TechCrunch Mobility: The state of EV sales and Rivian secures the next $1B from VW

In the latest update from the electric vehicle (EV) landscape, Rivian has successfully secured an additional $1 billion investment from Volkswagen amid ongoing challenges in the sales sector. This news comes as the second quarter draws to a close, prompting a flurry of production and sales reports from various automakers. While some manufacturers provide monthly updates, many in the EV sector only share quarterly data. Notably, the electric Hummer is now on track to outsell the F-150 Lightning, while Lucid Motors is making gradual strides in ramping up production for its Gravity model. Conversely, Tesla is grappling with a decline in sales for the second consecutive year, following another disappointing quarter. Additionally, recent legislative moves have raised concerns within the industry. A new reconciliation act passed by Republican lawmakers is set to roll back significant portions of the Inflation Reduction Act, effectively eliminating tax credits for both new and used electric vehicles, as well as home EV charging installations. This change is already impacting startups, such as Slate Auto, which had planned to market a budget-friendly pickup truck leveraging the EV tax credit. In more positive developments, Pebble, a California-based startup, has commenced customer deliveries of its all-electric travel trailer. Similarly, Grounded, founded by former SpaceX engineers, has successfully delivered its electric van, the G3, to its inaugural customer. On a cautionary note, the FBI and cybersecurity experts have alerted the public to the activities of the hacking group Scattered Spider, which has recently targeted airlines and the transportation sector. Qantas, one of the major players in the airline industry, reported a data breach affecting the personal information of over 6 million passengers, highlighting the vulnerabilities within the sector.