday, alleging the platform misled users by claiming to offer the lowest-cost crypto trading.
“Robinhood has long claimed to be the best bargain, but we believe those representations were deceptive,” Uthmeier said in a statement.
The probe centers on Robinhood’s use of payment for order flow — a common practice where market makers pay to execute trades — which the AG said can result in worse pricing for customers.
Robinhood Crypto General Counsel Lucas Moskowitz told CNBC its disclosures are “best-in-class” and that it delivers the lowest average cost.
“We disclose pricing information to customers during the lifecycle of a trade that clearly outlines the spread or the fees associated with the transaction, and the revenue Robinhood receives,” added Moskowitz.
Robinhood is also facing opposition to a new 25% cut of staking rewards for U.S. users, set to begin October 1. In Europe, the platform will take a smaller 15% cut.
Staking allows crypto holders to earn yield by locking up their tokens to help secure blockchain networks like ethereum, but platforms often take a percentage of those rewards as commission.
Robinhood’s 25% cut puts it in line with Coinbase, which charges between 25.25% and 35% depending on the token. The cut is notably higher than Gemini’s flat 15% fee.
It marks a shift for the company, which had previously steered clear of staking amid regulatory uncertainty.
Under President Joe Biden‘s administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission cracked down on U.S. platforms offering staking services, arguing they constituted unregistered securities.
With President Donald Trump in the White House, the agency has reversed course on several crypto enforcement actions, dropping cases against major players like Coinbase and Binance and signaling a more permissive stance.
Even as enforcement actions ease, Robinhood is under fresh scrutiny for its tokenized stock push, which is a growing part of its international strategy.
The company now offers blockchain-based assets in Europe that give users synthetic exposure to private firms like OpenAI and SpaceX through special purpose vehicles, or SPVs.
An SPV is a separate entity that acquires shares in a company. Users then buy tokens of the SPV and don’t have shareholder privileges or voting rights directly in the company.
OpenAI has publicly objected, warning the tokens do not represent real equity and were issued without its approval. In an interview with CNBC International, CEO Vlad Tenev acknowledged the tokens aren’t technically equity shares, but said that misses the broader point.
“What’s important is that retail customers have an opportunity to get exposure to this asset,” he said, pointing to the disruptive nature of AI and the historically limited access to pre-IPO companies.
“It is true that these are not technically equity,” Tenev added, noting that institutional investors often gain similar exposure through structured financial instruments.
The Bank of Lithuania — Robinhood’s lead regulator in the EU — told CNBC on Monday that it is “awaiting clarifications” following OpenAI’s statement.
“Only after receiving and evaluating this information will we be able to assess the legality and compliance of these specific instruments,” a spokesperson said, adding that information for investors must be “clear, fair, and non-misleading.”
Tenev responded that Robinhood is “happy to continue to answer questions from our regulators,” and said the company built its tokenized stock program to withstand scrutiny.
“Since this is a new thing, regulators are going to want to look at it,” he said. “And we expect to be scrutinized as a large, innovative player in this space.”
SEC Chair Paul Atkins recently called the model “an innovation” on CNBC’s Squawk Box, offering some validation as Robinhood leans further into its synthetic equity strategy — even as legal clarity remains in flux across jurisdictions.
Despite the regulatory noise, many investors remain focused on Robinhood’s upside, and particularly the political tailwinds.
The company is positioning itself as a key beneficiary of Trump’s newly signed megabill, which includes $1,000 government-seeded investment accounts for newborns. Robinhood said it’s already prototyping an app for the ‘Trump Accounts‘ initiative.