Podcast: Tesla Cybertruck news, Rivian and Lucid earnings, and more

On the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a bunch of Tesla Cybertruck news, Rivian and Lucid earnings, and more. electrek.co/?p...
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
01:05 Tesla is working through its giant Cybertruck backlog pretty fast
05:20 Tesla launches Cybertruck in Canada, and it’s pricey
09:34 Tesla Cybertruck’s tow hitch snaps off the frame in torture test
12:58 Tesla is testing Supercharging at over 300 kW
15:25 Tesla launches new bundle with 3 years of FSD, Supercharging, and premium connectivity
18:01 Rivian (RIVN) stock slips after pivotal earnings: Here’s why the CEO is defending its progress
21:32 Lucid (LCID) beats Q2 revenue estimates with another $1.5 billion injection from Saudi PIF
23:34 EVs and PHEVs outsell gas cars in China for the first time
27:57 BYD undercuts Tesla Model 3 prices by nearly $10K with the new 2025 Seal EV
31:45 Dodge officially reveals prices for its first EV, the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona

[@tiemte]

Regarding the "road tax": In my country, we conduct yearly inspections to ensure that cars are still roadworthy. It wouldn’t be difficult to record the distance traveled since the last inspection and tax accordingly, if they so wished.
In fact, if this system were already in place, I might pay less tax on my current gas guzzler, as I drive less than average but pay a flat-rate tax based on the car model.

[@urbanstrencan]

Can't wait for Rivian to get to EU market, could be quite strong for them with R2 and R3❤❤.

[@danharold3087]

Luxury tax has been removed. It was a mistake. Something to do with wait.
Until Tesla stops selling the Foundation series there is no way to speak to the take rate by people who will buy after that.
Once one gets the trim started you can pull trim off most modern cars by hand. It is held on with clips. Just like the CT. To get it started use a pry tool.

[@rednose1966]

You say there is a limit that can not be overcome in battery density or battery cost. I refer you to , Moore’s Law.
You also doubt the continued investment by the PIF into Lucid Motors? Why? Are you not aware this is an investment by the Saudi Royal family to create stability in the country to maintain power? The PIF is creating a working affluent middle class.
You also mention you do not like the look of the Gravity. So what, the people that buy the car are going to be the opinion that matters.

[@karlInSanDiego]

Wrong. Moore's Law isn't even persisting in computers, and doesn't apply to battery production at all.
Battery production and pricing is limited by mining, refinement, competition for those resources, battery factory throughput, environmental constraints, fossil fuel costs for running mining equipment which can't convert to zero emissions fast enough or cheaply enough, elasticity of consumer demand jerking all of these industries between boom and bust. Moore's law has nothing to do with battery production.
Wright's Law assumes that as production volume increases, the time and cost of production will fall, potentially leading to a lower price of the good. However, if resources are a constant constraint, or if emissions or environmental laws prevent you from catching up in resource procurement for materials, you cannot apply Wright's Law. In fact, under the new reality of emissions constraints, Wright's Law will not apply to most industrial production.
A car company can have the best intentions at wanting to lower the price of their EVs, and can resort to measures like eliminating BS features like panoramic glass roofs, FSD, electronic charge doors, automatic windshield wiper sensors, matrix headlights, adaptive cruise control, sentry mode, 6 cabin filters, AWD, 0-60 times that embarrass sports cars, and on and on, but if the resources to make the batteries are bottlenecked, you cannot chase the prices down without manipulating the market with regulated commodity pricing schemes. And that wouldn't mean much in an international market for a fungible good like refined lithium or refined nickel.