News
Rivian’s R2 SUV is coming just in time for the next wave of new BEVs [Opinion]
Rivian CEO and Founder RJ Scaringe teased details about the Rivian R2 SUV, the smaller sibling of the company’s R1S vehicle. The Rivian R2 is expected to launch by 2024 when a new wave of battery-electric vehicles is expected to arrive.
Scaringe teased the Rivian R2 SUV during his Instagram Q&A session last weekend. The tease was brief but sufficient to reveal that Rivan is indeed developing a new vehicle. The company covered the R2 with a black cloth, so the audience could only see its silhouette.
Based on its brief appearance during Scaringe’s Q&A, the R2 SUV will be significantly smaller than the R1S but maintains its sibling’s general shape. Jeff Hammond, the Head of Rivian’s design team revealed that the vehicle under the black cover was a clay model of the R2 SUV.
Automakers traditionally use industrial plasticine modeling material or hobby clay when figuring out the design of a new vehicle. Clay allows designers and engineers to play with the layout of the new vehicle and quickly make changes. Clay car models are also helpful in wind tunnel tests and experiments where design changes might affect the aerodynamic efficiency of a new car.
Rivian R2 SUV & its Competition
RJ Scaringe also hinted at new colors, materials, and finishes Rivian might roll out with the R2 SUV. During the Q&A session, a question about other R2 details was asked, and Scaringe replied by introducing the Director of Rivian’s CMF (color, materials, and finishes) team.
The R2 SUV might have its own colors, interiors, and finishes separate from its R1 siblings. Differentiating the R2 SUV from the R1 lineup would be wise for Rivian. The R2’s interiors, colors, and finishes would affect the final price of the battery electric vehicle (BEV). Other components of the R2 SUV would also affect its cost and, therefore, its sales performance in the market.
Price and design will be critical factors in the R2 SUV’s success. The Rivian R2 SUV will launch at a time when a new wave of BEVs is set to hit the market. The new BEVs all have a few things in common. First, they are smaller, more compact. And second, they are more affordable.
For instance, Tesla’s long-anticipated $25,000 compact vehicle is expected to hit the market around the same time as the Rivian R2. Tesla’s compact car is already in development and the company has teased a launch event soon. Some sources have shared that Tesla is working on a smaller version of the Model Y and aims to reach an annual production capacity of 4 million units for the compact vehicle.
If rumors are true, the Rivian R2 SUV might directly compete with a compact Tesla Model Y. Rivian seems determined to give the R2 SUV the best shot on the market, too. Last year, Scaringe stated that Rivian’s R2 productions would use batteries manufactured domestically. If Rivian plays it right, the R2 SUV might be eligible for all of the Inflation Reduction Act’s $7,500 EV tax credits, giving it an edge in the BEV market—at least in the United States.
Watch RJ Scaringe’s Instagram Q&A below!
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Elon Musk
SpaceX is exploring a “Starlink Phone” for direct-to-device internet services: report
The update was reportedly shared to Reuters by people familiar with the matter.
SpaceX is reportedly exploring new products tied to Starlink, including a potential Starlink-branded phone.
The update was reportedly shared to Reuters by people familiar with the matter.
A possible Starlink Phone
As per Reuters’ sources, SpaceX has reportedly discussed building a mobile device designed to connect directly to the Starlink satellite constellation. Details about the potential device and its possible release are still unclear, however.
SpaceX has dabbled with mobile solutions in the past. The company has partnered with T-Mobile to provide Starlink connectivity to existing smartphones. And last year, SpaceX initiated a $19.6 billion purchase of satellite spectrum from EchoStar.
Elon Musk did acknowledge the idea of a potential mobile device recently on X, writing that a Starlink phone is “not out of the question at some point.” Unlike conventional smartphones, however, Musk described a device that is “optimized purely for running max performance/watt neural nets.”
Starlink and SpaceX’s revenue
Starlink has become SpaceX’s dominant commercial business. Reuters’ sources claimed that the private space company generated roughly $15–$16 billion in revenue last year, with about $8 billion in profit. Starlink is estimated to have accounted for 50% to 80% of SpaceX’s total revenue last year.
SpaceX now operates more than 9,500 Starlink satellites and serves over 9 million users worldwide. About 650 satellites are already dedicated to SpaceX’s direct-to-device initiative, which aims to eventually provide full cellular coverage globally.
Future expansion of Starlink’s mobile capabilities depends heavily on Starship, which is designed to launch larger batches of upgraded Starlink satellites. Musk has stated that each Starship launch carrying Starlink satellites could increase network capacity by “more than 20 times.”
Elon Musk
FCC accepts SpaceX filing for 1 million orbital data center plan
The move formally places SpaceX’s “Orbital Data Center” concept into the FCC’s review process.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has accepted SpaceX’s filing for a new non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system of up to one million spacecraft and has opened the proposal for public comment.
The move formally places SpaceX’s “Orbital Data Center” concept into the FCC’s review process, marking the first regulatory step for the ambitious space-based computing network.
FCC opens SpaceX’s proposal for comment
In a public notice, the FCC’s Space Bureau stated that it is accepting SpaceX’s application to deploy a new non-geostationary satellite system known as the “SpaceX Orbital Data Center system.” As per the filing, the system would consist of “up to one million satellites” operating at altitudes between 500 and 2,000 kilometers, using optical inter-satellite links for data transmission.
The FCC notice described the proposal as a long-term effort. SpaceX wrote that the system would represent the “first step towards becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization – one that can harness the Sun’s full power.” The satellites would rely heavily on high-bandwidth optical links and conduct telemetry, tracking, and command operations, with traffic routed through space-based laser networks before being sent to authorized ground stations.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr highlighted the filing in a post on X, noting that the Commission is now seeking public comment on SpaceX’s proposal. Interested parties have until early March to submit comments.
What SpaceX is proposing to build
As per the FCC’s release, SpaceX’s orbital data center system would operate alongside its existing and planned Starlink constellations. The FCC notice noted that the proposed satellites may connect not only with others in the new system, but also with satellites in SpaceX’s first- and second-generation Starlink networks.
The filing also outlined several waiver requests, including exemptions from certain NGSO milestone and surety bond requirements, as well as flexibility in how orbital planes and communication beams are disclosed, as noted in a Benzinga report. SpaceX noted that these waivers are necessary to support the scale and architecture of the proposed system.
As noted in coverage of the filing, the proposal does not represent an immediate deployment plan, but rather a framework for future space-based computing infrastructure. SpaceX has discussed the idea of moving energy-intensive computing, such as AI workloads, into orbit, where continuous solar power and large physical scale could reduce constraints faced on Earth.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Boring Company signs deal to begin Dubai Loop project
The project marks the Boring Company’s first tunneling project outside the United States.
Elon Musk’s Boring Company has signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority to begin implementing the Dubai Loop.
The project marks the Boring Company’s first tunneling project outside the United States.
The Boring Company signs Dubai Loop agreement
The Boring Company signed a partnership agreement with Dubai Roads and Transport Authority on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit 2026 to start the implementation of the Dubai Loop, as per the tunneling startup in a blog post.
The agreement was signed on behalf of Dubai RTA by Mattar Al Tayer, director general and chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, and on behalf of The Boring Company by James Fitzgerald, the startup’s global vice president of business development. Senior officials from both organizations were present at the signing ceremony.
The Dubai Loop project is intended to improve passenger mobility in high-density urban areas through underground vehicle tunnels designed for faster construction and lower surface disruption than conventional transport systems.
Pilot route and project scope outlined
The first phase of the Dubai Loop will consist of a 4-mile (6.4 km) pilot route with four stations linking the Dubai International Financial Centre and Dubai Mall. The pilot phase is expected to pave the way for a full network extending up to 14 miles (22.5 km) with 19 stations connecting the Dubai World Trade Centre, the financial district, and Business Bay.
The tunnels will have a diameter of 12 feet (3.6 meters) and will be dedicated to vehicle transport. Construction will rely on tunneling methods designed to reduce costs and minimize disruption to existing infrastructure.
The pilot phase is estimated to cost about $154 million, with delivery expected roughly one year after design work and preparatory activities are completed. The full Dubai Loop network is projected to cost approximately $545 million and would take around three years to implement.
Capacity targets and next steps
Mattar Al Tayer shared his excitement about the project, stating that the Loop system will be a qualitative addition to the city’s transportation system. “The project represents a qualitative addition to Dubai’s transport ecosystem, as it enhances integration between different mobility modes and provides flexible and efficient first- and last-mile solutions.
“Studies have demonstrated the project’s efficiency in terms of capacity and operating costs, with the pilot route expected to serve around 13,000 passengers per day, while the full route is projected to have a total capacity of approximately 30,000 passengers per day,” he said.
Steve Davis, president of The Boring Company, highlighted that the partnership aims to deliver safe and efficient tunneling solutions aligned with Dubai’s long-term mobility strategy.
“We are proud to partner with the Roads and Transport Authority, one of the world’s leading entities in adopting innovative solutions in the transport sector. Through this partnership, we look forward to delivering advanced, safe, and highly efficient tunnelling solutions that support Dubai’s vision for sustainable and future mobility,” Davis stated.
SpaceX is exploring a “Starlink Phone” for direct-to-device internet services: report
FCC accepts SpaceX filing for 1 million orbital data center plan
