Jeff Bezos wants to build permanent outposts on the moon and colonize space. Richard Branson wants to make spaceflight as commonplace as air travel. Elon Musk wants to settle Mars to make humanity multiplanetary.
IBX’s Kam Ghaffarian wants to go even further: the stars.
“There’s this common denominator of combining altruism, to do something purposeful and good, and combine it with capitalism to make a positive impact,” he told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. “The vision for IBX is protecting our home, our planet, and then finding new homes and stars and everything involved to do that. So, on the space side, if we say that the ultimate destiny for humanity is interstellar travel, and going to the stars, then we need to take a lot of intermediary steps to do that.”
It might sound farfetched if it wasn’t for his track record. Ghaffarian has been instrumental in ushering in the new space economy, having co-founded and invested in a cadre of commercial space ventures.
Publicly traded Intuitive Machines, where Ghaffarian is co-founder and executive chairman, recently made history when its Odysseus spacecraft successfully landed on the moon, becoming the first commercial lander to do so.
Ghaffarian is also the co-founder and chairman of Axiom Space, which now regularly sends private astronauts on commercial missions to the International Space Station — the first company allowed to connect modules and provide full-service missions to the ISS — as it works to build its own space station.
With Quantum Space, where he’s also the executive chairman, the focus is on deep space commerce and communication through a superhighway of satellites stretching from earth orbit to the moon and beyond; X-Energy, which he founded, has developed operating nuclear reactors that it says are “designed to be intrinsically safe,” as well as nuclear propulsion capabilities.
His family office, IBX (which stands for “Imagine, Believe, Execute”) sits at the center of this space exploration constellation.
“We’ve got to do all the intermediate steps. I’m with Elon [Musk] and Jeff [Bezos], both my dear friends, to be able to first do the LEO [low earth orbit], be able to go to the moon and Mars, because we’ve got to do those before we can go interstellar,” Ghaffarian explained on CNBC’s Manifest Space podcast.
Follow and listen to CNBC’s “Manifest Space” podcast, hosted by Morgan Brennan, wherever you get your podcasts.
Unlike other high-profile billionaires building commercial space companies, Ghaffarian made his fortune through the space industry, and rather than focusing on access to space, he’s leveraging those falling costs to build out infrastructure and business activities in space.
The Iran-born entrepreneur, who emigrated to the U.S. some four and a half decades ago, co-founded a government services company called Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies that became a top contractor for NASA before KBR acquired it in 2018.
“If you create a company that is fantastic, and you develop unbelievable technologies, but nobody wants to buy it, or there is no business case, then you will have not made any difference,” Ghaffarian said. “How do you create a business model where you are purposeful, you’re making a difference, but also … can provide return to the investors in a massive way?”
Ghaffarian believes the space economy will be worth trillions of dollars — and sooner than many realize. He sees the technological leaps forward in artificial intelligence and quantum computing as crucial to unlocking the full potential of space.
He said microgravity-based pharmaceutical research and industrial manufacturing, sustainable propulsion and energy sources, and the building out of lunar infrastructure will be some of the capabilities and services in greater demand in the coming years.
“It’s normal for people to not quite appreciate it. …. When did people appreciate the AI revolution — 10 years ago? Not really, right? And all of a sudden, now we have this herd mentality that everybody’s jumping in” said Ghaffarian, who also cited the early days of Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Tesla and SpaceX, even air travel, as templates for the space world. “I think we are in the beginning of that in this space exploration and space ecosystem, space economy, and it’s still not there, but my belief is that it is taking off and it’s going to grow rapidly, and I truly believe that they’re underestimating the size of the market.”
As investors catch on, the space billionaire’s ventures will continue to shoot for the stars.
On today’s episode of Quick Charge, we look into a new study revealing that Toyota outspends all other automakers when it comes to funding climate change denying politicians and Fred accuses Elon of misrepresenting the data behind Full Self Driving (again).
We’ve also got word that the recently redesigned Tesla Model Y is being built in Giga Berlin, Hyundai’s electrified lineup is leading a record export year for the brand, and a new study says cleantech investments will beat out conventional energy production for the first time in 2025.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!
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Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs).
Amazon’s new electric semi trucks
These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations.
The new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 350 million packages annually once fully operational.
Amazon is installing 360kW charging stations at key sites capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20-80% in just over an hour. The company is also working with stakeholders to establish external charging locations to support longer routes.
The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ flagship electric long-hauler, with a battery capacity of more than 600 kWh and a range of 310 miles (500 km). Production of the eActros 600s recently began at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Wörth, Germany.
Sustainable delivery across Europe
In the UK, Amazon has begun using the electric rail network for package transport at scale. It’s also rolling out on-foot delivery options in London, with associates using carts that can be restocked from nearby vans. In Germany, Amazon doubled its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans to over 600, and electric cargo bikes delivered more than 1.5 million packages in Berlin alone last year.
By the end of 2024, Amazon plans to expand its micromobility hubs – locations supporting deliveries by foot and cargo bike – to Germany’s five largest cities and beyond. Across Europe, the company is investing more than €1 billion to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network.
Amazon’s European network already includes 38 eHGVs, with 50 electric semis recently deployed in California. The company’s fleet of electric delivery vans in Europe has grown to over 3,000 and is expected to surpass 10,000 by the end of 2025. Micromobility hubs have also expanded from 20 cities in 2022 to more than 45 by the end of 2024, including new additions in Belfast, Madrid, Rome, and Vienna.
Electrek’s Take
Amazon says its latest electric semi truck order aligns with The Climate Pledge it announced in 2019, in which the company committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040. While The Climate Pledge initiative has garnered praise, it has also faced criticism and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and transparency.
In 2020, Amazon faced allegations of retaliating against employees who spoke out about the company’s environmental policies. The National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally fired workers who advocated for climate action and better safety measures.
Amazon is also donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump is a climate change denier who actively opposes renewables, and not just in the US. Earlier this month Trump demanded that the British government open up the North Sea to fossil fuel drilling and get rid of “windmills.”
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If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.
Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model
Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.
The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.
Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.
The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.
Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.
The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.
After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.
A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.
Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.
In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.
The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.
2025 Genesis GV60 trim
Range (EPA-est)
Starting Price*
Standard RWD
294 miles
$52,350
Standard AWD
264 miles
$55,850
Advanced AWD
248 miles
$60,900
Performance AWD
235 miles
$69,900
2025 Genesis GV60 prices and range by trim (*excluding $1,350 destination fee)
Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.
What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.