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Rivian CEO talks R1T and R1S battery packs, drivetrains and suspension
In a recent interview with Chuck Tannert of Forbes, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe discussed a number of details related to his electric car company’s first two vehicles — the R1T pickup truck and the R1S SUV. While speaking with the journalist, Scaringe talked about the Rivian skateboard, which contains the vehicles’ batteries, drivetrain, and suspension.
Scaringe noted in his interview that he has always been fascinated with “things that move,” to the point where he helped a neighbor build a Porsche 356s in a garage at a young age. This fascination for vehicles carried over all the way through Scaringe’s doctorate at MIT’s prestigious Sloan Automotive Lab, and to his tenure as Rivian’s founder and CEO. Scaringe even admitted that if push comes to shove, he would rather be working on a lab, pushing Rivian’s skateboard platform further.
Similar to other electric vehicles like Tesla Model S and the Porsche Taycan, the Rivian R1T and the R1S utilize a skateboard design. This means that all the vehicles’ mechanical components, including their battery, drivetrain and suspension are all contained in one place. Suspension-wise, Rivian uses a double wishbone system on the front and a multi-link setup on the rear of the R1T and the R1S. These offer dynamic roll and adaptive dampers, along with air suspension, allowing the pickup truck and SUV to traverse rough terrain. The pickup truck and SUV’s drivetrain is also notable, as each wheel is powered by a 147-kW all-electric motor.
Rivian’s true, clever innovations are highlighted on the company’s battery pack. Rivian utilizes cylindrical 2170 cells to power its vehicles. These cells are grouped into modules, which are then stacked on top of each other. Each Rivian module holds 864 cells — 432 on the bottom layer and an equal number on the upper layer. Between the cells is a thin aluminum plate with liquid coolant, helping the batteries prevent overheating. This system is so far unique to Rivian.
Being luxury adventure vehicles, Rivian’s battery packs — regardless of their 105 kWh, 135 kWh, and 180 kWh configuration — are protected by a carbon fiber composite shell. Battery packs are watertight as well, and a “ballistic shield” covers the entire underbody of the vehicles. This allows both the R1T and the R1S to be capable of handling extreme levels of off-road punishment.
Rivian surprised the auto and electric car industry when it left stealth mode and revealed two production-ready vehicles last year. So far, the company aims to produce around 20,000 units of the R1T and R1S on the vehicles’ first year of production. As for the company’s future, Scaringe noted that he would let Rivian’s results prove his point. “I tend to be quiet to outsiders about what we’re doing. Let the results speak for themselves,” he said.
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
