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EV manufacturer ElectraMeccanica has officially begun customer deliveries of its flagship SOLO EV. The three-wheeled one-seat electric vehicle has been on our radar for quite some time, and ElectraMeccanica has worked for years to reach this point of scaled production and deliveries.

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

Last March, ElectraMeccanica announced it had chosen Mesa, Arizona as the site of the US production facility for its flagship SOLO EV. That facility is still on track to be completed in the summer of 2022 and will have the capability to produce 20,000 vehicles per year.

This environmentally friendly EV was specifically designed with commuting and easy deliveries in mind, with its compact size making it well suited for urban driving conditions. That being said, the 100-mile range and 80 mph top speeds make the SOLO more than qualified for highway travel.

Most recently, ElectraMeccanica took its delivery-focused SOLO design a step further at this year’s ACT Expo by introducing the SOLO Cargo EV, a modified version of its flagship vehicle with an expanded rear cargo box.

With two available versions of the SOLO EV in its fleet for under $20,000 each, ElectraMeccanica has finally begun delivering SOLO EVs to customers.

Comparing the retail SOLO EV next to the new Cargo version

ElectraMeccanica begins SOLO EV deliveries to first customers

In a recent invite-only event held in Los Angeles, ElectraMeccanica officially began SOLO EV deliveries by providing a select group of early reservation holders and fleet customers with their vehicles, including Skechers USA.

The first deliveries of ElectraMeccanica’s SOLO EV may feel like déjà vu. In fact, we covered a similar story back in 2018 when the company made an initial delivery announcement for Los Angeles. However, those initial sales and deliveries were merely prototypes and were limited to markets in LA, the Bay Area, and Vancouver.

When ElectraMeccanica’s CEO Paul Rivera entered the fold, he fostered massive engineering upgrades and redesigned safety features on the SOLO EV.

Rivera was succeeded by former COO Kevin Pavlov this past September, and he is picking up where his predecessor left off by delivering production quality SOLOs to customers. Pavlov spoke on this accomplishment for the company:

The initial customer deliveries of our flagship SOLO EV marks a transformational milestone not only for ElectraMeccanica, but for the future of the electric vehicle industry. As the first production SOLOs hit the road, I was reminded that bringing a revolutionary, production-ready EV to market is no small feat–particularly one as unique and differentiated as our three-wheeled, single-seat SOLO. As we look ahead, we will continue to ramp production to meet the ever-growing demands for right-sized EVs with a practical everyday use and helping to create sustainable value for our customers and shareholders alike.

SOLO deliveries will continue to roll out to retail and fleet customers alike as ElectraMeccanica focuses on finishing its Mesa production facility. It also looks to grow its audience through retail in five western states.

ElectraMeccanica SOLO deliveries

Electrek‘s take

We definitely thought ElectraMeccanica had already accomplished its first deliveries years ago, so we were a bit confused by this announcement. However, after speaking to the company, everything is a lot more clear.

Delivering SOLO EVs to customers should be recognized as a huge accomplishment for ElectraMeccanica, which has been promising these three-wheeled machines for over half a decade.

What’s currently unclear is how many SOLO EVs the company is delivering and how many concrete orders it has in place. So far, the automaker won’t even share how many reservations it has.

I truly believe the SOLO EV is a wonderful vehicle for the purposes it’s designed for – e.g. single-passenger commutes and fleet deliveries, and on paper, it has wonderful specs. However, I’m genuinely interested to see how this vehicle fares in the EV market.

While I’m rooting for the company to succeed, I’m not personally convinced people are going to pay nearly $19,000 for a single-seat EV with a 100-mile range – especially as other EV automakers are getting their five-seat EVs down below $30k with federal tax credits. (The SOLO currently classifies as a motorcycle in most states, and would not qualify for EV credits at this time).

Either way, I’m looking forward to following this company’s production progress as its scales and hope to test out a SOLO EV for myself soon.


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Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born 

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Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born 

Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.

As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.

Pete Townshend
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Pete Townshend

“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.

“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”

If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.

But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.

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Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation. 

Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.

“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”

Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
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Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson

This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.

For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.

Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
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Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet

“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.

“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”

Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.

“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.

“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”

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In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.

“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.

Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.

It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.

Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.

He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to ‘dear friend’ Val Kilmer

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to 'dear friend' Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.

Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.

Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.

Tom Cruise, star of the upcoming film "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," leads a moment of silence for late actor Val Kilmer during the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP

Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
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Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP

His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.

“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.

“I wish you well on the next journey.”

The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.

Tom Cruise takes part in the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.

He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.

Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.

Read more from Sky News:
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He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.

In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.

The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.

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