SACRAMENTO – California Governor Gavin Newsom has an official new ride—a black Rivian all-electric SUV.
Ethan Elkind is the director of the UC Berkeley Center for Law, Energy, and the Environment and said the governor's choice is notable for what model it is not.
"Well, it feels like it's a bit of a slap in the face at Tesla," Elkind said. "I mean, I think at this point it would be hard to imagine the governor politically getting into a Tesla, given just how toxic Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has become to so many democratic voters in the state."
Rivian is a California electric vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Irvine. The vehicles are built in Illinois.
The California Highway Patrol reports the Dignitary Protection Section recently purchased two Rivians.
Up until now, the governor's vehicle had been a Chevy Suburban.
The Rivian purchase comes after Musk put a quarter of a billion dollars into President Trump's campaign and spearheaded DOGE federal cuts.
In the first quarter of this year, Tesla's market share for new EV registrations dropped by nearly 12%, according to the California New Car Dealers Association.
This would not be the first time a California governor has used a vehicle to make a political statement.
Governor Schwarzenegger teamed with GM to make a hydrogen-powered Hummer to promote clean air.
Governor Jerry Brown, during his first term, drove a Dodge Plymouth to show his frugalness.
Now, Governor Newsom has made a new choice for the official governor's state vehicle.
"But the fact that it's not a Tesla, manufactured in California, I think is an interesting statement," Elkind said.
Rivian is an up-and-coming California electric vehicle company. Right now, they only make up 3% of electric vehicle sales in the state.
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