Rivian Skunkworks Program

Rivian, the electric vehicle manufacturer, has spun out its skunkworks program, known as Also, with $105 million in funding from Eclipse Ventures. Rivian's founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe, will serve on the board of Also, and Chris Yu, Rivian's VP of future programs, will be its president.

Also will focus on electric micromobility, and its spin-out is expected to accelerate the development of new technologies in this area. The investment in Also is a significant vote of confidence in the potential of electric micromobility to transform the transportation sector.

Trump's Tariffs on Imported Cars

Trump has placed 25% tariffs on all cars imported to the United States, including those from Mexico and Canada. This move is expected to increase the cost of new and used cars, but it may also benefit Tesla, which is one of the largest manufacturers of electric vehicles in the US.

The tariffs may make imported cars more expensive, which could give Tesla a competitive advantage in the market. However, the impact of the tariffs on the automotive industry as a whole is still uncertain and may depend on various factors, including the response of other manufacturers and the evolution of global trade policies.

Investments in EV Technology and Autonomous Driving

Several companies have made significant investments in EV technology and autonomous driving. For example, Lucid is exploring partnerships to develop higher levels of autonomy, and Waymo will begin offering robotaxi rides in Washington, D.C. in 2026.

Other companies, such as BetterFleet, The Bot Company, and DeCharge, have raised significant funding to develop EV charging infrastructure, robotics, and other technologies related to electric vehicles and autonomous driving.

These investments demonstrate the growing interest in EV technology and autonomous driving, and they are expected to drive innovation and growth in the transportation sector in the coming years.