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First look at Rivian’s R1T and R1S Design Studio

Credit: Rivian

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Rivian has officially launched the Design Studio online configurator for the R1T pickup and R1S SUV, and Teslarati got a first-hand look at the available options. Currently, the Design Studio is only available to pre-order customers and will be launched to the general public on November 23rd.

Rivian’s R1T starts at $67,500 and the R1S at $70,000. The Design Studio allows reservation holders and prospective buyers to design their vehicles’ interior and exterior, along with the battery pack and variant that they so choose to purchase.

The Rivian Design Studio is similar to any online ordering platform for a vehicle. The only difference is the manufacturer’s available options regarding aesthetics and performance, which are outlined below.

R1T Design Studio

The R1T Design Studio offers several different options initially, including choosing a specific build and increased battery pack allowing for more range.

Next, the reservation holder will choose the color of their R1T. My design studio choice was the $2,500 Compass Yellow option, which is unique and is accompanied by eight other possible colors. Additionally, the owner will have the choice of the 20″ All-Terrain or All-Terrain Dark wheels and tires, which run an extra $1,800 and $3,500, respectively. There are also Sport and Sport Dark packages that run for the same prices.

For the outdoorsy owner, the notorious Rivian Camp Kitchen is also available. The automaker will include an induction cooktop, a built-in sink, a 4-gallon water tank and pump, and a 30 piece cookware set for an additional $5,000.

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Finally, the interior colors for the R1T include the Standard Black Mountain and two other options: Ocean Coast and Forest Edge. Ocean Coast is available at no extra cost, and Forest Edge will add $2,000 to the vehicle’s purchase price.

Finally, a Summary page describes all of your choices when your vehicle will be delivered and the estimated price. A $1,000 deposit is required to confirm your reservation.

R1S Design Studio

The R1S Design Studio offers the same options as the R1T, without the increased battery pack.

The same color options are available, but since we chose the Launch Edition of the R1S, we have “Launch Green” available. The same colors are available for the R1T. The R1S has the same “Wheels and Tires” options, but they are depending on the package you choose. The wheel options are dependent on the package, not the vehicle, as the R1S has just as many options as the R1T in terms of wheel options. Also, sorry to the R1S owners who want to do some cooking in the great outdoors. The SUV will not have an option for the Camp Kitchen.

The same interior colors are also available to choose from, with the Forest Edge adding $2,000 to the price once again.

Finally, the Summary page greets the customer, describing options chosen, delivery dates, and the $1,o00 refundable deposit.

The R1T and R1S will begin deliveries for the “Launch Edition” in August and June 2021, respectively. The Design Studio will be open to the general public in just one week, so if you don’t have a reservation, you’ll be able to customize one of Rivian’s EVs on November 23rd.

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 dominates in the UK with Model Y and Model 3 leading the way

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla is dominating in the United Kingdom so far through 2025, and with about two weeks left in the year, the Model Y and Model 3 are leading the way.

The Model Y and Model 3 are the two best-selling electric vehicles in the United Kingdom, which is comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and it’s not particularly close.

According to data gathered by EU-EVs, the Model Y is sitting at 18,890 units for the year, while the Model 3 is slightly behind with 16,361 sales for the year so far.

The next best-selling EV is the Audi Q4 e-tron at 10,287 units, lagging significantly behind but ahead of other models like the BMW i4 and the Audi Q6 e-tron.

The Model Y has tasted significant success in the global market, but it has dominated in large markets like Europe and the United States.

For years, it’s been a car that has fit the bill of exactly what consumers need: a perfect combination of luxury, space, and sustainability.

Both vehicles are going to see decreases in sales compared to 2024; the Model Y was the best-selling car last year, but it sold 32,610 units in the UK. Meanwhile, the Model 3 had reached 17,272 units, which will keep it right on par with last year.

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Tesla announces major milestone in the United Kingdom

Tesla sold 50,090 units in the market last year, and it’s about 8,000 units shy of last year’s pace. It also had a stronger market share last year with 13.2 percent of the sales in the market. With two weeks left in 2025, Tesla has a 9.6 percent market share, leading Volkswagen with 8 percent.

The company likely felt some impact from CEO Elon Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration and, more specifically, his role with DOGE. However, it is worth mentioning that some months saw stronger consumer demand than others. For example, sales were up over 20 percent in February. A 14 percent increase followed this in June.

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Tesla Insurance officially expands to new U.S. state

Tesla’s in-house Insurance program first launched back in late 2019, offering a new way to insure the vehicles that was potentially less expensive and could alleviate a lot of the issues people had with claims, as the company could assess and repair the damage itself.

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Credit: Tesla Insurance

Tesla Insurance has officially expanded to a new U.S. state, its thirteenth since its launch in 2019.

Tesla has confirmed that its in-house Insurance program has officially made its way to Florida, just two months after the company filed to update its Private Passenger Auto program in the state. It had tried to offer its insurance program to drivers in the state back in 2022, but its launch did not happen.

Instead, Tesla refiled the paperwork back in mid-October, which essentially was the move toward initiating the offering this month.

Tesla’s in-house Insurance program first launched back in late 2019, offering a new way to insure the vehicles that was potentially less expensive and could alleviate a lot of the issues people had with claims, as the company could assess and repair the damage itself.

It has expanded to new states since 2019, but Florida presents a particularly interesting challenge for Tesla, as the company’s entry into the state is particularly noteworthy given its unique insurance landscape, characterized by high premiums due to frequent natural disasters, dense traffic, and a no-fault system.

Tesla partners with Lemonade for new insurance program

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Annual average premiums for Florida drivers hover around $4,000 per year, well above the national average. Tesla’s insurance program could disrupt this, especially for EV enthusiasts. The state’s growing EV adoption, fueled by incentives and infrastructure development, aligns perfectly with Tesla’s ecosystem.

Moreover, there are more ways to have cars repaired, and features like comprehensive coverage for battery damage and roadside assistance tailored to EVs address those common painpoints that owners have.

However, there are some challenges that still remain. Florida’s susceptibility to hurricanes raises questions about how Tesla will handle claims during disasters.

Looking ahead, Tesla’s expansion of its insurance program signals the company’s ambition to continue vertically integrating its services, including coverage of its vehicles. Reducing dependency on third-party insurers only makes things simpler for the company’s automotive division, as well as for its customers.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving gets sparkling review from South Korean politician

“Having already ridden in an unmanned robotaxi, the novelty wasn’t as strong for me, but it drives just as well as most people do. It already feels like a completed technology, which gives me a lot to think about.”

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Credit: Soyoung Lee | X

Tesla Full Self-Driving got its first sparkling review from South Korean politician Lee So-young, a member of the country’s National Assembly, earlier this week.

Lee is a member of the Strategy and Finance Committee in South Korea and is a proponent of sustainable technologies and their applications in both residential and commercial settings. For the first time, Lee was able to utilize Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology as it launched in the country in late November.

Her thoughts on the suite were complimentary to the suite, stating that “it drives just as well as most people do,” and that “it already feels like a completed technology.”

Her translated post says:

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“Finally, today I got to experience Tesla FSD in Seoul. Thanks to the Model S sponsored by JiDal Papa^^, I’m truly grateful to Papa. The route was from the National Assembly -> Mangwon Market -> Hongik University -> back to the National Assembly. Having already ridden in an unmanned robotaxi, the novelty wasn’t as strong for me, but it drives just as well as most people do. It already feels like a completed technology, which gives me a lot to think about. Once it actually spreads into widespread use, I feel like our daily lives are going to change a lot. Even I, with my license gathering dust in a drawer, don’t see much reason to learn to drive a manual anymore.”

Tesla Full Self-Driving officially landed in South Korea in late November, with the initial launch being one of Tesla’s most recent, v14.1.4.

It marked the seventh country in which Tesla was able to enable the driver assistance suite, following the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.

It is important to see politicians and figures in power try new technologies, especially ones that are widely popular in other regions of the world and could potentially revolutionize how people travel globally.

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