| If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.  New York plans to phase out sales of gas-engined cars and trucks, Polestar previews a production version of the Precept sedan, and the Volkswagen ID.4 gets the first OTA updates. But first:  Earlier this week Rivian began series production of the R1T electric pickup in Normal, Illinois, after some delays prompted by the pandemic. In the process, the company effectively beat GM, Ford, and Tesla to market with an electric pickup truck, delivering the first example months ahead of other mass-market competitors, including the Tesla Cybertruck which is now believed to be a year away from production at the earliest.  Launch Edition examples of the R1T rolled off the assembly line this week. "After months of building pre-production vehicles, this morning our first customer vehicle drove off our production line in Normal!" Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe tweeted. "Our team's collective efforts have made this moment possible. Can't wait to get these into the hands of our customers!"  The Lucid Air is on the way with 520 miles of range, setting a new bar for EV sedans. Speaking of Tesla competitors, this was also a big week for Lucid, which announced nothing short of a game-changing range for its equally long-awaited Air sedan: 520 miles in the Lucid Dream Edition Range model, according to the EPA. This puts it in a category of its own even among large electric sedans, which is becoming a contested segment with the arrival of a number of new players.    This week Volkswagen revealed details about the all-wheel drive version of the electric ID.4 sport utility, which will follow the rear-wheel drive version that debuted on sale earlier this spring. The good news when it comes to range is that the ID.4 AWD Pro version has now received an official EPA rating of 249 miles, just 11 miles south of the front-wheel drive model, preserving quite a bit of the range capability despite the addition of a second motor. The ID.4 AWD Pro S model, meanwhile, has received a 240-mile rating from the EPA.  Following a trend set by a number of countries including Canada, as well as the state of California, New York state has passed a law that sets a target that 100 percent of new passenger cars and trucks sold or leased in the state being zero-emissions vehicles by the year 2035. The legislation contains a similar goal for off-road vehicles and equipment by 2035. The law also establishes a goal of all medium- and heavy-duty trucks sold or leased in the state being zero-emission vehicles by 2045, "for all operations where feasible."   Spread the word: If you know someone interested in staying on top of the rapidly growing EV segment, feel free to pass this newsletter along.
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Friday, September 17, 2021
Rivian Launches EV Pickup Ahead of Rivals
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