Ferrari's Luce EV Sparks Debate, and More Mobility News

The Ferrari Luce, designed by Apple veteran Jony Ive, has generated a heated response from enthusiasts and critics alike.

The Ferrari Luce, priced at close to $650,000, has been compared to the Nissan Leaf, with some calling it a 'five-seater EV.' Ferrari fans have expressed horror, while others have questioned its market potential. Senior reporter Sean O'Kane asked, 'Who is the Luce for?'

Existing Ferrari owners, who often possess more than one vehicle, might be a target market, with over 80% of last year's 14,000 buyers already owning a Ferrari.
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna claims there is demand for the EV, with orders coming from old and new customers.
Assuming demand outstrips production, the next question is, who will Ferrari choose?

A new Texas law allows the Department of Motor Vehicles agency to exert more control over autonomous vehicle testing and deployment. Companies must now license AVs in the state, and the data is public. Waymo is far and away the leader with 577 registered AVs, followed by Avride with 317, Nuro with 47, and Tesla with 42.

Fleet size is just one measure, and it certainly doesn't always translate into whoever has the most wins.
Many of these companies have not launched commercial services in the state.
The complaints feature on this new tool, which is also public record, has not seen any filings against the listed companies.

A new single asset fund managed by Equip Capital has taken a majority stake in European e-scooter operator Ryde Technology. Harley-Davidson's electric motorbike spinoff LiveWire acquired electric off-road startup Dust Moto. Matternet, an autonomous drone delivery company, raised $33 million in a private placement offering and completed a reverse merger with Los Altos Ventures Corp.

Revel, the EV charging company that shuttered its ride-hailing business last August, is merging with Voltera.
Stark, a German drone maker, is in talks to raise at least €300 million ($350 million), a round that could double its valuation to €2.5 billion.
Volara Motorsports Group, a motorsports and performance-focused holding company, acquired Lynx Motor Works, an Austin, Texas-based company that makes limited-production, reimagined classic vehicles.

WeRoad, the Milan-based group adventure travel startup, raised $58 million in a Series C round led by Airbnb. The funding brings the company's total capital raised to roughly $100 million and will finance WeRoad's push into the U.S., beginning with Austin.

American Airlines will install Starlink on more than 500 narrow-body Airbus aircraft beginning early next year. Rivian said it will begin deliveries of its new R2 SUV on June 9, while being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over how the EV maker services its vehicles' rear suspension components.

Slate Auto is expected to announce pricing and start taking nonrefundable preorders for its low-cost electric vehicle on June 24. Deliveries are supposed to happen later this year.

Volvo Cars received a specification authorization by the Commerce Department that allows the Swedish automaker to continue to import and sell its vehicles in the United States.

Waymo has started giving select riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco access to its newest robotaxi: an all-electric, minivan-like vehicle that is designed to lower costs and handle the use and abuse of hundreds of thousands of riders.

It's poll time! Maybe you secretly like the Ferrari Luce and just don't want to get trolled. Maybe you hate it. We asked our newsletter readers to share their opinion.

Sign up for the Mobility newsletter to participate in our polls!
Last week, we asked our newsletter readers, 'Will SpaceX and Tesla merge?' More than 51% selected 'Yes, within two years'; 34% picked 'never'; and 14.5% chose 'Yes, this year.' That means more than 65% believe a merger is inevitable.

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Kirsten Korosec

Transportation Editor June 18

Los Angeles

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