Ferrari’s Big Reveal, Doug’s Real Opinion on the Rivian R2 & Ford in Trouble! This Car Pod! EP98

TL;DR

Ferrari revealed its first EV interior designed by Jony Ive, Doug called the Rivian R2 the best EV he's ever driven, and Ford lost $5.4 billion on EVs.

Key Points

• 1.Ferrari's first EV is called the "Luce" (Italian for "light"), with an interior designed by Jony Ive's firm after 5 years of collaboration with Ferrari.
• 2.The Luce interior features a vintage-style CNC-machined aluminum steering wheel, layered screens for a 3D gauge effect, physical toggle switches, and zero decorative carbon fiber — Ferrari declaring carbon fiber "played out."
• 3.The screen is on a swivel to face the driver, similar to the Cadillac Voyage; hosts agree it's a meaningful improvement over current Ferrari infotainment systems.
• 4.The Luce is confirmed as a four-door EV, which the hosts say makes the interior debate largely irrelevant — "Enzo wouldn't take an elevator and now they're making EVs."
• 5.Doug says the Rivian R2 is "probably the best EV I've ever been around," comparing its market fit to the original Tesla Model Y but with better, boxier styling.
• 6.R2 pricing has been seen by Doug (undisclosed), and he calls it "quite compelling"; he believes it will sell in massive global numbers, including markets like Malaysia and Turkey.
• 7.Doug thinks the R2 will cannibalize R1 sales because the two vehicles look nearly identical despite major size differences, unlike the Range Rover lineup which maintains clear visual hierarchy.
• 8.Rivian plans to shift R2 production to a new factory in Social Circle, Georgia (near Atlanta) in 2028, chosen partly for better travel access than the Normal, Illinois plant.
• 9.The Grand Tour is restarting with James and Thomas from Throttle House plus François Bourgeois (the "train guy"), with hosts cautiously optimistic but noting uncertainty about François's fit.
• 10.Toyota named a new CEO — finance-focused Koji Sato — replacing the car-enthusiast-driven leadership era; the incoming CEO publicly said "I love numbers and money," raising concerns about a return to bland products.
• 11.Toyota's new Highlander will be all-electric with 320 miles of range and three rows, a major risk given Toyota's historically cautious EV stance — and it will have a Subaru twin model.
• 12.Ford reported a $5.4 billion EV loss in 2024, plus a surprise $900 million tariff hit (expected $400M) due to USMCA credit timing issues going back to November instead of May.