Rivian has posted some details for the unveiling of its next-generation electric vehicle, the R2. As per the electric vehicle maker, the R2 reveal will be livestreamed on March 7, 2024, at 10 a.m. PST.
Details surrounding the R2 are scarce, though Rivian noted on its official website that those who are new to how the company approaches vehicle design could refer to the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. A teaser posted on the automaker’s website highlights this, as the R2 could be seen featuring lights and a silhouette that looks very similar to the two flagships. A close look at the R2 in the teaser, however, shows slightly smaller “stadium” headlights and a more rounded light bar.
Meet R2 — our new take on electric adventure. Watch the live reveal event March 7th, right here on X. pic.twitter.com/oo3AFnBnKe— Rivian (@Rivian) February 15, 2024
Similar to other automakers, Rivian would be livestreaming the debut of the R2. The company also confirmed that R2 reservations would be opened during the livestream of the unveiling event. Pricing, specs, and estimated delivery dates are also expected to be posted on March 7, 2024. Customers would be able to reserve the R2 for a fully refundable fee of $100 as well.
To generate more excitement about the R2’s upcoming launch, Rivian posted a video on social media teasing the vehicle. Based on the automaker’s short video, the R2, similar to its siblings, would be designed as an all-electric adventure vehicle. This is quite exciting as both the R1T and R1S are very capable off-roaders. Expected competitors of the R2, such as the Tesla Model Y, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5, are mostly soft-roaders.
Can’t wait to introduce the world to R2! https://t.co/FUgyAb1dbl— RJ Scaringe (@RJScaringe) February 15, 2024
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has gone on social media to support the R2, noting that he cannot wait to introduce the world to the company’s newest all-electric vehicle. Reactions to Rivian and Scaringe’s posts have been very positive, with a number of longtime EV community members noting that they would be Day 1 reservation holders for the R2.
The R2 holds a lot of potential. Provided that it is priced right, it could potentially provide a lot of competition to longtime powerhouses in the electric vehicle market. Buyers of the R2 would have no issues when it comes to traveling long distances either, as Rivian has adopted Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS). With the support of the Tesla Supercharger Network, the Rivian R2 could be the EV segment’s next favorite.
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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.