Andrew J. Hawkins

Transportation editor

The R2 is nearly here — can Rivian stick the landing?

The R2 arrives in a segment already dominated by the Model Y. But ultimately Rivian needs to do more than just beat Tesla if it’s going to survive.

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 13

Uber adds Motional to its stable of robotaxis.

Uber out here collecting robotaxi companies like they’re Pokémon! The majority Hyundai-owned Motional is operating a fleet of autonomous Ioniq 5s in Las Vegas. The arrangement is similar to Uber’s other AV partners: riders who indicate they’re interested in robotaxis may get matched with one of Motional’s vehicles.

The cars will have safety drivers behind the wheel, though perhaps not for long: Motional says it’ll remove them by the end of the year.

1/3Image: Uber

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 12

Lucid’s next EVs will be named…

Cosmos and Earth. Paging Carl Sagan! The EV company announced the names at its Investor Day in New York City today. Both are expected to be mid-sized crossover SUVs, with an estimated starting price of $50,000. That makes the Lucid Earth and Cosmos incredibly important to the company’s long-term future — sort of similar to the Rivian R2. If Lucid wants to break into the mainstream, it needs to sell more affordable vehicles.

1/2Image: Lucid

Rivian R2 prices revealed: you’re going to have to wait longer for that $45,000 version

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 12

Honda cancels Zero Series EVs, citing ‘extremely challenging’ situation

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 12

Uber goes elite.

The ridehail service is launching a new premium offering for anyone who thinks Uber Black is too pedestrian. Uber Elite will be invite-only, and feature commercially licensed professional chauffeurs driving new-model luxury vehicles – less than three years old – such as the Cadillac Escalade, Lucid Air, and Lincoln Navigator.

Each ride includes complimentary amenities such as chargers, bottled water, mints, and hand-sanitizing towelettes. It’s currently only available in LA and San Francisco, and soon in New York City – with more US and international cities to follow.

Image: Uber

You can now ask Google Maps ‘complex, real-world questions’ — and Gemini will answer

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 12

Andrew J. HawkinsMar 11

Lucid Gravity gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The EV company started rolling out the functionality for its luxury SUV via an over-the-air software update on Wednesday. After the update, the Gravity will support phone mirroring wirelessly or through an USB hookup.

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Andrew J. HawkinsMar 11

Uber + Zoox.

The ridehailing giant adds another robotaxi partner to its swelling stable of firms. Uber customers who indicate an openness for driverless could be matched with a Zoox robotaxi. The partnership will launch in Las Vegas this summer, followed by Los Angeles by mid-2027. Zoox will also continue to offer its service through its own app.