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Volkswagen to use Scout brand in hopes of disrupting competitive EV pickup, SUV market

Volkswagen's Emden Plant (Credit: Volkswagen)

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Volkswagen is planning to enter the United States’ rapidly growing electric pickup and SUV market by utilizing the Scout brand, the company’s new CEO told Axios.

President and CEO of Volkswagen’s North American operations, Scott Keogh, is set to become the new CEO of Scout on September 1. Keogh, who has overseen VW’s growth in the U.S. EV sector for the past several years, is being promoted to the position as the German automaker plans to enter a slice of the market that is set to grow significantly over the next few years: Electric Pickups and SUVs.

“It’s time now to concentrate more on the U.S. market and the U.S. customer, and one piece of the puzzle, for sure, is Scout,” VW AG CEO Herbert Diess said.

Scout was established in the early 1960s and helped develop numerous SUV body styles that are still relevant to this day. The Scout, which was built by manufacturer International Harvester, had gone head-to-head with some of the most recognizable names in the sector, competing with original generation Ford Bronco, Jeep, and Land Rover. Scout stopped production in 1980 but will make a return with production set to begin in 2026. 250,000 units are expected to be sold annually in the United States.

The United States is known for its heavy concentration of pickup trucks, and manufacturers in the U.S. do them well. Ford has routinely captured the world’s best-selling pickup truck with the F-150 Series. Now that more automakers are diving into the EV pickup market, the time to develop models is now. Volkswagen knows the U.S. EV pickup market will be competitive, but it’s still very early on. The F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, and Rivian R1T are the only three electric pickups available in the U.S. currently, with the Chevy Silverado EV, Tesla Cybertruck, and Lordstown Endurance all expected to be on the market soon.

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According to the report, Scout will be an independent U.S.-based company and will take on partners and other investors initially. It could eventually become a publicly-traded company, executives from Volkswagen said.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla launches Model Y Performance in the U.S.

The new Model Y Performance now sports a 0-60 MPH acceleration rate of 3.3 seconds, a good improvement from the 3.5 seconds the 2025 version offered. It also has a better range rating, up to 308 miles from 277 miles in the previous model year.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially launched the Model Y Performance in the United States, boasting better range, performance, and features than its previous build.

The new Model Y Performance now sports a 0-60 MPH acceleration rate of 3.3 seconds, a good improvement from the 3.5 seconds the 2025 version offered. It also has a better range rating, up to 308 miles from 277 miles in the previous model year.

Tesla Model Y Performance zips around Nurburgring with new features

It is priced at $57,490, and will be eligible for the $7,500 EV tax credit for the remainder of today, September 30. If you’re reading this on or after October 1, you will be required to pay $57,490.

Tesla also announced several new additions, both aesthetically and performance-wise. We’ll discuss them below:

Exterior Improvements

  • New front/rear fascia
  • Performance carbon spoiler for better aerodynamics – increased downforce and reduced drag
  • New 21″ Arachnid wheels and tires with staggered fitment to improve grip and steering
  • Adaptive damping adjusts handling and suspension for a smoother and more stable ride

Performance Improvements

  • New Drive Modes give you greater control for high-speed driving
  • Increased charge capacity thanks to high-density battery cells

Interior Improvements

  • Quiet cabin with premium sound-damping materials & acoustic glass
  • Heated/ventilated front sport seats & heated, perforated rear seats with power recline
  • Added bolstering and side cushions for improved comfort and stabilty when cornering
  • Cornered thigh cushion extenders, which were added to new Model Y L in China and Model Y Performance in Europe
  • 16″ high-res touchscreen

Credit: Tesla

Credit: Tesla

Credit: Tesla

Tesla offered the Model Y Performance in other markets before the United States, with deliveries starting in Europe earlier this month.

The launch of the Model Y Performance in the United States is expected to add a few thousand units to next quarter’s delivery figures. However, Tesla is doing customers a favor by launching it ahead of the tax credit’s expiration at midnight.

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Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers from noted tuner arrive to Las Vegas PD

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Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers from noted tuner Unplugged Performance arrived to the Las Vegas Police Department this week.

The fleet will have ten total Cybertrucks, outfitted and equipped with all of the trimmings of a normal cruiser, but packed inside the polarizing but useful exoskeleton of the all-electric pickup.

Back in February, it was announced by Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill that they would be specially fitted as a SWAT vehicle. Sheriff McMahill said that the Cybertrucks will keep officers safe because of their unique engineering:

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“The cop inside will be safe no matter what; it will stop bullets.”

The Department was gifted the ten vehicles by Ben Horowitz, a billionaire businessman. The donation came shortly after a Cybertruck exploded outside of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1. Only the suspect was killed in the explosion.

Sheriff McMahill has big plans for the Cybertrucks in the police fleet:

“Imagine when we’re out and we’re charging these things, and officers will be approached by people from all over the community to see this thing. It’s an opportunity [to] inject humanity, to increase our community partnerships.”

The introduction of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Cybertrucks is just one way the law enforcement agency is using technology to its advantage. The Department also said in February that it would be using new drone technology to triangulate gunshots.

Police departments from all over the United States and even the world have adopted Tesla vehicles for their law enforcement fleets. Many agencies cite cost-effectiveness, affordability, performance, and charging as significant advantages for why EVs make sense for their fleets.

Some Cybertrucks have been utilized as police vehicles as well. Qatar used them to create a motorcade for President Donald Trump during a visit to the Middle East, and the Jalisco, Mexico PD will utilize several Cybertrucks while patrolling the FIFA World Cup.

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Tesla eyes Los Angeles for Robotaxi operation, job posting suggests

LA is also an ideal location for Robotaxi expansion because of its reputation as a hotspot for ride-sharing services.

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Credit: @TerrapinTerpene/X

Tesla is eyeing Los Angeles for its Robotaxi operation, a new job posting from the company suggests, as it aims to expand its service area in California.

Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi platform in California for several months now, first launching it in July in the Bay Area, spanning from San Francisco to San Jose, giving those who have access to the ride-hailing suite a pretty substantial service area to travel within.

However, the California operation is far from complete, as Tesla is aiming to expand to Los Angeles, a city that sits roughly seven hours south of San Francisco, but is among the most popular markets for its vehicles.

LA is also an ideal location for Robotaxi expansion because of its reputation as a hotspot for ride-sharing services.

Tesla is hiring a Vehicle Operator for its Robotaxi program in Marina Del Rey, a seaside community in Los Angeles County, located near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and several other hotspots. It is a frequent location of travel for tourists, making it ideal for Robotaxi:

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There is a substantial difference between how Tesla operates Robotaxi in California compared to Texas, the other state that currently allows passengers to hail a ride through the Tesla Robotaxi app.

In Texas, the majority of rides are considered “driverless,” as there is nobody sitting in the driver’s seat.

This applies to any ride that does not utilize any of the Texas freeways, as highways will require a driver in the seat, something Tesla did when its geofence in Austin expanded to include interstates.

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Tesla adjusts Robotaxi safety monitor strategy in Austin with new service area

In California, things are a bit different. The “Safety Monitor” sits in the driver’s seat, regardless of destination or route. This has drawn some criticism, but Tesla has taken this step in an effort to keep passengers and traffic as safe as possible, recognizing that this is essential for these early rides.

Eventually, and potentially as soon as the end of this year, Tesla could remove Safety Monitors from vehicles altogether, as CEO Elon Musk has hinted this is a possibility.

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