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Rivian R1S hailed as first production EV to finish Rubicon Trail

Credit: Rivian Automotive

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A stock Rivian R1S SUV recently achieved something that has never been done in the past. As noted in a recent post from the EV maker, a stock R1S was able to successfully complete the Rubicon Trail. The vehicle was able to achieve the feat on a single charge. 

The Rubicon Trail is regarded as one of the United States’ premier off-road trails — and one of the most difficult. Off-road enthusiasts note that while it is possible to complete the Rubicon Trail in about 8-10 hours, those who visit the area are highly advised to spend a minimum of two days. This is because the Rubicon Trail offers so much, from places with stunning views, to swimming areas, and places for serious rock crawling. 

The team from Rivian seemed to have taken advantage of the full Rubicon Trail experience, as the R1S entered the trail through the Loon Lake entrance at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, August 7. The R1S exited the trail at the Tahoma staging site around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 9. 

Rivian noted that the R1S entered the trail with about 80% state of charge. After the two day trip, the vehicle had about 10% of its battery left, which was enough to reach a nearby Level 2 charger. 

Credit: Rivian Automotive

Rivian noted that the Quad-Motor R1S that completed the trail was fully stock, including its 34-inch Pirelli all-terrain tires. The only additional equipment was a set of steel rock sliders, front tow hitch receivers, and a roof rack. The all-electric SUV experienced no mechanical failures during its two-day journey, nor did it require a change of tires. Just like other vehicles on the trail, however, the R1S did earn some honorary bumps and scrapes. 

Matt Trainham, Rivian Director of Vehicle Testing, shared some thoughts on the R1S’ achievement. “Crossing the Rubicon Trail in a more sustainable way than it has ever been done before makes me hopeful for the future of off-roading,” he said. 

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla Bay Area autonomous fleet to grow to over 100 units: Elon Musk

Tesla is currently working to expand its fleet for its Bay Area pilot.

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Credit: @BLKMDL3/X

Tesla seems determined to provide autonomous ride-hailing services to regular customers in the Bay Area. As per Elon Musk in recent comments on social media platform X, Tesla is currently working to expand its fleet for its Bay Area pilot, which should allow the company to provide ride-hailing services to more customers. 

Tesla Robotaxi Bay Area rollout

At the end of last month, Tesla launched its Robotaxi service in the Bay Area. The Bay Area geofence for Tesla’s Robotaxi pilot is massive, dwarfing the Austin geofence’s current 80 square miles. Customers who opt for a ride from one end of the Bay Area geofence to the other could expect to travel about 65 miles, a 1 hour 15 minute commute.

Tesla, however, has been careful not to brand its ride-hailing service in the Bay Area as a Robotaxi pilot. Unlike in Austin, Tesla’s pilot in the Bay Area also uses a safety driver in the driver’s seat. Elon Musk mentioned on X that Tesla has to be careful not to use the words “taxi” or “cab” in California to describe its current pilot. 

Bay Area fleet expansion

Apart from his comment about the Bay Area pilot’s name, Elon Musk also noted that Tesla is looking to expand its fleet in its ongoing pilot. As per the CEO, Tesla is currently “working as quickly as possible to get 100+ Teslas operating for autonomous ride-hailing in the Bay Area.” Musk stated that this expansion should allow “anyone to request a ride.”

While the Tesla Robotaxi pilot in Austin and the Bay Area are still only in their initial stages, they are growing very quickly. The Austin geofence was expanded weeks into its launch, and expectations are high that another expansion will be coming soon. With more autonomous cars available in the Bay Area soon, Tesla’s ride-hailing service could very well become a common sight on public roads sooner than expected. 

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Tesla Cybertruck wanted by U.S. Air Force as targets in munitions training

“…the Cybertruck’s aggressively angular and futuristic design, paired with its unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, sets it apart from competitors typically using painted steel or aluminum bodies.”

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Credit: Patrick Bean | X

The Tesla Cybertruck is wanted by the United States Air Force as the military branch is buying up a fleet of vehicles specifically for use as targets in munitions training and testing.

The Air Force listed the Cybertruck among 33 total vehicles that will be used specifically to support the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)’s Standoff Precision Guided Munition (SOPGM) training and tests.

The Cybertruck was specifically chosen because of its durability, the Air Force states in filings that are public:

“[Redacted] intends to uses specific Tesla-manufactured vehicles for target vehicle training flight test events. In the operating theatre it is likely the type of vehicles used by the enemy may transition to Tesla Cyber trucks as they have been found not to receive the normal extent of damage expected upon major impact. Testing needs to mirror real world situations. The intent of the training is to prep the units for operations by simulating scenarios as closely as possible to the real-world situations.”

The documents also state:

“On 13 February 2025, market research was conducted to assess the competition for the Tesla Cybertruck by evaluating its design, materials, impact resistance, and innovative technologies. The study revealed that the Cybertruck’s aggressively angular and futuristic design, paired with its unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, sets it apart from competitors typically using painted steel or aluminum bodies. Additionally, its 48V electrical architecture provides superior power and efficiency, a feature that rivals are only beginning to develop. Extensive internet searches and industry outreach by [redacted] found no vehicles with features comparable to those of the Cybertruck.”

In all, the testing will require sedans, Bongo trucks, pickup trucks, SUVs, and the Cybertruck.

It is not the first time the vehicle has been listed as a potential candidate for military or government applications.

Back in February, Tesla was listed as the company projected to win what would be a $400 million contract from the U.S. Department of State for the purchase of armored EVs to be used for government purposes.

Tesla’s name was specifically listed, but was later removed, and CEO Elon Musk said he was not aware of Tesla being mentioned or offered the contract.

This contract with the Cybertruck and the U.S. Air Force was released today, and it lists “offers due” as tomorrow. It will become inactive 15 days after that, on August 22.

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Tesla stock gets another analysis from Jim Cramer, and investors will like it

“Tesla is morphing right now. It’s in transition from being a car company to being a technology company.”

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Credit: CNBC Television/YouTube

Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) got its latest analysis from Jim Cramer, and investors will like what he has to say.

Cramer has flip-flopped his thoughts on Tesla shares many times over the years. One time, he said CEO Elon Musk was a genius; the next, he said Ford stock was a better play. He’s always changing his tune.

However, Cramer’s most recent analysis is of a bullish tone, as he talks about the company’s evolution from an automaker to a tech powerhouse. He made the comments on CNBC’s Mad Money:

“Tesla is morphing right now. It’s in transition from being a car company to being a technology company. You wanna be in there because the tech is worth a lot more than what it’s selling for right now. Don’t care where you bought it, care where it’s going to.”

Tesla has always been looked at by the mainstream media as an automaker. While that is its main business currently, Tesla has always had other divisions: Energy, Solar, Charging, AI, and Robotics. Some came after others, but the important point is that Tesla has not been an automaker exclusively for a decade.

It launched Powerwall and Powerpack in April 2015, marking the start of Tesla Energy.

But Cramer has a point here: Tesla is truly becoming much more than a car company, and it is turning into an AI and overall tech company more than ever before. Eventually, it will be recognized as such, more so than it will be as an automotive company.

Cramer’s comments also follow a recent prediction by Musk, who stated on X that he believes a $150,000 investment in Tesla shares right now would eventually turn someone into a millionaire:

Musk has said he believes Tesla could be headed to a serious increase in valuation. Eventually, it could become the most valuable company in the world. He said this during the Q2 Earnings Call:

“I do think if Tesla continues to execute well with vehicle autonomy and humanoid robot autonomy, it will be the most valuable company in the world. A lot of execution between here and there. It doesn’t just happen. Provided we execute very well, I think Tesla has a shot at being the most valuable company in the world. Obviously, I am extremely optimistic about the future of the company.”

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