Rivian CEO attempts to justify why the company refuses to offer CarPlay
CarPlay is available on the vast majority of cars today, including on electric vehicles from the likes of Ford, Polestar, and others. One of the most notable CarPlay holdouts (alongside Tesla) is Rivian, and new comments from CEO RJ Scaringe today make it clear that the up-and-coming EV company has no plans to adopt Apple’s platform…
Rivian makes it clear CarPlay isn’t coming to its EVs
Speaking to MKBHD on the Waveform podcast this week, Scaringe was asked about Rivian’s lack of CarPlay support. MKBHD specifically pointed to a stat that Apple shared at WWDC 2022, claiming that 79% of car buyers in the United States “only consider CarPlay-capable vehicles.”
Scaringe explains that Rivian’s decision to not use CarPlay is driven by its desire to be the “arbiter or head chef” of the in-car software experience, rather than handing over control to a company like Apple.
“A lot of the things we do, whether it’s music or mapping, we have to make sure we integrate in with the best-in-class platforms. But by controlling the system, it just allows us to be the arbiter or the head chef in terms of the experience you get, versus handing over control of what we think is one of the most important parts of the experience.”
The Rivian founder goes on to say that the company focuses on rolling out updates to its own in-car software on a regular basis, something that he says is only possible by “controlling the software stack.”
“The thing about controlling the software stack is we get to continually make it better. Every few weeks we have a new software release that either adds features, addresses gaps, we listen to feedback. Our head of software development is on Reddit all the time hearing what people are saying and interacting. It’s great to get the feedback and it drives our software roadmap to make sure we’re delivering on what customers want.”
At one point, Rivian indicated that it would maybe add CarPlay in the future if there was enough consumer demand. Scaringe’s comments today seem to suggest that’s not currently on the roadmap.
9to5Mac’s Take
I’ve yet to hear a convincing argument from a carmaker on why they refuse to adopt CarPlay, whether it’s Tesla, Rivian, or GM.
These comments from Scaringe come just a week after GM announced that it will no longer support CarPlay starting with its future EVs. GM’s reasoning was even weaker than Rivian’s with the company blatantly saying it wants to collect additional data on how customers drive and charge their cars.
It’s absolutely fair for a carmaker to want to control the entire in-car experience. That’s a decision they are free to make, and the market will eventually decide whether it’s a right or wrong move. I do, however, think there are multiple things these companies are failing to consider.
CarPlay doesn’t have to take over the entire infotainment experience. It can be an additive option alongside whatever “native” software the carmaker itself wants to offer. If a driver wants to use CarPlay, it’s there as an option.
In fact, it would be perfectly reasonable for Rivian to support CarPlay while simultaneously telling customers that certain features of the car would only be accessible outside of the CarPlay experience. This is already the case on most other CarPlay-enabled cars.
I also don’t buy the excuse that “controlling the software stack” is the only way Rivian is able to roll out software updates on a regular basis. Once CarPlay is added, there’s very little upkeep required by the carmaker itself. I could even argue that supporting CarPlay would remove some of the burden on Rivian. Apple and CarPlay app developers can add new features that improve the Rivian experience without Rivian itself doing anything at all.
To me, these decisions are shortsighted – particularly as Apple works on a slick-looking revamped CarPlay experience coming later this year. Apple already has a long list of carmakers on board, including some of the top EV brands like Ford, Nissan, and Polestar. In my book, this gives those brands an easy leg-up on the likes of Rivian, Tesla, and GM.
The best way I can put it is this: if I were shopping for a car, I wouldn’t completely rule out a Rivian because they don’t support CarPlay. I would, however, consider a competitor like the Volvo EX90 more strongly than I might if Rivian offered CarPlay because Volvo is committed to supporting wireless CarPlay.
Over at Six Colors this week, Jason Snell also penned an excellent column in response to GM’s decision in particular to drop support for CarPlay. As he explains, it’s a “clear case of a corporation prioritizing its own business and technical interests over the needs of its users.”
Are you willing to consider cars that don’t support CarPlay? Do the features offered by cars from Tesla, Rivian, and GM outweigh the benefits of CarPlay? Let us know in the comments.
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Environment
Toyota’s best-selling car may finally go electric: Here’s our first look at the Corolla EV
A fully electric Corolla? Toyota’s best-selling car of all time looks to be finally going electric after the automaker previewed the Corolla EV for the first time.
Is Toyota’s best-selling car getting an electric version?
Since it first launched over 50 years ago, the Corolla quickly became one of the most popular vehicles in nearly every pocket of the globe.
In the late 90s, it even surpassed the Volkswagen Beetle to become the best-selling car in the world, not just Toyota’s.
After holding the crown for over two decades, the Toyota Corolla finally lost its title to the Tesla Model Y in 2023. Although it’s still a top-seller globally, the Corolla appears to be in line for its biggest update yet.
Toyota previewed what appears to be a fully electric Corolla for the first time during a live stream event in Japan on Monday. The commercial showed several “never-before-seen cars” that will be unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show later this month.
One of the concepts shown was a new, seemingly electric Corolla. Outside of the big COROLLA logo on the back, you can hardly tell it’s the sedan Toyota currently has on sale today.
The concept features a closed-off grille and an apparent charge port on the front, hinting it is, in fact, electric. It also draws from Toyota’s latest design theme showcased on new EVs like the updated bZ4X and 2026 CH-R Electric.
It also looks nearly identical to the bZ3, a BYD-powered electric sedan that Toyota has been selling in China since 2023.
Toyota didn’t reveal any other details about the concept, but said the vehicle will appear at the Japan Mobility Show, which starts on October 30, 2025. Press days open on October 29, so check back soon for more info.
Electrek’s Take
The Corolla may be going electric, but don’t expect Toyota to drop the internal combustion engine (ICE) version anytime soon.
Given that Toyota is still standing by its commitment to offer vehicles across all powertrain options, even if it does launch an electric Corolla, it will likely be sold alongside ICE, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid variants.
Either way, an electric sedan would fit in Toyota’s EV lineup, which will include mostly SUVs like the bZ4X (now just the 2026 bZ in the US), CH-R+, and Urban Cruiser.
Would an electric Toyota Corolla compete with the Tesla Model 3? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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![Jetson showcases eVTOL racing concept called the Jetson Air Games [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/Jetson-eVTOL-racing-hero.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Personal use eVTOL developer Jetson continues to showcase to the public how exciting an aerial eVTOL racing format can be. The company recently showcased a racing format concept it calls the Jetson Air Games, in which four single-rider Jetson ONE eVTOLs raced head-to-head around a series of pylons during the annual UP.Summit. We highly suggest checking out the video footage below.
Jetson is startup founded in 2017 specializing in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. By developing smaller eVTOLs, Jetson originally hailed itself as the first competitor to provide commercially available personal aerial vehicles to the public.
And it has.
Last month, Jetson completed its first global customer delivery, which included a Jetson ONE for Oculus founder and tech entrepreneur Palmer Luckey.
Before any customer deliveries, however, Jetson had been teasing the idea of using its flagship eVTOL product for racing purposes. In December 2024, the company released footage showing Jetson co-founder and CTO Tomasz Patan demonstrating the precision and agility of the Jetson ONE by navigating around an 8-meter (26ft) tall pylon.
According to a concurrent release, the pylon was a new item that Jetson began producing to encourage and support plans for a new league of eVTOL races. As we pointed out at the time, Jetson’s eVTOL racing idea was nothing new. A team called Airspeeder in Australia has been doing it for years with its own unique eVTOLs it calls “Speeders.”
While Airspeeder has completed eVTOL races, it has yet to do so with actual pilots on board. That’s the goal, but it still hasn’t happened yet, which left the door open for Jetson to be the first with its tech.
Jetson previews eVTOL racing format at UP.Summit
Jetson shared details of its latest milestone following a successful “aerial showcase” at UP.Summit 2025 in Bentonville, Arkansas. Using four Jetson ONE eVTOLs, which at one point formed a “first-ever” four-vessel formation flight, the company introduced the future concept of the Jetson Air Games.
According to Jetson, its Air Games is a new competitive eVTOL format racing designed to “redefine personal air mobility through dynamic aerial sports.” After the four-eVTOL formation (seen above), the Jetson ONE pilots completed a speedy race around the pylons, followed by a solo aerial session by who else but Tomasz Patan, who was also involved in both the formation and the ensuing race. Patan spoke:
Flying for such a large and engaged audience was incredibly special. It was a moment of pride for our entire team and a clear signal that Jetson is ready to lead the next chapter in aviation—and in aerial sport.
Jetson said its eVTOL racing showcase drew plenty of positive feedback from the audience, as well as several investment inquiries. According to the company, its Jetson ONE order is approaching units, representing $75 million in future sales.
The Jetson ONE currently costs $128,000, but the company shared plans to increase that starting price to $148,000, beginning November 3, 2025. As promised, here’s video footage of Jetson’s racing showcase below:
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After the Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit (Section 45W) expired on September 30, the “experts” rushed out predictions of an EV sales slowdown in Q4. But, with over 6,800 pages in the Internal Revenue Code still in play, a turbocharged Section 179 tax credit could still power a strong Q4 for commercial EVs.
The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) of 2025 gutted America’s energy independence goals and ensuring its auto industry would fall even further behind the Chinese in the EV race, but the loss of Section 45W wasn’t the only change written into the IRS’ rulebook. Section 179, an immediate expense reduction that business owners can take on depreciable equipment assets, has been made significantly more powerful for 2025.
The section 179 expense deduction is limited to such items as cars, office equipment, business machinery, and computers. This speedy deduction can provide substantial tax relief for business owners who are purchasing startup equipment.
The revised Section 179 tax credit (or, more accurately, expense reduction) allows for a 100% deduction for equipment purchases has doubled to $2.5 million, with a phase-out kicking in at $4 million of capital investments that drops to zero at $6.5 million. That credit and can be applied to new and used vehicles, as well as charging infrastructure, battery energy storage systems, specialized tools, and more (as long as they’re new to you).
Work the tax credit
“But wait,” as they say. “There’s more!” A revised Section 168(k) also allows for bonus depreciation on eligible equipment and property, accelerating depreciation for a reduced tax burden.
Fleets can take both the bigger Section 179 and 168(k) bonus depreciation allowances, but Section 179 must be applied first, leaving only qualifying purchases over the $2.5 million limit to be taken in bonus depreciation.
It’s a bit convoluted (what good tax code isn’t?), but these tax incentives are great for businesses looking to buy enough electric equipment assets to exceed the Section 179 spending limit – and, given the new Uber/Tesla semi truck purchase plan, the continued growth of the electric terminal tractor market, and the willingness of several utilities to incentivize both electric commercial vehicles and the deployment of smart EV charging infrastructure, that number may be bigger than you think.
Electrek’s Take Disclaimer
Tax law is weird. Not only are there Federal tax laws and rules that need to be followed, but state and even local county and city rules, as well. As such, you want to make sure they don’t get you the way the got Capone.
Even worse, your favorite journalist (Hi!) is probably an idiot. Get a certified accountant and tax law expert to help walk you through the dirtier details of your specific scenario – but don’t let the complexity of human interaction slow you down, either. The really rich guys you know pay pennies on the tax dollar compared to you and me, because they’re not afraid to ask their accountants for help.
The TL;DR version, though, is this: there’s still plenty of incentives out there for fleet operators looking to electrify their operations.
SOURCES | IMAGES: Equipment World, Investopedia, Volvo.
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