Rivian recently revealed more details about its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. Teslarati previously discussed the price and specific trims and/or equipment packages that Rivian will offer for the R1T and R1S, which include the Launch Edition, Adventure Package, and Explore Package.
The Launch Edition, as well as the Adventure and Explore Package R1T and R1S vehicles have an estimated 300+ miles of range per charge, according to Rivian. During the launch of the R1T and R1S back in 2018, Rivian remarked that it would be releasing three battery options for its vehicles: a 105 kWh pack, capable of providing 230+ miles of range; a 135 kWh battery with 300+ miles of range, and a 180 kWh pack which offers 400+ miles of range. It seems Rivian’s early production vehicles will be equipped with its midrange battery.
The EV truck manufacturer did note, however, that the 400+ mile variant of the R1T will be available beginning in January 2022. It will only offer the 300+ mile R1T variant in 2021 and a longer-range variant with five and/or seven seats will be announced at a later date. A 250+ mile variant, which will be offered at a lower price, will be available for the R1T and R1S at a later date as well.
Rivian’s R1T and R1S line will come standard with Rivian Driver+, the company’s advanced driver-assist system, which promises to a true hands-free driving assistance experience. The system will be capable of over-the-air software updates.
Similar to Tesla’s Autopilot, Rivian Driver+ will have the capability to automatically steer, adjust speed, and change lanes. However, Rivian noted that the system will only be available on select highways at launch. More areas will be available in the future. Also like Autopilot, Driver+ requires drivers to have their full attention on the road.
Rivian Driver+ features two redundant compute platforms, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and 10 exterior cameras. A suite of 5 radars and high-precision GPS is also equipped on the vehicle, as well as an interior camera designed to monitor driver alertness.
The specs and features Rivian chose to include in its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV reflects the kind of automaker it wants to be and they type of vehicles it wants to provide to drivers who like having adventures outdoors, like overlanding. Specific features, like the capability of the R1T’s manual tonneau cover to change into a table, seem specifically tailored for certain pickup truck users. It’s almost as if each Rivian car will be a “bespoke” vehicle.
The success of Rivian’s take on the EV pickup and SUV will be known in due time, most probably after Summer 2021 when deliveries of the R1T and R1S Launch Editions are slated for release.
Energy
Tesla Energy gains UK license to sell electricity to homes and businesses
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
Tesla Energy has received a license to supply electricity in the United Kingdom, opening the door for the company to serve homes and businesses in the country.
The license was granted to Tesla Energy Ventures Ltd. by UK energy regulator Ofgem after a seven-month review process.
According to Ofgem, the license took effect at 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday and applies to Great Britain.
The approval allows Tesla’s energy business to sell electricity directly to customers in the region, as noted in a Bloomberg News report.
Tesla has already expanded similar services in the United States. In Texas, the company offers electricity plans that allow Tesla owners to charge their vehicles at a lower cost while also feeding excess electricity back into the grid.
Tesla already has a sizable presence in the UK market. According to price comparison website U-switch, there are more than 250,000 Tesla electric vehicles in the country and thousands of Tesla home energy storage systems.
Ofgem also noted that Tesla Motors Ltd., a separate entity incorporated in England and Wales, received an electricity generation license in June 2020.
The new UK license arrives as Tesla continues expanding its global energy business.
Last year, Tesla Energy retained the top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year. According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings, Tesla held about 15% of global market share in 2024.
The company also maintained a dominant position in North America, where it captured roughly 39% market share in the region.
At the same time, competition in the energy storage sector is increasing. Chinese companies such as Sungrow have been expanding their presence globally, particularly in Europe.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares big Tesla Optimus 3 production update
According to Musk, Tesla is in the final stages of completing Optimus 3, which he described as one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that production of Optimus 3 could begin this summer. Musk shared the update in his interview at the Abundance Summit.
According to Musk, Tesla is in the final stages of completing Optimus 3, which he described as one of the world’s most advanced humanoid robots.
“We’re in the final stages of completion of Optimus 3, which is really going to be by far the most advanced robot in the world. Nothing’s even close. In fact, I haven’t even seen demos of robots that are as good as Optimus 3,” Musk said.
He also set expectations on the pace of Optimus 3’s production ramp, stating that the initial volumes of the humanoid robot will likely be very low. Musk did, however, also state that high production rates for Optimus 3 should be possible in 2027.
“I think we’ll start production on Optimus 3 this summer, but very slow at first, like sort of this classic S-curve ramp of manufacturing units versus time. And then, probably reach high volume production around summer next year,” he said.
Interestingly enough, the CEO hinted that Tesla is looking to iterate on the robot quickly, potentially releasing a new Optimus design every year.
“We’ll have Optimus 4 design complete next year. We’ll try to release a new robot design every year,” Musk stated.
Tesla has already outlined broader plans for scaling Optimus production beyond its first manufacturing line. Musk previously stated that Optimus 4 will be built at Gigafactory Texas at significantly higher production volumes.
Initial production lines for the robot are expected to be located at Tesla’s Fremont Factory, where the company plans to establish a line capable of producing up to 1 million robots per year.
A larger production ramp is expected to occur at Gigafactory Texas, where Musk has previously suggested could eventually support production of up to 10 million robots per year.
“We’re going to launch on the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever, starting with building a one-million-unit production line in Fremont. And that’s Line one. And then a ten million unit per year production line here,” Musk said previously.
The comments suggest that while Optimus 3 will likely begin production at Fremont, Tesla’s larger-scale manufacturing push could arrive with Optimus 4 at Gigafactory Texas.
Elon Musk
Tesla showcases Optimus humanoid robot at AWE 2026 in Shanghai
Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show.
Tesla showcased its Optimus humanoid robot at the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE 2026) in Shanghai. The event opened Thursday and featured several Tesla products, including the company’s humanoid robot and the Cybertruck.
The display was reported by CNEV Post, citing information from local media outlet Cailian and on-site staff at the exhibition.
Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show. On-site staff reportedly stated that mass production of the robot could begin by the end of 2026.
Tesla previously indicated that it plans to manufacture its humanoid robots at scale once production begins, with its initial production line in the Fremont Factory reaching up to 1 million units annually. An Optimus production line at Gigafactory Texas is expected to produce 10 million units per year.
Tesla China previously shared a teaser image on Weibo showing a pair of highly detailed robotic hands believed to belong to Optimus. The image suggests a design with finger proportions and structures that closely resemble those of a human hand.
Robotic hands are widely considered one of the most difficult engineering challenges in humanoid robotics. For a system like Optimus to perform complex real-world tasks, from factory work to household activities, the robot would require highly advanced dexterity.
Elon Musk has previously stated that Optimus has the capability to eventually become the first real-world example of a Von Neumann machine, a self-replicating system capable of building copies of itself, even on other planets. “Optimus will be the first Von Neumann machine, capable of building civilization by itself on any viable planet,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Tesla Energy gains UK license to sell electricity to homes and businesses
Elon Musk shares big Tesla Optimus 3 production update
