Johnny Huang

***Lucid Motors, Rivian, and Ferrari Showcase EV Industry Camaraderie at Pebble Beach Concours.*** In a striking display of industry unity, Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson and Rivian founder RJ Scaringe were seen together at the Pebble Beach Concours, examining Lucid's new Gravity SUV. This interaction highlights the collaborative spirit within the electric vehicle (EV) sector, contrasting with the often polarizing fan culture surrounding some EV brands. The event also drew attention from traditional automakers, with Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna joining the Lucid and Rivian executives to explore Gravity's features, including its spacious frunk (front trunk). This gathering of industry leaders underscores a growing trend in the EV market: a focus on shared progress and innovation rather than divisive competition. Cooperation and mutual respect among manufacturers may shape the future of electric mobility, accelerating the industry's overall advancement. Such moments of cross-company engagement at high-profile events like Pebble Beach not only showcase new technologies but also foster a more collaborative approach to addressing the challenges of sustainable transportation. I love to see this! Images from Lucid Motors. #automotivenews #automotiveengineering #automotivemanufacturing #lucidgravity #rivian #ferrari

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🚗🔌 **Exciting Updates in the Rivian R1 Platform!** 🚀 As a technical trainer, I'm thrilled to share the latest developments in Rivian's R1 platform. Buckle up, because this is more than just a facelift—it's a quantum leap forward. 🌟 ## 1. Autonomous Sensory and System: The Rivian Autonomy Platform Rivian's revamped R1S and R1T now come equipped with the cutting-edge Rivian Autonomy Platform. Picture this: The system integrates inputs from 11 internally developed high-resolution cameras. These cameras provide a comprehensive view of the vehicle’s surroundings, capturing critical data for safe navigation. Additionally, the platform utilizes five advanced radars, enhancing its ability to detect objects, pedestrians, and other vehicles. All working in harmony, capturing an uninterrupted 360-degree view even in dark tunnels. ##2. Streamlined Zonal Architecture: Less Is More Rivian’s move to a zonal architecture is akin to decluttering a busy workspace. Here’s how it works:- In the previous generation, Rivian relied on 17 electronic control units (ECUs) scattered throughout the vehicle. Now, they’ve consolidated these into just 7 strategically placed units. The zonal architecture enables efficient communication between ECUs within specific zones. Each zone handles related functions, reducing the complexity of wiring and improving reliability. Thanks to Nvidia Drive Orin processors, this system is 10 times more powerful than its predecessor. The entire system processes an astonishing 250 trillion operations per second, ensuring real-time responsiveness and accuracy. And guess what? streamlining efficiency and reducing wiring by 1.6 miles per vehicle. Safety features like blind spot monitoring and highway assist are standard, with even more advanced capabilities coming soon. 📸🛣️ ## 3. Battery Evolution: Adaptive Range Tracking and LFP Cells Rivian isn't playing games when it comes to batteries. Their adaptive range tracking ensures optimal performance, dynamically adjusting based on driving conditions. The new Large and Max battery packs feature redesigned modules and more efficient packaging. The pack enclosure now utilizes large high pressure die castings to not only dramatically simplify manufacturing but to also reduce mass. Plus, they've embraced LFP cells (lithium iron phosphate) for their Standard battery pack. These cells enhance longevity, safety, and affordability. Imagine the possibilities—longer drives, fewer worries! 🔋🔍 ##4. Motor Technology: Silent Powerhouses Rivian is designing, engineering and manufacturing all motors in-house. There’s a new Tri Motor option, combining a single front motor with two rear-mounted units, generating 850 horsepower and 1103 pound-feet. The Quad Motor models now deliver a whopping 1025 horsepower and 1198 pound-feet of torque.. 🚀⚡ Source : https://lnkd.in/dDUYT3Q8 🚗🔌 #Rivian #innovation #ElectricVehicles #ElectricCar #electricalarchitecture #zonalecu #nvidea🌐🔗

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😎 Rivian’s Passion Overcomes Losses Per Vehicle 🚙 Exceeding Expectations: Despite facing a gross profit loss of $38,784 per vehicle, Rivian Automotive has surpassed its production and delivery outlook, with a significant increase compared to last year. 🚘 Strategic Moves: The company’s introduction of a new midsize platform and the decision to begin R2 production in Illinois are strategic steps towards future savings and efficiency. 🗽 State Support: Rivian’s expansion is bolstered by an $827 million incentive package from the State of Illinois, highlighting the support for its vision. 🚗 Driving Towards Profitability: CEO RJ Scaringe emphasizes the company’s focus on demand generation, cost improvements, and advancing development, all while celebrating milestones and steering towards profitability. Rivian’s journey illustrates that not all automakers operate on profits; their enduring passion for innovation and sustainable transportation keeps their business thriving. 🚗💚 #rivianautomotive #rivian #riviantruck #rivianofficial #automotiveindustry #electricvehicles https://lnkd.in/d7n2a3D4

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#VW’s $5.8 billion investment in #Rivian isn’t guaranteed. Here are the milestones the EV maker needs to hit! "Volkswagen Group has increased its investment in a joint venture with #electric #vehicle startup Rivian Automotive to $5.8 billion, aiming to develop next-gen #EVtechnologies. The deal, which boosted Rivian’s #stock by 13%, will provide #VW with advanced #electrical #architecture and #software while helping Rivian scale its #production. The #venture will focus on Rivian's smaller #R2 #SUVs (starting in 2026) and a midsize platform in #Georgia. Rivian will receive funding in stages, with $2.3 billion in 2024 and additional investments tied to milestones through 2028. #Volkswagen will cover 75% of platform #costs, while Rivian #funds the rest. The #success of the #partnership depends on Rivian meeting specific #targets, and both companies hope it will lead to significant advancements in the #EVmarket." #autonews #automotivenews #news #auto #mobility #electricvehicles #electriccars #sustainability #sustainable #evmanufacturing #evmarket

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In the past several months when EV startup Rivian was mentioned, it was all for the wrong reasons. This included everything from production delays, layoffs, and supply chain issues. Now it appears the company is finally starting to feel some tailwinds. When the joint venture with Volkswagen was announced in June, this gave access to suppliers with favorable pricing. Now Rivian can save capital on components such as chips, PCBs, and other hardware. Also, Rivian retooled its manufacturing plant to allow more process improvements. This has helped improve line rates as well as gross cost per vehicle. Even though cash flow is starting to improve, the company still has a ways to go before it becomes profitable. Rivian reported losses of at least $1.2B in each of the last 8 financial quarters but hopes to be profitable by Q4 of 2024.

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***Lucid Surges Past Expectations: Price Cuts Fuel Revenue Beat in Q1*** -Lucid Group is proving that aggressive maneuvers can pay off. The luxury EV maker announced a significant revenue beat for the first quarter of 2024, exceeding analyst expectations. This success is directly attributed to strategic price adjustments that boosted sales of its flagship Air sedan earlier in the year. -The Upshot: Lucid's stock initially dipped in after-hours trading, likely due to expected losses, but the revenue win signals resilience in a competitive EV market. Investors are weighing this positive news against ongoing concerns about slowing demand. Context is Key: In February, the automaker cut Air sedan prices by up to 10% to gain an edge and attract buyers who might otherwise favor hybrid vehicles in a high-interest rate environment. -The Bigger Picture: Lucid's strong deliveries last month already hinted at the success of this pricing strategy in an arena where Tesla also reported a recent dip in deliveries. -Key Figures: Lucid reported $172.7 million in Q1 revenue, up from the estimated $156.99 million. It successfully narrowed its net loss compared to the same period last year. Closing: Lucid maintains its 9,000-vehicle production goal for 2024. The company's next major milestone is the launch of its highly anticipated Gravity SUV, slated for late 2024. It is on track for production and garnering positive attention from the automotive press. Source: CNBC/REUTERS #automotiveengineering #manufacturingengineering #automotivenews #engineering #lucidair #automotivemanufacturing

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As the automotive industry reacts to an uncertain future as far as regulatory requirements and market demand, new vehicle programs will be under intense pressure to drastically reduce product development time in order to remain competitive. Collobaration between design, engineering and manufacturing will provide agility and enable innovation.

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Rivian's Next Chapter: The Second-Generation R1S and R1T For automotive startups, reaching the second generation of vehicles is a major milestone and a crucial step for survival. It means learning from the mistakes and imperfections of the first-gen to create something that's easier to produce and more reliable. Not all start-ups reach this super-important point, so I hope these are exciting times ahead for Rivian and the EV industry! Beyond the cool new user interface with Unreal Engine playful illustrations, the real game-changers in the second-gen Rivian are: - Improved thermal system management (a common challenge for EV startups) - New electrical architecture with fewer parts and lower manufacturing costs - Streamlined manufacturing processes, bringing Rivian closer to their ambition to become a high-volume manufacturer. Rivian Press Release: https://lnkd.in/eEcvc687 Unreal Engine Article: https://lnkd.in/etPcYcEe

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Tesla Vs Figure will be the next innovation war. I'm comparing the teams to try and make a prediction on who will come out on top (because that's the main thing that will set you apart from your competition) In the fast-moving world of robotics, strong engineering leadership is key to driving progress. Today, we’re comparing two leaders shaping the future of humanoid robots: Vadim Chernyak at Figure and Milan Kovac at Tesla. 🔧 Vadim Chernyak – Director of Hardware Engineering, Figure Vadim leads Figure’s hardware engineering, focusing on building scalable and reliable robotics systems. With expertise in both mechanical and electrical design, he’s driving the development of precision robots designed for real-world applications. Strong previous tenures at Boston Dynamics and Apple. 🤖 Milan Kovac – VP, Head of Engineering, Tesla Bot Milan is at the helm of Tesla’s humanoid robotics project, blending AI with robotics to create the Tesla Bot. With experience in aerospace and automotive sectors, his work aims to create autonomous robots that can assist in daily tasks, pushing the boundaries of AI-driven functionality. He was moved from Tesla's automotive Autopilot team to the Optimus project. Vadim is focused on optimising hardware for practical deployment. He's a robotics guy through and through. Milan is integrating AI with robotics to deliver autonomous solutions, more focussed in AI in his previous career. For me, the winner is Vadim for his robotics experience from BD and focus in hardware.

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Is the Tesla 3 year FSD + Connectivity + Supercharging really a deal at $5k?? It depends how much you drive, and you'd really have to want an S or X. "The new deal applies only to the Model S and Model X, not the more popular Model Y and Model 3, which are the more affordable Tesla options. This has led some to speculate that the bundle may be an attempt to boost sales of the more expensive S and X." There's no denying that the Tesla Model S and X are getting very long in the tooth. They're not quite 70 series LandCruiser old, but they ain't young at 10 and 12 years old respectively. Even with the constant updates, there's newer, sexier product out there for this money. The thing is, despite price reductions, they still ain't a cheap piece of kit. So, as the quote suggests, this is less about discounting FSD, and more about offering incentives for S and X. (Personally, I think at $US8k, FSD is still FAR to expensive for most people.) For a high mileage driver, the deal is very good. You'll easily get that value in Supercharging alone, and FSD is a very nice bonus. In fact, I really liked the highway FSD performance when we had it on our Model 3 back in April (less so around town though). In fact, for those operating a limo business, this is a very good deal indeed. For low mileage drivers who don't get the use out of the Supercharger and FSD, it's not as tempting, but probably still worthwhile. But, again, you'd have to want an S or X. If this deal was available on the 3/Y, Tesla would be swamped with new orders. Do you think $5,000 for the 3 year FSD / Supercharging/ Connectivity package is a good deal? Does it make a Model S or X more desirable? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below #automotive #batteries #climatechange #electricvehicles #innovation #sustainability #cleanenergy #renewableenergy More here https://lnkd.in/gqREMSgb

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software defined vehicle..... with standardization in 7 major areas

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Stellantis steals Rivian’s chief mfg. architect 😳. It’s easy to design an #EV, but launching them is an art not a science. Tim helped them get 3 programs off the ground, and he did it at a startup which is black belt 🥋 compared to legacy programs. Rivian has learned alot in those programs, and so I’m sure they’ll be fine. That said, I can count on one hand 🤚 all the people responsible for saving Tesla after their disastrous #model3 launch. 🚀 From maintenance to BIW mfg., there’s only a few hundred people on the planet that know how to launch a new EV program. In Stellantis’s defense, rivian stole their former FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles executive just seven months ago 😆. Carlo Materazzo - https://lnkd.in/gPDVU-sm Tim Fallon post - https://lnkd.in/ggAcXDwf

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