Hello from somewhere between Bilbao, Spain, and Paris, France. I'm on a little commuter flight on my way to a bigger trans-Atlantic bird that'll take me closer to home. It's been another great week somewhere fabulous, driving a fascinating EV, in this case, Mercedes-Benz's upcoming VLE.

It's not every day that a new model tries to bring a wholly new segment to the United States, but that's exactly what the VLE, and its upscale cousin the VLS, are intended to do: make luxury vans a thing for Americans. Can it succeed in a land full of minivan-sized preconceptions? More on that soon.

I spent last week in and around Park City, Utah, driving the long-awaited R2. I was sadly sworn to secrecy about the whole thing, but now that the embargo has lifted, I can finally share some impressions.

They are almost universally positive. I confess I wasn't sure what to expect going into the drive. This is an SUV that the company has been positioning as the thing that would propel Rivian into the future, and that's a lot of pressure. Amazingly, it delivers.

While I've always loved the R1T, I confess I've not always enjoyed my time in the R1S. While incredible off-road, it always felt awkward and disconnected on the asphalt. I'm glad to say that's not the case in the R2. That's, of course, in large part to it being substantially smaller and lighter, but overall it just feels miles more pleasant on the day-to-day.

That's not only when you're behind the wheel. I was shocked to find the R2's second row is far more comfortable and spacious than that of the much larger R1S. It's easier to climb into, as well.

That it's so much cheaper than an R1S (fully loaded, it's about $20,000 less than an entry-level R1S) just makes the R2 all that much more appealing, but I have to say I was disappointed to read about some atrociously high lease rates that are turning off new buyers. Hopefully that changes once these things start hitting the roads in real numbers soon.

My pup Koopa is just past 18 months old, meaning he's more or less full grown even if he doesn't always act like it. That meant it was time to start thinking about a proper harness for the dude, and as we began researching what to buy, I figured I might as well share my learnings with the rest of the world.

The result is my latest article for The Guardian, a buyers' guide for dog harnesses, including some great advice from a real veterinarian and dog behaviorist on the importance of a good-fitting harness. I learned a lot through my testing of 15 harnesses and evaluating dozens more. For better or worse, this is one of those places where spending more really does get you a much better product, but the good news is you don't have to spend hundreds to get a great harness.

Anyway, hopefully this piece will help you find the right option for your pup.

That's it from me this week. We're getting closer to CDG, which means I'm getting closer to one of the most precarious places to make a connecting flight on the planet. With any luck I'll make it, and with a further bit of luck I'll be out at Pikes Peak next week. It'll be my first time at the race, and I am properly excited. More on that soon.

Until then, be well, and do good.