TechCrunch Mobility: It doesn’t matter if people hate the Ferrari Luce

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If you’re into EVs or sports cars, then you’ve definitely seen the kerfuffle over Ferrari’s The first electric car, the Luce. The response was quick and sharp in the five-seater EV designed by an Apple veteran Jony Ive and is valued at approximately $650,000.

Ferrari fans expressed dismay, critics compared it to the cheaper Nissan Leaf, memes were made, and even one car designer (Lucid’s Derek Jenkins) threw shade.

Senior journalist Sean O’Kane asked a different question as the massive Ferrari Luce controversy blew up the internet: Who is Luce?

You’ll have to read the full story to get his full breakdown. But in my opinion, the most important question is whether Luce is for existing Ferrari owners. After all, Ferrari owners tend to have more than one. More than 80% of the 14,000 people who bought a Ferrari last year already own one of its cars, notes O’Kane.

According to Ferrari, there is a need for an EV. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna says the Luce is already receiving orders from old and new customers. Assuming that demand exceeds the number of Luce EVs the company plans to produce, the next question is, who will choose Ferrari? (IYKYK)

Ferrari may be confirmed. Remember the Ferrari Purosangue, which was widely circulated when it was introduced a few years ago? That SUV is now considered a success. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if the product is hated. Ferrari doesn’t need universal approval; it just needs enough buyers.

Let’s jump from EVs to AVs.

New Texas The law allows the Department of Motor Vehicles agency to exercise more control over private vehicle inspections and shipments to the state. Companies now have to license AVs in the state, and the data is public. Here’s what I found after spending a little time with the AV tracker tool.

Waymo far and away the leader with 577 registered AVs, followed Avride with 317, Nuro in 47, too Tesla with 42. Self-driving truck companies Aurora, Gatik AI, Is AIagain They were bad can also be found. (For all the details, you can read my story.)

The size of the flat is just one measure – and it doesn’t always mean who benefits the most. After all, many of these companies have not started commercial services in the state.

I am very interested in the complaints feature of this new, publicly recorded tool. As of today, complaints have not been filed against the companies listed above.

Deals!

One new stock fund owned by Equip Capital has taken a major stake in a European e-scooter operator Ryde Technology. Goldman Sachs Alternatives is a leading investor.

Harley-Davidson’s photo electric motorcycle spinoff LiveWire received electric off-road starts Dust Moto. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Matterneta private drone delivery company, raised $33 million in a private placement and completed an opposite merger with Los Altos Ventures Corp.

Happinessthe EV charging company that closed its ride-hailing business last August, is being merged with Voltera. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the combined entity will operate under the Voltera brand and will be led by Revel CEO Frank Reig, Bloomberg reported.

It is strongthe German drone manufacturer, is in talks to raise at least 300 million euros ($350 million), a round that could double its value to 2.5 billion euros, the Financial Times reports.

Volara Motorsports Teama leading sports and performance company, has acquired Lynx Motor Works, an Austin, Texas-based company that produces limited-edition, reimagined classic cars.

RoadMilan-based adventure travel startup, raised $58 million in Series C round led by Airbnb. The funding brings the company’s total capital raised to nearly $100 million and will fund WeRoad’s US foray, starting with Austin.

Notable readings and other stories

American Airlines will install Starlink on more than 500 narrow-body Airbus aircraft starting early next year, the latest company to choose SpaceX’s in-flight Wi-Fi service unit. The deal provides a capital boost for Starlink, the satellite communications network and SpaceX’s only profitable business unit.

Rivian said it will begin deliveries of its new R2 SUV on June 9. Meanwhile, Rivian is being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the way the EV maker handles the rear parts of its vehicles.

Slate Auto is expected to announce pricing and begin taking non-refundable pre-orders for its low-cost electric car on June 24. Deliveries should take place later this year.

Volvo cars has received express approval from the Department of Commerce allowing the Swedish car company, which is majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, to continue importing and selling its vehicles in the United States. The law, which was finalized in January 2025, bans almost all Chinese cars from the US market as part of a crackdown on China-linked car technology.

Waymo has begun offering select riders in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco access to its newest robotaxi: an all-electric, minivan-like vehicle designed to reduce costs and handle the use and abuse of hundreds of thousands of passengers. I had the opportunity to ride in the car, a small van made by Zeekr called the Ojai (pronounced oh-hi). Stay tuned for my full review, starting this weekend. Here’s a funny quote: Robotaxi has been suffering from a magical problem for a long time. This Ojai robotaxi is starting to solve it.

One thing…

Time to vote! Maybe you secretly like the Ferrari Luce and just don’t want to be stepped on. Maybe he hates you. We asked readers of our publications to express their opinions.

Sign up for the Mobility newsletter to take part in our poll!

And now one more thing, really this time. Last week, I asked our readers, “Will SpaceX and Tesla merge?” Here’s how they responded. More than 51% selected “Yes, within two years”; 34% chose “never”; and 14.5% chose “Yes, this year.” That means that more than 65% believe that consolidation is inevitable.