The fallout from robotaxi company Cruise continues, as now General Motors has just filed a lawsuit against San Francisco for $121 million, in what it calls unfair taxes and penalties since it acquired Cruise. GM argues that San Francisco charged the company an inflated tax rate because it factored in its Cruise self-driving car division, which GM says is a separate entity.
It all gets a bit muddy, but GM argues that San Francisco has unfairly tied its global revenue to Cruise’s side of the business, tallying up a taxable bill of $3 billion last year alone, rather than a more modest figure generated by GM alone, Bloomberg reports. Since 2016, when GM bought Cruise, which is headquartered in San Francisco, GM has paid $108 million in city taxes to San Francisco, plus $13 million in interest. And now the company is suing to get that money back.
GM argues, not counting Cruise, it has very low sales in San Francisco and practically no personnel, with no physical locations, no manufacturing plants, and no dealerships located there.
In the lawsuit, which was filed with the California Superior Court and the County of San Francisco, GM claims that its operations and revenue models are not shared with Cruise, and that the two companies had an arrangement to operate “at arm’s length,” according to Bloomberg.
GM has already been hemorrhaging money from its big bet on Cruise, having lost $1.9 billion on Cruise expenses between January and September this year, in addition to a $732 million loss in the third quarter. Since Cruise’s infamous incident involving a pedestrian, GM has stepped in to take a bigger role in leading the company, with the automaker’s general counsel Craig Glidden now co-president along with Cruise’s Mo Elshenawy.
As for Cruise, the company has been in a nosedive since October 2 when a Cruise robotaxi dragged a San Francisco pedestrian more than 20 feet before braking – the pedestrian was first hit by a human-driving car before being flung into the path of a Cruise vehicle. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles quickly pulled Cruise’s operating permit, with Cruise voluntarily pausing all of its operations nationwide soon thereafter.
Meanwhile, a federal probe and independent investigations also dug up internal documents that detailed pretty awful details about the vehicle’s algorithm, that it had trouble identifying children, which wasn’t a secret to company staff.
Since, GM has stepped in to take a bigger role, with CEO and founder Kyle Vogt resigning on November 19, followed by a mass layoff of 900 employees as well as nine top execs.
Cruise is facing a potential $1.5 million in fines and additional sanctions over its failure to disclose details about the accident. So, unfortunately for GM, this headache isn’t going away any time soon.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Electrify America and Audi of America are expanding their EV charging partnership to cover the new 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron.
The all-new 2025 Q6 e-tron is Audi‘s latest addition to the e-tron model line-up, which currently includes the Q4 e-tron and e-tron GT. The Audi Q6 e-tron is expected to arrive this summer and will include one year of free Electrify America charging with Plug&Charge capabilities.
Audi Q6 e-tron owners have a year from the date of purchase to use the free Electrify America charging. Owners can enroll to activate the charging benefit via the myAudi App. Drivers can use the app or in-vehicle navigation to locate nearby charging stations, verify charger availability, and navigate to the charging stations.
Electrify America is the first open DC fast-charging network to enable Plug&Charge technology at all its charging stations. To activate Plug&Charge, drivers just need to enroll their EV in Electrify America’s charging plan.
Read more: VW finally rolls out Plug&Charge on its 2023 ID.4s
To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Rivian (RIVN) is off to a strong start in 2025. The company’s sales surged in February, with the R1S breaking into the top five best-selling EVs in the US. The electric SUV is once again a fan favorite.
Rivian R1S was the fifth top-selling EV in February
Rivian is cementing its status as a true luxury EV brand. After delivering over 51,500 vehicles last year, the company is charging into 2025 with strong momentum.
Although Rivian may not share monthly sales figures, new data from Cox Automotive’s February EV Market Monitor reveals a big win.
According to the report, Rivian’s sales jumped 34% from last February, with over 4,000 vehicles sold. The Rivian R1S was the fifth best-selling EV by sales volume, trailing only the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Honda Prologue.
Tesla’s sales dipped 10%, with the Cybertruck (-32.5%) and Model 3 (-17.5%) seeing the biggest drops from last year. The Model Y held up better, slipping just 3.1%.
In total, 95,692 EVs were sold last month. Although that’s down 5.9% from January, it was the highest volume for the month of February, up 10.5% from last year.
| Rank | Model |
| 1 | Tesla Model Y |
| 2 | Tesla Model 3 |
| 3 | Ford Mustang Mach-E |
| 4 | Honda Prologue |
| 5 | Rivian R1S |
Just this week, the Palo Alto Police Department unveiled the first R1S police cruiser, a big milestone as the electric SUV expands into law enforcement.
Rivian expects deliveries to remain about flat this year at around 46,000 to 51,000. However, it’s not because of less demand. The company is shutting down its Normal, IL manufacturing plant in the second half of the year as it prepares to launch the midsize R2.
The company’s CFO, Claire McDonough, confirmed earlier this month that Rivian is “working around the clock” to prepare the facility for R2 production.
We got a sneak peek of it earlier this week as it nears production after CEO RJ Scaringe posted a photo of the R2 body with production dies.
The R2 will open a new market for Rivian, with prices starting at around $45,000, or about half the cost of its current R1S ($77,700) and R1T ( $71,700). Although it will be significantly cheaper, the company promises it won’t be half the vehicle with the “Rivian essence” still included.
After cutting R1S lease prices by over $200 per month in February, the Rivian’s electric SUV may be an even better deal than the Model Y. Will it continue closing the gap this year?
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![The Kia EV2 is real: Here's our first look at the low-cost EV on the road [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/Kia-EV2-4.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Kia is gearing up to launch its smallest, most affordable EV yet. Despite its small size, Kia promises the EV2 has “a big personality” with its latest tech, features, and sleek new design. Here’s our first look at the Kia EV2 after it was spotted in public testing for the first time.
Kia EV2 spotted testing in Korea for the first time
The EV2 is Kia’s upcoming entry-level electric SUV, slated to sit below the EV3. We got our first look at it last month after Kia unveiled the EV2 concept, a preview of the upcoming production model.
It was showcased alongside the EV4 and PV5 as part of Kia’s rapidly expanding EV lineup. Kia wants to offer “EVs for all,” with prices ranging from under $30,000 to upwards of $80,000.
According to Kia, the EV2 is designed to make “electric vehicles truly accessible for everyone.” It features the brand’s updated styling, including its signature vertical daytime running lights (DRLs) and Star Map lightning.
Although it’s Kia’s smallest electric SUV, the EV2s upright stance, wide wheel arches, and rugged bumpers give it a more premium feel, almost like the three-row EV9.
Kia didn’t stop here. With folding second-row seats, you can slide the front seat back as far as possible, providing a comfortable space when parked. Kia says it’s enough to stretch your legs or even “sit on the vehicle’s flat floor to enjoy a meal.”
The entry-level electric SUV will be loaded with advanced software, connectivity, and other tech, including vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities to power up electronics or home appliances. With OTA updates, the EV2 will only get smarter and more functional over time.
Ahead of its official launch, the compact electric SUV was spotted in Korea on the road testing for the first time. The video from HealerTV gives us our closest look at the EV2 as it nears production.
Like its other EV concepts, the EV2 will look almost identical to the concept when it arrives in production form. From the side, it almost looks like the Kia Soul with a boxy silhouette. Despite the camouflage, the rear gives the same impression with similar proportions to the concept.
The EV2 will also likely include Kia’s new ccNC infotainment system, which features dual 12.3″ driver display and navigation screens.
Kia plans to launch the EV2 in Europe “and other regions” in 2026. Although prices and specs will be revealed closer to launch, the electric SUV, based on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform, is expected to feature at least 300 miles (605 km) WLTP range.
Kia’s CEO told Autocar it aims to launch the EV2 at around £25,000 ($32,000) in the UK. However, that was in 2023. With battery advancements and more, prices could be even lower now.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports12 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway