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Rivian R1T prototype involved in strange accident with two parked vehicles

Credit: Reddit u/blonktime via r/Rivian

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Update: Rivian has released a statement regarding the accident:

A Rivian-owned prototype vehicle was involved in an accident near our Irvine facility today. A Rivian employee was at the wheel. No one was injured, and the accident’s cause was driver error. All safety features performed as intended.

A Rivian R1T prototype was involved in a strange accident involving two parked vehicles in a California lot.

According to eyewitnesses, the R1T mounted a curb and traveled at least 50 feet before colliding with a Mercedes-Benz S Class and a Ford Explorer. The R1T climbed over the curb before running up a grass-covered embankment, driving straight through a series of bushes and then hitting the two parked cars causing considerable damage. However, the accident does not appear to be very serious and instead seems to be a case of loss of control.

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Initially shared by Reddit user u/blonktime on the r/Rivian subreddit, images show the path of the R1T before it collided with the vehicles. It also shows the damage to the Ford Explorer, which undoubtedly took most of the damage in the incident. u/blonktime stated that the accident took place in Irvine, California, where Rivian has an office.

“Not sure if it was throttle malfunction, failure of the brakes, or the guys driving it were just having too much fun on the straight away and braked too late. Cops were everywhere trying to disperse people, so I didn’t have much luck asking any of the engineers who were driving,” the original poster stated.

It is important to remember that car accidents happen. Just because this is a prototype vehicle does not mean the car itself was the cause of the accident. Instead, it could have been a simple mistake by the driver, but details regarding the nature of the crash are still unknown.  The City of Irvine Police Department did respond to Teslarati’s inquiry for comment, and stated the Tustin Police Department handled the incident. We are awaiting response from the Tustin PD.

Rivian has not yet had its vehicles evaluated by the NHTSA or the IIHS for crash test safety ratings. Still, it has performed in-house tests to gain information on the vehicle’s reaction during a collision.

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Rivian patents unique airbag system for max protection during far-side collisions

Rivian is set to deliver its first vehicles later this year, and production of the R1T has already begun at the company’s Normal, Illinois, vehicle production facility.

This story is developing. Please check back as we uncover more details.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, or be sure to email me at joey@teslarati.com or on Twitter @KlenderJoey.

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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 Semi pricing revealed after company uncovers trim levels

This is a step up from the prices that were revealed back in 2017, but with inflation and other factors, it is no surprise Tesla could not come through on the numbers it planned to offer nine years ago. When the Semi was unveiled in November 2017, Tesla had three pricing levels:

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Semi pricing appears to have been revealed after the company started communicating with the entities interested in purchasing its all-electric truck. The pricing details come just days after Tesla revealed it planned to offer two trim levels and uncovered the specs of each.

After CEO Elon Musk said the Semi would enter volume production this year, Tesla revealed trim levels shortly thereafter. Offering a Standard Range and a Long Range trim will fit the needs of many companies that plan to use the truck for local and regional deliveries.

Tesla Semi lines up for $165M in California incentives ahead of mass production

It will also be a good competitor to the all-electric semi trucks already available from companies like Volvo.

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With the release of specs, Tesla helped companies see the big picture in terms of what the Semi could do to benefit their business. However, pricing information was not available.

A new report from Electrek states that Tesla has been communicating with those interested companies and is pricing the Standard Range at $250,000 per unit, while the Long Range is priced at $290,000. These prices come before taxes and destination fees.

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This is a step up from the prices that were revealed back in 2017, but with inflation and other factors, it is no surprise Tesla could not come through on the numbers it planned to offer nine years ago. When the Semi was unveiled in November 2017, Tesla had three pricing levels:

  • $150,000 for a 300-mile range version
  • $180,000 for a 500-mile range version
  • $200,000 for a limited “Founders Series” edition; full upfront payment required for priority production and limited to just 1,000 units

Tesla has not officially released any specific information regarding pricing on the Semi, but it is not surprising that it has not done so. The Semi is a vehicle that will be built for businesses, and pricing information is usually reserved for those who place reservations. This goes for most products of this nature.

The Semi will be built at a new, dedicated production facility in Sparks, Nevada, which Tesla broke ground on in 2024. The factory was nearly complete in late 2025, and executives confirmed that the first “online builds” were targeted for that same time.

Meaningful output is scheduled for this year, as Musk reiterated earlier this week that it would enter mass production this year. At full capacity, the factory will build 50,000 units annually.

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Tesla executive moves on after 13 years: ‘It has been a privilege to serve’

“It is challenging to encapsulate 13 years in a single post. The journey at Tesla has been one of continuous evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, building, and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Security, Sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve,” Jegannathan said in the post.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla executive Raj Jegannathan is moving on from the company after 13 years, he announced on LinkedIn on Monday.

“It is challenging to encapsulate 13 years in a single post. The journey at Tesla has been one of continuous evolution. From the technical intricacies of designing, building, and operating one of the world’s largest AI clusters to impactful contributions in IT, Security, Sales, and Service, it has been a privilege to serve,” Jegannathan said in the post.

After starting as a Senior Staff Engineer in Fremont back in November 2012, Jegannathan slowly worked his way through the ranks at Tesla. His most recent role was Vice President of IT/AI Infrastructure, Business Apps, and Infosec.

However, it was reported last year that Jegannathan had taken on a new role, which was running the North American sales team following the departure of Troy Jones, who had held the position previously.

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While Jegannathan’s LinkedIn does not mention this position specifically, it seemed to be accurate, considering Tesla had not explicitly promoted any other person to the role.

It is a big loss for Tesla, but not a destructive departure. Jegannathan was one of the few company executives who answered customer and fan questions on X, a unique part of the Tesla ownership experience.

Tesla to offer Full Self-Driving gifting program: here’s how it will work

It currently remains unclear if Jegannathan was removed from the position or if he left under his own accord.

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“As I move on, I do so with a full heart and excitement for what lies ahead. Thank you, Tesla, for this wonderful opportunity!” he concluded.

The departure marks a continuing trend of executives leaving the company, as the past 24 months have seen some significant turnover at the executive level.

Tesla has shown persistently elevated executive turnover over the past two years, as names like Drew Baglino, Rohan Patel, Rebecca Tinucci, Daniel Ho, Omead Afshar, Milan Kovac, and Siddhant Awasthi have all been notable names to exit the company in the past two years.

There are several things that could contribute to this. Many skeptics will point to Elon Musk’s politics, but that is not necessarily the case.

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Tesla is a difficult, but rewarding place to work. It is a company that requires a lot of commitment, and those who are halfway in might not choose to stick around. Sacrificing things like time with family might not outweigh the demands of Tesla and Musk.

Additionally, many of these executives have made a considerable amount of money thanks to stock packages the company offers to employees. While many might be looking for new opportunities, some might be interested in an early retirement.

Tesla is also in the process of transitioning away from its most notable division, automotive. While it still plans to manufacture cars in the millions, it is turning more focus toward robotics and autonomy, and these plans might not align with what some executives might want for themselves. There are a wide variety of factors in the decision to leave a job, so it is important not to immediately jump to controversy.

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Lemonade launches Tesla FSD insurance program in Oregon

The program was announced by Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger on social media platform X.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla drivers in Oregon can now receive significant insurance discounts when using FSD, following the launch of Lemonade’s new Autonomous Car insurance program. 

The program was announced by Lemonade co-founder Shai Wininger on social media platform X.

Lemonade launches FSD-based insurance in Oregon

In a post on X, Wininger confirmed that Lemondade’s Autonomous Car insurance product for Tesla is now live in Oregon. The program allows eligible Tesla owners to receive roughly 50% off insurance costs for every mile driven using Tesla’s FSD system.

“And… we’re ON. @Lemonade_Inc’s Autonomous Car for @Tesla FSD is now live in Oregon. Tesla drivers in Oregon can now get ~50% off their Tesla FSD-driven miles + the best car insurance experience in the US, bar none,” Wininger wrote in his post. 

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As per Lemonade on its official website, the program is built on Tesla’s safety data, which indicates that miles driven using FSD are approximately twice as safe as those driven manually. As a result, Lemonade prices those miles at a lower rate. The insurer noted that as FSD continues to improve, associated discounts could increase over time.

How Lemonade tracks FSD miles

Lemonade’s FSD discount works through a direct integration with Tesla vehicles, enabled only with a driver’s explicit permission. Once connected, the system distinguishes between miles driven manually and those driven using FSD, applying the discount automatically to qualifying miles.

There is no minimum FSD usage requirement. Drivers who use FSD occasionally still receive discounted rates for those miles, while non-FSD miles are billed at competitive standard rates. Lemonade also emphasized that coverage and claims handling remain unchanged regardless of whether a vehicle is operating under manual control or FSD at the time of an incident.

The program is currently available only to Teslas equipped with Hardware 4 or newer, running firmware version 2025.44.25.5 or later. Lemonade also allows policyholders to bundle Tesla insurance with renters, homeowners, pet, or life insurance policies for additional savings.

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