Tesla/SpaceX merger, Rivian R2 progress, new Mercedes GLA, and more

In the Electrek Podcast (electrek.co/guides/electrek-podcast), we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss rumors of a Tesla/SpaceX merger, Rivian's earnings, R2 progress, and efficiency test, new Mercedes GLA, and more.

The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/channel/UCcOIZzJgLCyMPILY7-1Vsdg/f…).

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel (youtube.com/channel/UCcOIZzJgLCyMPILY7-1Vsdg/f…) to get your questions and comments in.

After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube (youtube.com/channel/UCcOIZzJgLCyMPILY7-1Vsdg) and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

• Apple Podcasts (podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/electrek/id13200…)

• Spotify (open.spotify.com/show/6yWyjpjrOHfiufOgGHWql8)

• Overcast (overcast.fm/itunes1320055779/electrek)

• Pocket Casts (play.pocketcasts.com/discover/podcast/a58fdb80…)

• Castro (castro.fm/podcast/53b42ca1-00c6-455d-8910-1365…)

• RSS (feedpress.me/electrek)

We now have a Patreon (patreon.com/electrek) if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

• Tesla weighs selling China business to clear path for SpaceX merger (electrek.co/2026/07/30/tesla-weighs-selling-ch…)

• Tesla sues Cybertruck supplier amid standoff keeping production hostage (electrek.co/2026/07/28/tesla-sues-cybertruck-s…)

• Tesla buys 90% of a 509 MW Arizona solar and storage project (electrek.co/2026/07/28/tesla-arizona-solar-sto…)

• Rivian (RIVN) Q2 2026 earnings: revenue up 27%, gross margins soaring (electrek.co/2026/07/30/rivian-rivn-q2-2026-ear…)

• Rivian R2 uses up to 26% more energy than Model Y in real-world test (electrek.co/2026/07/27/rivian-r2-tesla-model-y…)

• The new Mercedes GLA EV is bigger, smarter, and has a range of over 400 miles (electrek.co/2026/07/29/new-mercedes-gla-ev-big…)

• Volvo drops lidar for good on EX90 and ES90, pays owner compensation (electrek.co/2026/07/29/volvo-drops-lidar-ex90-…)

• BMW ramps up iX3 output as orders near 100,000 (electrek.co/2026/07/28/bmw-ramps-up-ix3-output…)

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):

youtube.com/live/6ocTz1bGaIw