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Rivian’s online configurator now reflects a myriad of changes for new customers, including the absence of previous add-on options like a full-size spare tire. On a positive note, those who own or purchase Rivian R1T or R1S with the AWD quad motor and large battery pack, should see an increase in range. Rivian fans rejoice, additional range is always welcomed news.

As American EV automaker Rivian entered the final financial quarter of this year, it was touting a 67% expansion in production of its two flagship models, on pace to hit its output goal of 25,000 units. This came as welcomed news as we’ve watched the young automaker’s assembly lines stumble at first while learning to optimize and scale.

It’s been less than a year and a half since Rivian began first deliveries of R1T, and the R1S has since joined the party. In Southern California, we are starting to see both models on roads more and more. Although Rivian has previously discontinued its Explore package, the lone Adventure package has still offered plenty of customizations and add-ons for consumers. Everything from the drive system, to battery size, and a myriad of add-ons to create an EV that’s ideal for how you intend to use it.

Up until recently, the Rivian large pack battery option offered 314 miles of estimated range in the R1T pickup, and 316 miles in the R1S. Now, a recent software update appears to have rolled out to current Rivian owners offering added range (at least for quad motor configurations). This is now reflected on the automaker’s site for new customers as well. Have a look.

Both quad motor Rivian EVs see decent range increases

As pointed out by reddit user u/sdaws in the r/Rivian community, the automaker’s configurator pages for both the R1S and R1T show added range. Furthermore, the models have flipped flopped in terms of which EV can go further on the same size wheels (21″).

The R1T now shows 328 miles of range for the quad motor large pack configuration (a 14 mile increase), while the R1S now shows 321 miles of electric range (up 5 miles). What’s more interesting, is that Rivian’s configurator has removed any range estimates for the dual motor, large pack configurations on either EV. Previous range estimates were 320+ miles for both the dual motor R1T and R1S.

Whether we see boosts in range to those configurations as well remains uncertain, but it’s a strong possibility given the increased efficiency that appears to be rolling out over the air. The community also pointed out that a Rivian software update earlier this month mentioned the following, which could be the reasoning for the improvements:

Improved battery longevity, battery durability, and regenerative braking performance. Also enhanced regen availability, and you can use regen for longer durations.

Aside from the welcomed performance improvements, Rivian fans are less psyched that Rivian has removed nearly all of its add-on accessories from its EV configurator. This includes options like a spare tire, cargo crossbars, and the camping tent. Rivian has previously been public about removing some accessories like its camp kitchen, tonneau cover, and gear tunnel rack, as they get revamped designs, but some of the other accessories appear to have merely gone away for now.

We’ve asked Rivian for clarity on the range increases and the missing accessories, and will update the information above when as hear back.

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Audi Concept C: a radical new style that may preview a new electric TT drop top sports car

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Audi Concept C: a radical new style that may preview a new electric TT drop top sports car

Audi has unveiled the Audi Concept C, an all-electric two-seat roadster that aims to redefine the brand’s design language, and which could also preview an upcoming electric TT sports car successor.

Radical Simplicity in Motion

Unveiled in Milan on 2 September 2025, this concept signals Audi’s shift into sleek, minimalist clarity.

From every angle, the Concept C embodies what Audi now calls “radical simplicity”, a philosophy built around geometric purity, emotional precision, and technical clarity, according to the release.

Central to the car’s identity is the vertical frame, Audi’s reimagining of its signature grille, inspired by the legendary Auto Union Type C (1936) and even the third-gen A6 from 2004.

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Its twin-panel, electrically actuated hardtop rocks both coupe-like elegance and open-air allure.

Inside: Clarity Meets Tactility

Inside, the Concept C embraces minimalism without sacrificing substance. Anodized‑aluminum haptic controls, including that satisfying “Audi click,” and a foldable 10.4‑inch center display, offer sleek digital interaction, but nothing feels superfluous.

Audi is calling this “shy tech”—technology that’s always present, never overpowering. Smart, emotional, and intuitive.

Clear Design Vision leaks into Corporate Clarity

This concept is apparently not just a car, it’s a sort of manifesto. CEO Gernot Döllner says that clarity now guides everything at Audi, from design to structure to corporate ethos. The Milan reveal under the banner “Strive for clarity” sets the tone for a bold, focused reimagining of the brand – making this reveal more than about just a new concept.

It’s a full‑scale reorientation, described internally as “The Radical Next” by CCO Massimo Frascella, who emphasizes design as a cultural force, not just a styling exercise.

The Concept C also makes its public debut at IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, showcased under Audi’s immersive “Feel Audi” experience.

A TT Comeback as an Electric Vehicle?

Now, Autocar released a report adding a lot of context around the concept unveil: Audi is reportedly working on an electric TT‑inspired drop‑top, targeting 2027, and this concept could be fairly close to what the German automaker could bring to production.

It would be positioned as a retro‑styled EV, the car would slot in as a Boxster‑rival, potentially sharing its bones with a Porsche counterpart, which is also going electric.

Audi already retired the TT and the R8—leaving a gap in its two‑door sports car lineage. But according to CEO Döllner, sports cars are still part of Audi’s DNA, and their return is not off the table—especially when the timing is right.

Design chief Frascella has a long‑standing personal connection to the TT—it inspired him as a young designer, and he’s excited about bringing that emotional spark into a new EV concept. But, he cautions, it won’t be derivative. Expect something that captures the essence without cloning the past.

A future electric TT would be Audi Sport’s “emotional compact”, built on the surging wave of electrification, and maybe, just maybe, born from the same radical simplicity that powers the Concept C.

Electrek’s Take

As you know, it’s hard for us at Electrek to get excited about new concept cars, but it does sound like Audi isn’t just sketching a pretty concept here.

The vehicle appears to signal a new design language for the four-ring brand and could even preview a new electric sports car.

If it’s indeed the direction Audi is heading, I like it. It manages to be both retro and futuristic without doing too much. That’s impressive.

I appreciate the minimalism all around, but especially in the interior, where, even though it’s just a concept, it already feels exceptionally refined.

You definetly should make this Audi.

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The stunning Volvo ES90 has arrived and it’s the automaker’s most advanced EV to date

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The stunning Volvo ES90 has arrived and it's the automaker's most advanced EV to date

The ES90 can drive further and charge faster than any of Volvo’s electric cars to date. Its sleek design looks like a fastback, but offers the space of an SUV. After the first ES90 rolled off the assembly line on Thursday, Volvo said its new flagship EV stands in a class of its own.

The first Volvo ES90 EV rolls off the production line

Volvo created quite a stir after unveiling the ES90 in March, its new flagship EV. Although it may look like a sedan, it offers the versatility of an SUV with a spacious interior and higher ground clearance.

It’s also the first Volvo model based on its new 800V SPA2 architecture. The advanced new platform unlocks some of the world’s fastest charging speeds, along with an impressive driving range.

Based on the new platform, the ES90 can gain up to 300 km (186 miles) of range in just 10 minutes using a 350 kW fast charger. It also provides a driving range of up to 700 km (435 miles), making it the “most technically advanced” Volvo EV to date.

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After the first ES90 rolled off the production line on Thursday, Francesca Gamboni, chief industrial operations officer at Volvo Cars, said the automaker is entering “a new era of safety, sustainability, and human-centric technology.”

First-Volvo-ES90-EV
The first Volvo ES90 enters production (Source: Volvo Cars)

By offering the best of a sedan, fastback, and SUV, “the ES90 stands in a class of its own,” Volvo claims. Powered by a 102 kWh battery, the Volvo ES90 offers a whopping 700 km (435 miles) of WLTP driving range.

The inside is just as impressive as the first Volvo car equipped with NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin. With around 508 trillion operations per second, the computer offers an eightfold improvement from the previous DRIVE AGX system.

Volvo-ES90-EV-interior
The interior of the Volvo ES90 (Source: Volvo Cars)

Volvo’s new Superset tech stack enables the ES90 to improve and “evolve” through software updates. All of that, and it’s still designed with Volvo’s advanced safety tech at its core.

The ES90 “is set to be another Scandinavian design classic from Volvo Cars,” the company boasted. Volvo has already opened ES90 orders in several European markets and will soon launch it in the Asia Pacific region. In Germany, the ES90 starts at €71,990 ($84,000) with higher trim options priced upwards of around €95,000 ($110,000).

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Orsted sues to save offshore wind farm from Trump administration axe

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Orsted sues to save offshore wind farm from Trump administration axe

Attendees during a media tour of the Revolution Wind construction hub at the Port of Providence in Providence, Rhode Island, US, on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

Adam Glanzman | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The Danish renewable energy company Orsted sued the Trump administration on Thursday to prevent it from blocking the completion of a wind farm off the coast of New England.

The Interior Department abruptly ordered Orsted on August 22 to halt construction on Revolution Wind off the coast of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The fully permitted project is 80% complete and would provide enough power for more than 350,000 homes across both states.

Orsted asked the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to set aside the stop-work order, calling it “unlawful” and “issued in bad faith.”

Orsted shares hit a record low on August 25 in the wake of the stop-work order.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has justified the order on national security grounds and concerns that Revolution Wind will interfere with other uses of U.S. territorial waters. But Orsted said this justification is just a pretext, pointing to President Donald Trump’s long-standing animus toward wind power going back more than a decade.

“The President has apparent hostility towards offshore wind, including based on statements made on the campaign trail,” Orsted’s attorney told the court.

Revolution Wind has undergone extensive environmental and safety reviews over nearly a decade that cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to Orsted’s lawsuit. Federal agencies have uniformily concluded based on thousands of pages of data that the project is “environmentally sound, safe and consistent with federal law,” the company said.

Trump has targeted the wind industry since his first day in office, when he issued an order that closed federal waters to new leases for offshore projects. But the renewable industry had hoped that the White House would allow permitted projects such as Revolution Wind to proceed.

Trump has escalated his attacks on the renewable energy industry in recent weeks. The president said his administration would not approve solar and wind projects two days before Revolution Wind was hit with the stop-work order.

And the Trump administration on Friday cancelled $679 million in funding for a dozen infrastructure projects that support the offshore wind industry.

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