Rivian opens R2 configurator: here are all the options and pricing

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Rivian has opened the online configurator for the R2, its critical mid-size electric SUV, giving reservation holders their first chance to spec out the vehicle ahead of deliveries. The Performance trim starts at $57,990 — just under Tesla’s Model Y Performance at $58,880.

The configurator launch comes ahead of Rivian’s previously communicated June timeline, signaling confidence in the R2 production ramp at its Normal, Illinois factory.

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BMW is offering a 20% discount on EV charging at IONNA through September

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Through its new “preferred pricing program,” BMW and MINI drivers can receive a 20% discount on all EV charging sessions now through the end of September.

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Tesla finally reveals what happened in 17 ‘Robotaxi’ crashes

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Tesla has quietly unredacted all 17 of its autonomous driving crash narratives filed with NHTSA, revealing for the first time what actually happened in each incident. The automaker had been the only ADS operator to fully redact its crash reports, marking every single narrative as “confidential business information.”

The data shows what we always suspected: most of Tesla’s crashes were not the fault of the autonomous system. But there are some genuinely concerning incidents buried in there.

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Uber turns on Waymo as it pours $10B+ into owning robotaxi alternatives

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Uber is publicly trashing its robotaxi partner Waymo while simultaneously investing more than $10 billion to build its own autonomous vehicle fleet with Rivian, Lucid, and Nuro.

The ride-hailing giant’s executives have spent the last few months taking direct shots at Waymo’s technology and deployment strategy — even as Waymo vehicles still operate on Uber’s platform in Austin and Atlanta.

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Volkswagen reveals the first electric GTI, a 222 hp EV hot hatch for $45,000 [Images]

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The first electric GTI is finally here. Volkswagen unveiled the ID. Polo GTI, a sporty 222-horsepower EV hot hatch that will start at around $45,000.

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Parents: if your kid wants a fast e-bike, this may be the safest compromise yet

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There’s a tough conversation happening in a lot of households right now. Teenagers want cool, fast electric bikes. Parents see viral crash videos and stories about reckless riding and understandably want nothing to do with it.

And both sides kind of have a point. Group riding and hanging out with friends are an important part of today’s teenage social dynamics, but those same teens can also be a danger to themselves or others when paired with a potent combination of the wrong bike and an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex. Now though, there’s a new wave of e-bikes coming that might just make the best compromise to keep both camps happy.

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Tesla now forces drivers to give feedback when intervening on ‘Full Self-Driving’

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Tesla has quietly made it mandatory for drivers to provide feedback every time they intervene on “Full Self-Driving.” The prompt, which used to disappear on its own after a few seconds, now stays on screen indefinitely until the driver selects a reason or sends a voice note.

The change arrived with FSD v14.3.2 as part of software update 2026.2.9.9, which rolled out in late April. Tesla didn’t announce the new behavior — the company retroactively updated the release notes to mention it.

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Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI leaks as a spicy new EV hot hatch [Images]

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The ID. Polo GTI is Volkswagen’s first electric GTI. A day before its official debut, images leaked online, revealing the EV hot hatch for the first time.

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Tesla Solar Roof is on life support as it pivot to panels

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Tesla’s Solar Roof was supposed to revolutionize residential solar. Elon Musk unveiled the product in 2016 with the promise of beautiful solar tiles that would replace your entire roof — and he set a target of 1,000 new Solar Roofs per week by the end of 2019. Nearly a decade later, Tesla has installed roughly 3,000 Solar Roof systems total, stopped reporting deployment numbers, and is now quietly pivoting to conventional solar panels.

The gap between Tesla’s Solar Roof promise and reality is one of the most stark examples of unfulfilled ambitions in the company’s history — and it has left thousands of customers stuck with an expensive product that Tesla appears to have deprioritized.

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XPeng in talks to buy a Volkswagen plant in Europe as exports surge 62%

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XPeng (XPEV) is in talks with Volkswagen about acquiring a factory in Europe as the Chinese EV maker’s contract production in Austria runs out of capacity. The company’s exports hit a record 6,006 vehicles in April, up 62% year-over-year.

The move comes just one day after BYD revealed it is also pursuing European factory deals with Stellantis and other automakers, signaling a broader wave of Chinese automakers moving to localize production on the continent.

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