TechCrunch Mobility: Inside the Rivian skunkworks program, and Trump’s gift to Tesla

Summary

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Before we jump into the transportation news of the week, it’s worth pointing you to a couple of articles that are focused on Elon Musk, the CEO and largest shareholder of Tesla and the founder of several other companies, including SpaceX and Neuralink. You might recall an investigation the team here at TechCrunch published in February on the people in Elon Musk’s DOGE universe. The article, which continues to be updated, focused on those working for the Department of Government Efficiency, an entity established via President Trump’s executive order. A new report, by another team here at TechCrunch, focuses on the founders and VCs working with DOGE. Check it out! Speaking of Musk, his close ally Trump has placed 25% tariffs on all cars imported to the United States, including those from Mexico and Canada. He’s also placed a 25% tariff on certain parts used to build cars. As reporter Sean O’Kane notes, it’s a decision that will likely supercharge the cost of new and used cars, but it’s also a gift to Tesla, the company run by Musk, his biggest financial supporter in the presidential election. And finally, in other am-I-in-a-simulation news, Trevor Milton, the founder of bankrupt hydrogen trucking startup Nikola who was convicted of fraud, has been pardoned by Trump, the White House confirmed to TechCrunch. Tidbit: We waited for hours and hours before the White House would confirm. OK, onward with the rest of the news of the week. A little bird Image Credits:Bryce Durbin A little bird recently told us that Lucid is eyeing partnerships as a way to reach higher levels of autonomy, particularly with the new Gravity SUV. Could we see a partnership with Mobileye or some other unlikely automated driving technology provider? Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or my Signal at...