The big challenge for Rivian, the EV maker known for its innovative electric and software systems, has long been how to reach the next stage of growth.
That stage came within reach in June, when the California-based company and Volkswagen announced a joint venture involving a $5 billion injection from the German automaker.
And now that venture is officially kicking off with an additional $800 million of investment from VW and a near-term goal: Developing a common manufacturing and tech platform to be used for Rivian’s upcoming R2 SUV and VW’s Scout EVs, as well as other upcoming models.
“The [joint venture] is highly complementary, reflecting Rivian’s industry-leading software and electrical hardware technology, as well as Volkswagen Group’s significant global scale and industry-leading vehicle platform competencies,” the companies said in a statement.
For Volkswagen, the challenge has been to develop its own software and electrical systems. The name of the game for global automakers has been to transition toward producing “software-defined vehicles” (SDVs), with functionalities and digital experiences that can be upgraded over time.
The companies plan to use Rivian’s electrical architecture and software technology stack to enable the launch of Rivian’s R2 midsize SUV in the first half of 2026 and support the launch of Volkswagen models by 2027.
Speaking during a conference call, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said the next-gen platform will first be deployed for Volkswagen brand vehicles, followed by Audi, Scout, Porsche and all remaining brands.
The venture and the injection of capital from Volkswagen should also provide much needed support for Rivian, which has struggled with suppy issues this year.
In August, the EV maker had to temporarily suspend the production of delivery vans used by Amazon.com due to a shortage of parts. Amazon remains the largest investor in Rivian, with a 16% stake.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.