Connect with us

Published

on

During this year’s ACT Expo in Long Beach, California, ElectraMeccanica debuted a “Cargo” version of its flagship three-wheeled EV, the SOLO. The new version, the “SOLO Cargo EV,” was designed with an expanded cargo box specifically for light commercial fleets for operations like deliveries. As a sponsor of the “ACT Ride and Drive” event today, the public can also test drive the SOLO EV outside the expo center.

ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp. ($SOLO) is a publicly traded EV designer and manufacturer traded on the Nasdaq and based in Vancouver, BC. ElectraMeccanica was founded in 2015, but its predecessor Intermeccanica has been building high-end specialty cars for over 61 years.

Last March, we reported that ElectraMeccanica had chosen Mesa, Arizona, as the new home to its US production facility. The company has also implemented 20 retail locations across five Western states to support the launch of its flagship EV, the three-wheeled, single-seat SOLO EV.

This environmentally friendly EV was designed with commuting and deliveries in mind, particularly in urban driving conditions. With that said, its 100-mile range and top speed of 80 mph makes it safe for highways.

ElectraMeccanica is now taking this design notion a step further with its new SOLO Cargo EV.

ElectraMeccanica SOLO Cargo
The new SOLO Cargo EV Source: ElectraMeccanica

ElectraMeccanica debuts SOLO Cargo EV at ACT Expo

As part of a press release coinciding with the events at this year’s ACT Expo in Southern California, ElectraMeccanica announced a new Cargo version of the SOLO EV.

This expanded version of the single passenger SOLO EV was developed with an expanded cargo box as a result of direct input from ElectraMeccanica’s prospective commercial and fleet customers.

To create this Cargo version, the SOLO EV dimensions have been expanded to approximately 8 cubic ft. of cargo space. Still, the EV remains just 53 inches tall and about 123 inches long.

Comparing the retail SOLO EV next to the new Cargo version

Furthermore, both the interior and exterior wrapping of the SOLO Cargo EV can be customized by ElectraMeccanica to fit a customer’s needs.

Warming and cooling elements are also available as third-party options for uses such as food delivery. President and CEO of ElectraMeccanica Paul Rivera, spoke about the new Cargo SOLO and its potential:

We are continuing to transform the way people think about driving and how they interact in the world, especially when solo. Consumers will be able to use their SOLO to commute to work, go to the gym, visit their friends, or to get a cup of coffee. Similarly, there are a wealth of light fleet, business, and commercial applications where single occupants dominate. From fast food franchise delivery and pizza delivery, to grocery delivery, small parcel and post, to tech repair and security firms, the SOLO Cargo EV is the ideal solution to help companies minimize operational costs and maximize efficiency.

In addition to being smaller and more compact on roadways and parking spots, ElectraMeccanica points out that its SOLO also qualifies as a motorcycle in most states. This generally means lower costs for registration, insurance, and operation while still qualifying for HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) access. 

The SOLO Cargo EV will still deliver the same range and top speed as its retail counterpart, along with additional storage for a number of applications. ElectraMeccanica will be showcasing both versions this week at the ACT Expo. Check your local retail location to see a SOLO Cargo EV up close in the future.


Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Jeff Bezos’s Venice wedding celebrations begin with star-studded party after fresh protests

Published

on

By

Jeff Bezos's Venice wedding celebrations begin with star-studded party after fresh protests

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s star-studded wedding celebrations in Venice have begun, with VIP guests including the Kardashians descending on the Italian city.

The billionaire Amazon founder and his journalist fiancee waved to onlookers as they left a luxury hotel to travel to their pre-wedding reception by water taxi on Thursday evening.

Hollywood star Orlando Bloom was seen flashing a peace sign to fans as he left Venice’s Gritti Palace Hotel and he was soon followed by TV presenter Oprah Winfrey, who smiled and waved.

Orlando Bloom gestures as he leaves Gritti Palace Hotel, ahead of the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Pic: Reuters
Image:
Orlando Bloom donning all white. Pic: Reuters

Oprah Winfrey gestures near Gritti Palace Hotel, ahead of the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice, Reuters
Image:
Oprah Winfrey is one of the 200-250 guests. Pic: Reuters

Kim and Khloe Kardashian travelled to the reception with their mother Kris Jenner – who snapped a picture of the pair on a water taxi – and other notable figures in town for the nuptials include Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

Some 200-250 A-list guests from showbusiness, politics and finance are expected to attend the events, with the wedding and its parts estimated to cost €40m-€48m (£34m-£41m).

Bezos, his soon-to-be wife and their famous guests have taken over numerous locations in the city, with the couple staying in the luxury Aman hotel, where rooms go for at least €4,000 per night.

Kris Jenner takes a picture of Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian on a boat, ahead of the wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos REUTERS
Image:
Kris Jenner snaps a photo of Khloe and Kim Kardashian. Pic: Reuters

Jeff Bezos, center left, and Lauren Sanchez, center right, leave a hotel for their pre wedding reception, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Image:
The bride and groom leaving their hotel. Pic: AP

The first of the weekend’s many wedding parties is taking place in the cloisters of Madonna dell’Orto, a medieval church that hosts masterpieces by 16th century painter Tintoretto.

While the couple and their A-list guests were all smiles, some in Venice are not happy about the wedding – with protesters seeing it as an example of the city being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders.

Read more: Why are activists protesting the wedding?

An activist from Extinction Rebellion unfolds a banner in front of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy, on Thursday, June 26, 2025,
Image:
An activist from Extinction Rebellion unfolds a banner in front of St Mark’s Basilica. Pic: AP

An activist climbed one of the poles in the main St Mark’s Square on Thursday, unfurling a banner which said: “The 1% ruins the world.”

Elsewhere, a life-size mannequin of Bezos clutching an Amazon box was dropped into one of the city’s famous canals.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding in numbers

€48m price tag

The wedding and its parts are expected to cost €40m-€48m (£34-£41m), Luca Zaia, the president of Venice’s local government, said on Tuesday.

This includes sizeable charity donations from the Amazon founder, including €1m (£850k) to Corila, a consortium that studies Venice’s lagoon ecosystem, local media has reported.

90 private jets

The first private jets began landing at Venice airport on Tuesday and there will be around 90 in total, Mr Zaia said.

They’re not all arriving in Venice though, as some have landed at the nearby Treviso and Verona airports.

250 guests

Five of the city’s most luxurious hotels have been booked out to host an estimated 200-250 guests.

These include the celeb favourite Cipriani, where George and Amal Clooney married in 2014.

30 water taxis

Attendees of course aren’t hopping on public water buses to get around the city’s many islands.

The wedding’s organisers have booked at least 30 water taxis for them to use instead.

In a bid to keep demonstrators away from Thursday’s party, the city council banned pedestrians and water traffic from the area surrounding the venue, from 4.30pm local time to midnight.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Bezos wedding protests explained

The couple will exchange their vows on Friday, on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark’s Square.

Another party will follow on Saturday – the venue for which was changed at the last-minute earlier this week.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Denis Villeneuve: Director of next James Bond film announced – and says he’s a ‘diehard 007 fan’

Published

on

By

Denis Villeneuve: Director of next James Bond film announced  - and says he's a 'diehard 007 fan'

The director of the next James Bond film has been announced.

Denis Villeneuve – a four-time Academy Award nominee who earned critical acclaim for the Dune Franchise and Blade Runner 2049 – said the role is a “massive responsibility”.

The Canadian filmmaker described himself as a “diehard” fan since childhood, adding that it is a “huge honour” to come on board.

“Some of my earliest movie-going memories are connected to 007. I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr No with Sean Connery,” Villeneuve said.

Sean Connery as James Bond in From Russia With Love. Pic: The Legacy Collection/THA/Shutterstock 1963
Image:
Sean Connery as James Bond. Pic: The Legacy Collection/THA/Shutterstock 1963

Reassuring fans, the director continued: “To me, he’s sacred territory. I intend to honour the tradition and open the path for many new missions to come.”

His appointment comes as the British spy franchise experiences a major overhaul, with Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson handing over creative control to Amazon MGM Studios.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in.Spectre.
Pic:Credit: Photo by /Columbia/Eon/Shutterstock
Image:
Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre. Pic: Columbia/Eon/Shutterstock

The Broccoli family have long been the force behind the Bond films, and now co-own the intellectual property.

More on Denis Villeneuve

Two recently appointed producers – Spider-Man’s Amy Pascal and Harry Potter’s David Heyman – said securing a director and developing a screenplay were top priorities before deciding who would succeed Daniel Craig in the role.

Read more entertainment news:
After Amazon takeover, what happens to James Bond?
Richard E Grant goes on ’emotional’ Gavin And Stacey tour
‘A gold rush’: What’s driving the boom in immersive events?

Denis Villeneuve. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Denis Villeneuve. Pic: Reuters

The head of Amazon MGM Studios, Mike Hopkins, described Villeneuve as a “cinematic master whose filmography speaks for itself”.

He added: “Denis has delivered compelling worlds, dynamic visuals, complex characters, and – most importantly – the immersive storytelling that global audiences yearn to experience in theatres.

“James Bond is in the hands of one of today’s greatest filmmakers and we cannot wait to get started on 007’s next adventure.”

Continue Reading

Entertainment

‘We watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat’: Richard E Grant goes on ’emotional’ tour in memory of his late wife

Published

on

By

'We watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat': Richard E Grant goes on 'emotional' tour in memory of his late wife

Richard E Grant has shared an emotional video of his trip to Barry – the town made famous by the hit TV show Gavin And Stacey.

He was joined by the show’s co-creator Ruth Jones, who is best known for playing Nessa.

They are both filming a new drama called The Other Bennet Sister, which delves into a character in Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice.

Grant excitedly said “oh my god” as he stood outside Stacey’s family home – and headed across the road to Uncle Bryn’s.

A trip to Barry Island soon followed to visit some of the sitcom’s most famous landmarks, including Marco’s Cafe and the beachfront.

And the actor’s visit wouldn’t have been complete without Jones putting on her best Nessa voice – and asking: “Oh, Rich, what’s occurin’?

“It’s really emotional being here,” Grant said.

“The last months of my wife’s life, we watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat – and it just cheered us up endlessly.”

In 2021, Grant announced that his wife Joan Washington had died – eight months after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

At the time, he described his family’s loss as “incalculable”.

Continue Reading

Trending