Rivian Automotive, Inc.

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок не поддерживает быков.

Strong index, flat. The market does not support the bulls.

Средний индекс, незначительно вырос. Отток средств из лонгов снизился, но остается значительным.

Medium index, slightly up. The outflow of funds from longs has decreased, but remains significant.

Key Points
Robotaxis could significantly expand Rivian's long-term growth opportunity.
Autonomy may add higher-margin software revenue to Rivian's business.
Uber could invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian.
Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ: RIVN) has spent years trying to become a major player in the electric vehicle market. Now a new deal with Uber (NYSE: UBER) could open the door to an entirely different opportunity: robotaxis.
Uber plans to deploy at least 10,000 autonomous Rivian R2 vehicles, with the option to purchase as many as 40,000 more beginning in 2030. That's huge! Uber is also prepared to invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian through 2031, although most of that money is tied to Rivian hitting specific autonomous-driving milestones. For a company expected to deliver only 65,000 to 70,000 vehicles in all of 2026, this is not trivial.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
More than an EV company
To be sure, Rivian still needs to prove it can profitably manufacture electric vehicles at scale. In Q2, the company delivered 12,194 vehicles and generated $1.66 billion in revenue. It posted a $179 million gross profit, but its automotive business still recorded a $36 million gross loss. Rivian also burned through $849 million in free cash flow during the quarter. But robotaxis could give Rivian another way to make money from the technology it's already developing.
Rivian's newest autonomy platform goal is eventually to reach level 4 autonomy. At this level, a vehicle can drive itself without a human, but only within defined operating conditions.
Rivian is also selling Autonomy+, its advanced driver-assistance software, for $49.99 per month or $2,500 upfront. That starts to move Rivian beyond the economics of simply building a vehicle and collecting a one-time sale.
The Uber deal changes the equation
Uber brings something Rivian doesn't have: enormous ride-hailing scale. Uber completed 3.9 billion trips in the second quarter alone, up 18% from a year earlier. If Rivian can successfully develop level 4 autonomy, Uber gives it a ready-made network that can put thousands of autonomous vehicles to work.
Of course, there are still risks. Rivian hasn't yet demonstrated level 4 autonomy commercially, the first deployments aren't expected until 2028, and the additional 40,000 vehicles aren't guaranteed purchases. Still, the deal shows what Rivian could become.
The R2 may help Rivian reach a much larger consumer market. But if the same vehicle platform can also become the foundation for tens of thousands of autonomous taxis, Rivian won't just be selling EVs. It could also be selling the hardware and software that drive them. And that completely changes the game.
Should you buy stock in Rivian Automotive right now?
Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $379,123!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,396,103!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 933% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 212% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 30, 2026.
Jeff Siegel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Uber Wants 50,000 Rivians. Here's Why Robotaxis, Not EVs, Might Be Rivian's Biggest Opportunity.

Key Points
Rivian is attempting to scale production of its first affordable vehicle.
Robotaxi exposure creates sizable long-term upside potential.
Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated their "neutral" rating on Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) stock on Sept. 28. Curiously, however, the firm also reiterated its $19 price target, which implies more than 20% upside.
In many ways, Cantor Fitzgerald's seemingly contradictory stance makes a lot of sense. Rivian does have plenty of growth potential. But there is also plenty of risk.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Even if you're not traditionally interested in EV stocks, it looks wise to take a deeper dive into Rivian as an investment opportunity. Share price upside for Rivian could easily surpass Cantor Fitzgerald's price target in the years to come.
Here's why Rivian stock could easily surpass $19 per share
At today's stock price of around $15, Rivian is valued at roughly $22 billion. At $19 per share, Rivian would be valued at nearly $28 billion. To put that into perspective, fellow EV maker Tesla is valued at more than $1.4 trillion.
Rivian, of course, is no Tesla. Last quarter, Rivian generated just 5.9% of Tesla's sales. From a deliveries perspective, Rivian totaled just 2.5% of Tesla's deliveries last quarter. That mostly reflects an average higher price point for Rivian's vehicles.
Yet Rivian's valuation is just 1.5% of Tesla's market cap. Even at $19 per share, Rivian would be just 1.9% the size of Tesla. That's strange considering Rivian arguably has several growth runways that could allow it to ramp sales and gross profits aggressively in the years to come.
Tesla's gross margins, for example, currently hover around 19%. Rivian's gross margins, meanwhile, remain around 2%, only recently turning positive. A big reason for Tesla's superior margins is its production capabilities. In other words, Tesla has benefited from economies of scale, mostly stemming from the mass success of low-price models, including the Model Y and Model 3. Rivian began deliveries of its first low-priced model -- its R2 SUV, with a base price of $48,000 -- earlier this year. The launch not only has the potential to accelerate Rivian's sales growth, but also to narrow its gross margin gap with Tesla as economies of scale take root.
Rivian's biggest long-term growth driver, however, is the same as Tesla's: robotaxis. Morgan Stanley sees robotaxis becoming a $1 trillion market by 2040. Other analysts are even more bullish. Cathie Wood -- the CEO of Ark Invest, a longtime Tesla shareholder -- sees robotaxis eventually becoming an $8 trillion to $10 trillion market.
Tesla plans to benefit from this market by producing its own EVs, selling or leasing them to independent robotaxi fleet operators, and taking a cut of every ride booked through its Tesla ridesharing app.
Rivian is taking a different approach, opting to sell its vehicles to robotaxi fleet operators regardless of which ridesharing platforms they intend to use. Uber Technologies, for instance, recently agreed to buy up to 50,000 Rivian R2 SUVs to help scale its robotaxi efforts.
These two different approaches will generate different sales potential and margins. But both could ultimately succeed. Tesla can compete aggressively as a vertically integrated platform. Rivian, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a core supplier to robotaxi operators that lack internal manufacturing capabilities.
The market seems very bullish on Tesla's approach, yet strangely dismissive of Rivian's opportunity. Given Rivian's potential to scale vehicle sales, improve margins, and sell into the robotaxi market, a long-term market cap well above $30 billion certainly seems possible.
Should you buy stock in Rivian Automotive right now?
Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $379,123!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,396,103!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 933% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 212% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 30, 2026.
Ryan Vanzo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Rivian Stock Is Going to $19 According to This Wall Street Analyst. Here's Why They May Be Right.

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in Rivian Automotive Inc (Symbol: RIVN), where a total volume of 107,237 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 10.7 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 51.6% of RIVN's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 20.8 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $15 strike call option expiring October 02, 2026, with 16,416 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 1.6 million underlying shares of RIVN. Below is a chart showing RIVN's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $15 strike highlighted in orange:
Corcept Therapeutics Inc (Symbol: CORT) options are showing a volume of 8,945 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 894,500 underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 51.3% of CORT's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 1.7 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $95 strike put option expiring January 15, 2027, with 4,223 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 422,300 underlying shares of CORT. Below is a chart showing CORT's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $95 strike highlighted in orange:
And Applied Optoelectronics Inc (Symbol: AAOI) saw options trading volume of 33,042 contracts, representing approximately 3.3 million underlying shares or approximately 49.1% of AAOI's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 6.7 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $110 strike call option expiring October 02, 2026, with 3,938 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 393,800 underlying shares of AAOI. Below is a chart showing AAOI's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $110 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for RIVN options, CORT options, or AAOI options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further RIVN Research:

Notable Tuesday Option Activity: RIVN, CORT, AAOI

Key Points
Lucid continues to focus on the high-end luxury market with a significant vehicle purchase agreement from the Government of Saudi Arabia.
Rivian Automotive leverages a strong commercial partnership with Amazon and a major software joint venture with Volkswagen.
Which electric vehicle stock is the better choice for your growth portfolio in 2026?
The electric vehicle market has shifted from a niche segment to a major battleground where Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID) and Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN) fight for dominance in the luxury and utility categories.
While both companies aim to disrupt the traditional automotive landscape, they serve different customers. Lucid focuses on ultra-luxury sedans and high-efficiency technology, whereas Rivian targets the adventure-seeking SUV market and the commercial delivery sector.
The case for Lucid
Lucid Group designs and builds luxury electric vehicles, representing a high-end niche within consumer discretionary stocks. It primarily targets the premium segment of theglobal marketwith its Air sedan and the newly launched Gravity SUV. A significant portion of its long-term strategy relies on an agreement with the Government of Saudi Arabia to purchase up to 100,000 vehicles. Customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business. The company also recently partnered with Bolt to deploy self-driving platforms across major European cities.
In its latest annual report for FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $1.4 billion, which was a 67.6% increase over the prior year. Despite this growth, the company reported a net loss of approximately $2.7 billion. The net margin, which shows the percentage of revenue remaining after all costs are paid, was negative 199.3%.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was roughly 1.2x. This metric compares total liabilities to shareholder equity, indicating how much the company uses debt to fund its assets. The current ratio, a measure of whether a company can cover its short-term debts with short-term assets, was approximately 1.3x. Free cash flow for FY 2025 was negative $3.8 billion, representing the cash remaining after a company pays for its business activities and equipment.
The case for Rivian Automotive
Rivian Automotive produces electric trucks, SUVs, and commercial delivery vans designed for both adventure and utility. Its primary commercial partner is Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), which maintains a large order for electric delivery vans. Rivian is also expanding its reach through a joint venture with Volkswagen (OTC:VLKPF) to develop shared vehicle software and electrical systems. While the Amazon relationship provides a stable foundation, Rivian is actively transitioning to sell its commercial fleet to other third-party customers.
In its latest annual report for FY 2025, revenue reached close to $5.4 billion, marking a growth of 8.4% from the previous fiscal year. The company reported a net loss of nearly $3.6 billion for the same period. Its net margin was approximately negative 67.7%, showing that total expenses still significantly outweigh sales.
As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the debt-to-equity ratio was nearly 1.5x. This figure illustrates the relationship between total debt and the value of shareholder equity. The current ratio was approximately 2.3x, suggesting the company has more liquid assets relative to its short-term obligations than its peer. Free cash flow for FY 2025 was negative $2.5 billion, which measures the cash left after the company pays for its ongoing business and equipment purchases.
Risk profile comparison
Lucid faces risks from substantial cash burn and a history of losses, which led to leadership changes including the appointment of CEO Silvio Napoli. The company is managing multiple class action lawsuits regarding supplier quality and delays with its Gravity SUV. Production goals depend on scaling manufacturing facilities in Arizona and Saudi Arabia while navigating supply chain volatility. These factors make the path to consistent vehicle delivery and profitability uncertain.
Rivian Automotive faces intense competition from established players like Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) as it scales production at its Illinois factory. The company remains in a capital-intensive growth stage and recently sought more financing to support its new R2 vehicle platform. Operational challenges are compounded by the departure of CFO Claire McDonough and the complexities of its joint venture with Volkswagen. Successful execution of these large-scale manufacturing and software projects is critical for its long-term financial stability.
Valuation comparison
Metric
Lucid
Rivian Automotive
P/S ratio
0.8x
3.2x
Valuation metrics sourced from Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) and may differ from other data providers.
Which stock would I buy in 2026?
I'd go with Rivian. Both companies are losing money and asking investors to be patient, but Rivian appears further along the path to building a commercially viable business.
Lucid builds technically impressive vehicles, with the Air and Gravity earning praise for their range and engineering. But the company is still losing money on every car it sells, diluting shareholders regularly to stay funded, and years away from the kind of production scale that would make the economics work.
Rivian has its own challenges. Although its gross profit last quarter got a boost from software subscriptions and Volkswagen payments, the company is not yet making money on the vehicles themselves, which is the milestone that matters most. That is worth understanding before buying in. But the Volkswagen partnership brings both capital and manufacturing expertise, and management has a credible roadmap toward vehicle-level profitability.
Both stocks carry real risk, and neither is a comfortable hold. But Rivian seems to have more of the pieces in place right now, and that feels like a meaningful early advantage for patient investors willing to ride out the volatility.
Should you buy stock in Lucid Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Lucid Group, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Lucid Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $383,680!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,382,954!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 937% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 214% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 28, 2026.
Sara Appino has positions in Amazon and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Lucid vs. Rivian Automotive: Which Electric Vehicle Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Key Points
Rivian’s stock trades 80% below its IPO price.
The R2 could represent a turning point for the struggling EV maker.
Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN), a maker of high-end electric vehicles, went public at $78 per share on Nov. 10, 2021. It closed at a record high of $172.01 just six days later, but it only trades at about $15 today. During the same period, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) rallied nearly 120%.
Rivian initially impressed investors because it was already producing thousands of vehicles, and it was backed by Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN). But in 2022, it produced only 24,337 vehicles -- compared to its original target of 50,000 -- as it struggled with supply chain issues. By early 2023, Ford had sold nearly all of its Rivian shares.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Rivian more than doubled its production to 57,232 vehicles in 2023 as it overcame some of those challenges, but that figure shrank again to 49,476 in 2024 and 42,284 in 2025. That failure to expand its business, along with its staggering losses, weighed down its stock.
But with a market cap of $22 billion, Rivian trades at less than three times this year's sales. Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), which is worth $1.5 trillion, trades at 14 times this year's sales. So could some fresh catalysts drive investors to revalue Rivian as a higher-growth EV stock? Let's see if it can bounce back and outperform the S&P 500 through the end of the decade.
What are Rivian's upcoming catalysts?
Rivian produces four vehicles: the R1T pickup, R1S SUV, R2 SUV, and custom electric delivery vans (EDVs) for Amazon and other companies. The R1T and R1S both start at around $80,000.
Those high prices limit Rivian's total addressable market, so it launched the more affordable R2 earlier this year, which starts at less than $60,000. It plans to launch even cheaper trims of the R2 -- which will start between $45,000 and $54,000 -- throughout late 2026 and 2027.
The R2 costs roughly half as much to build as its R1 vehicles, thanks to its simpler design, consolidation of its electrical systems, and streamlined powertrains and sensors. Therefore, Rivian can sell the R2 at higher gross margins than the R1, even with a lower price tag.
Rivian expects its deliveries to soar from 42,247 vehicles in 2025 to 65,000-67,000 vehicles in 2026 (including about 20,000-25,000 R2 SUVs). If it achieves that goal, analysts expect its revenue to surge 38% to $7.4 billion this year and 58% to $11.8 billion in 2027.
What are Rivian's upcoming catalysts?
Over the next few years, Rivian will mainly focus on ramping up its production of the R2. To support that expansion, it will need to expand its production beyond its main plant in Illinois by bringing its new Georgia plant online by 2028.
Rivian expects the Georgia plant to increase its annual production capacity by 300,000 vehicles, and it's expanding the Illinois plant's capacity to 215,000 vehicles. Therefore, we could see Rivian's annual production exceed half a million vehicles by the end of the decade.
By the late 2020s, Rivian plans to launch its smaller R3 SUVs (an R3 hatchback and a rally inspired R3X) at even lower prices to reach a younger demographic. Those vehicles, which will be built on the same low-cost platform as the R2, could drive its sales even higher.
As Rivian produces more of these higher-margin vehicles, economies of scale will kick in. It will also likely expand its joint venture with Volkswagen (OTC: VWAPY), which generates high-margin revenues by licensing its electronic architecture and software to the automaker.
Rivian ended its latest quarter with $5.85 billion in total liquidity. But if we include all of its projected capital streams from Volkswagen, Department of Energy loan facilities, and pending investments, it still has more than $14 billion to fund its ambitious expansion.
Analysts expect all those catalysts to boost Rivian's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) into positive territory by 2028. They also expect it to gradually narrow its net losses on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis.
Where will Rivian's stock be by the end of 2030?
If Rivian matches analysts' estimates and generates $15.6 billion in revenue in 2028, and it trades at a more generous 10 times sales, its stock could soar sevenfold within the next two years. If it increases its annual production to half a million vehicles by the end of the decade, its stock could command a higher valuation and soar even higher by 2030.
Therefore, Rivian could still easily outperform the S&P 500 through 2030. But it can't do that without successfully ramping up its R2 deliveries and opening its Georgia plant.
Should you buy stock in Rivian Automotive right now?
Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $384,839!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,385,657!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 936% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 213% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 24, 2026.
Leo Sun has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Rivian vs. the S&P 500: Which Investment Wins Through 2030?

Key Points
Carvana has bounced back from its near-bankruptcy, and now it's once again fundamentally shifting its strategy.
Carvana's entry into new-car sales also has the potential to create synergy with its historical businesses.
Rivian's R2 and upcoming mass-market vehicles could give it the scale to attract investors.
There are hidden-gem stocks in every industry, and uncovering them at the right time could make the difference between a market-thumping portfolio and one that underperforms the broader market. While timing the market is a fool's errand, the following two stocks are at an intriguing point and could offer investors much upside.
Here's why Carvana (NYSE: CVNA) and Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ: RIVN) warrant far more investor attention than they're receiving.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
New revenue streams
To say Carvana has been a roller-coaster ride for its investors might be an understatement.
After the company thrived during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which favored its unique online car-selling business model, a combination of aggressive expansion, a major acquisition, a large and costly debt load, rising interest rates, and plunging used-car prices pushed Carvana to the brink of bankruptcy.
If investors were extremely brave and purchased the stock three years ago, they'd be enjoying a lucrative 530% gain over that short time. That's because the company staged one of the most surprising comebacks by restructuring its expensive debt, which eliminated the immediate threat of bankruptcy, saved it hundreds of millions in annual cash outflows, and bought it time to fix its business model by pulling back on aggressive expansion in favor of calculated and more profitable expansion -- and it worked brilliantly.
Fast forward to today, and Carvana is back to thinking outside the box and opening doors to new business. While Carvana's early years were built on selling and delivering used cars through online purchases and nationwide delivery, the company recently bought a handful of brick-and-mortar dealerships to reshape the new-car retail process -- and it's also working brilliantly.
Consider that the previously underperforming Casa Grande Stellantis dealership, which Carvana took over, was reportedly selling roughly 30 to 50 new vehicles per month; its recent monthly volume under Carvana's control approached nearly 1,000 new-car sales. Here's the kicker: Carvana won't even sell you a car at the dealership, at least currently.
That approach, to essentially use the dealership as a showroom and remove the traditional sales approach while still leveraging its wide network of inventory and distribution, has turned that dealership into the best-performing Stellantis dealership with volume 3 times that of the next highest-volume dealership.
Simply opening the door to new-vehicle sales is incremental business for the former used-car retailer. It also opens the door to potential high-margin service-bay business, additional inventory and auction access, and more vehicles to finance. The synergy this move could create with Carvana's business, in addition to the growth new-car sales offer, could send Carvana's stock soaring if it expands this process successfully.
Despite its rise over the past three years, the company's upside is still flying under the radar until investors better understand the potential this strategic pivot could have on its business, and how it could disrupt the age-old new-car sales process.
Turning the corner
Rivian is another stock that's flying under the radar, but largely for reasons out of its control. The early hype and demand for electric vehicle (EV) companies has faded, and the lucrative U.S. automotive market has transitioned to EVs more slowly than anticipated, costing many companies tens of billions of dollars in charges as they pumped the brakes and pivoted from those plans.
Despite the industry headwinds, Rivian trudged through and made it to its highly anticipated R2 SUV launch earlier this spring. It's now in the process of accelerating production and scale of the R2 to further push its automotive gross profit higher, likely into positive territory soon.
Remember that it's the software segment that turned Rivian's gross profit positive. Rivian has made substantial and consistent progress in gross profitability thanks to its joint venture with Volkswagen, under which the latter pays Rivian to use its in-house software stack in its vehicles and the two will split the costs of current and future developments.
Rivian has also earned investment from other companies such as Uber Technologies, plus loans from Volkswagen and the Department of Energy, which extend its ability to fund its operations into the distant future without a long list of capital raises that dilute shareholders. That makes it a much more attractive stock for long-term investors to scoop up.
The young EV company has a lot going for it as it continues to scale the R2 and launches the standard variant (most affordable version) next year. Its second factory is in the works, and its product pipeline includes more mass-market vehicles such as the R3 and R3X. It continues to improve its automotive segment and its software and services segment, and its upside could be significant when the U.S. market more rapidly adopts EVs in the future.
What it all means
The automotive industry is notorious for being low-margin and capital-intensive, but these companies are potentially breaking into new, higher-margin businesses with broader upside.
Remember that Rivian's software and services gross profit margin checked in at 42% during the second quarter, far higher than the traditional auto business. Also, remember that Carvana is building synergy among multiple aspects of its business by initiating its unique new-car sales strategy.
Both companies continue to largely fly under the radar, but investors should begin paying more attention, and soon.
Should you buy stock in Rivian Automotive right now?
Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $389,154!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,406,303!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 949% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 214% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 23, 2026.
Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

2 Under-the-Radar Auto Stocks Poised to Soar While Nobody Is Looking

Key Points
Lucid's stock sank initially when it announced it had hired AlixPartners, before confirming there was no bankruptcy consideration.
AlixPartners is helping Lucid develop a plan to conserve cash, improve operations, and normalize inventory.
One remaining concern for Lucid is the company's serious talent drain with executive departures.
There's no question that Lucid (NASDAQ: LCID) has disappointed investors. On one hand, the young electric vehicle (EV) maker designs and produces some of the most advanced EVs on the planet -- and, for what it's worth, they look great to boot. On the other hand, the company has consistently hit speed bumps due to supplier issues, recalls, production delays, and heavy cash burn, with little improvement in gross profitability, unlike close rival Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN). The next year will be critical for Lucid to begin turning things around, and it starts immediately, now that AlixPartners has wrapped up its review of the company and set some targets.
What's going on?
Alarm bells may have started ringing for anxious Lucid investors about a month ago when the company hired consulting firm AlixPartners to help sharpen its turnaround efforts. In July 14 trading, Lucid's stock spiraled roughly 50% before quickly regaining losses and closing a less alarming 16% lower. AlixPartners' initial focus was to explore improving execution, strengthening operations, and conserving cash to preserve the company's ability to drive this turnaround into meaningful value for investors.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
The first thing to know is that, despite bankruptcy rumors, it seems far from the focus of Lucid and AlixPartners.
"The rumors are completely false. The company has sufficient liquidity to carry its operations well into next year, as recently published in its last quarterly filings, and it has not formed any special board committee to explore the scenarios reported today," Lucid said, according to Automotive News. Further cementing this, AlixPartners did not recommend bankruptcy to management or the board of directors.
Cash is key
Since being hired a little over a month ago, the consulting firm has finalized its work with restructuring advice, and now Lucid embarks to realize $1.4 billion in cash savings this year. We're already seeing the early decisions to drive the cash savings, including the delay of Lucid Cosmos, the first model that will be built on its new midsize platform. It was originally set to drive off the production line before the end of 2026, but has now been pushed back to a scale-up during the second half of 2027. While Lucid takes plenty of heat about its many delays, this one makes a lot of sense, and rushing its next launch while still working through current issues wouldn't have been ideal for cash, customers, or Lucid.
Another area for Lucid to work on is its inventory. Having capital locked up in inventory is bad news, but so is Lucid's production utilization. During the second quarter, Lucid produced 4,774 vehicles at a factory with a capacity of 90,000 annually. As the company continues to ramp-up and optimize the efficiency of its operations, Gravity SUV production should fall slightly while deliveries rise, which will normalize its inventory throughout the year.
What it all means
One more way that Lucid has been tackling its cash burn is, unfortunately for company morale, layoffs. Lucid is no stranger to layoffs. In March 2023, it laid off 18% of its workforce to preserve capital, followed by another smaller 4% cut in May 2024. In February and June 2026, the company laid off another 12% and 18% of its workforce, respectively.
However, what's arguably more concerning is simply the talent drain facing the company. It recently replaced its former CEO and keeps losing key talent for myriad reasons. Ultimately, this is a broad reset and turnaround attempt from a young EV company facing industry headwinds as well as its own internal issues. Investors love a good turnaround story, especially when it comes with a massively sold-off stock that could rebound. Going forward, investors have to wait for a slowing of cash burn, less dilutive capital injections, a normalizing of Lucid's inventory, improving scale of the Gravity production, and a stabilization of its key executive talent. Make no mistake, Lucid has a full plate. Investors should probably watch this turnaround from the sidelines, as risk remains elevated. There are safer options to invest in until Lucid makes progress on those factors. But at least there's a plan forming.
Should you buy stock in Lucid Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Lucid Group, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Lucid Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $395,625!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,397,147!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 951% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 214% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 23, 2026.
Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Lucid Approaches a Make-or-Break Period as Preparation for Turnaround Begins

Key Points
Lucid still lacks an affordable model for consumers or robotaxi operators.
Future EV sales will rely on lowering the cost of production.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk recently shared that the upcoming Tesla Roadster will be the last new Tesla model you can drive yourself. Afterward, Tesla's newer models will be designed for completely autonomous driving.
Robotaxis are now expected to reach scale in large metro markets by 2030. "Overall, experts expect that robo-taxis will be the first commercial application for L4 in mobility -- not privately owned cars," concludes McKinsey & Co.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Selling EVs in the future requires not only attracting consumers but also enticing robotaxi operators to buy your vehicles en masse to power their robotaxi fleets. On this front, Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) is at a particular disadvantage versus the competition.
This is why I'm avoiding Lucid Group stock
According to some experts, robotaxis could become a $10 trillion global market. Robotaxi operators like Tesla can manufacture their own vehicles, reducing cost and improving their ability to scale quickly. Robotaxi peers such as Uber Technologies, however, lack internal manufacturing capacities. They will need to source vehicles from third parties to power their autonomous vehicle networks.
Similar to Tesla, these robotaxi operators will want to keep costs as low as possible to scale as quickly as possible. That requires suppliers of robotaxi vehicles to build economies of scale and lower their own production costs in order to provide these vehicles to robotaxi operators at attractive prices.
Tesla, of course, can already produce vehicles for itself cheaply. Rivian, meanwhile, recently launched its first model priced under $50,000. Lucid, however, still lacks an affordable model. And its production capacities severely lag those of Tesla and Rivian, reducing the company's ability to hit economies of scale.
Lucid's lack of scale and affordable models hasn't stopped robotaxi operators, including Uber, from signing deals with the company. But when it comes to becoming a critical supplier to the robotaxi industry, an EV stock like Rivian is far ahead of Lucid. This alone is enough to prevent me from investing, even though several Wall Street analysts remain bullish on the company's future.
Should you buy stock in Lucid Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Lucid Group, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Lucid Group wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $395,625!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,397,147!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 951% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 214% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 22, 2026.
Ryan Vanzo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Wall Street Loves This EV Stock. Here's Why I'm Not Buying.

The R2 is so far a success, and a lower-priced variant is on the way.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Sept. 16, 2026. The video was published on Sept. 18, 2026.
Should you buy stock in Rivian Automotive right now?
Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $387,158!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,365,749!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 932% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 19, 2026.
Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Down 86%, Is it Finally Time to Buy Rivian Stock?

Key Points
Institutional buying (inflows) of Ford stock in the second quarter alone already tops 2025.
Ford has long had questions regarding its recalls, warranty expense, and quality, but now there is evidence of improvement.
Ford Energy has the capability of adding incremental profits to the bottom line.
When all is said and done, the global automotive industry might evolve and transform more over the next decade than it has in the past century. Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly advancing; vehicles are becoming more software defined, enabling developments like over-the-air updates; automakers are investing heavily in artificial intelligence (AI) and driverless cars, and more services. And of course, subscriptions are adding value to the daily commuter. It's an exciting time in the industry, and margins should rise on the road ahead.
When investing in the automotive industry, names such as Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN), BYD Co., or the Italian juggernaut Ferrari (NYSE: RACE) probably jump to mind, but institutional money is actually pouring into legacy auto Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F). There was nearly $7 billion of institutional buying of Ford stock during the second quarter of 2026 alone, more than during all of 2025. Here's a look at what's likely driving the move into Ford stock.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Reversing a huge problem
Of course, there are plenty of variables and reasons that could be driving the renewed interest in Ford, but here are two major developments that could be behind it. First, we have to consider that investors and analysts are finally getting raw data that Ford is fixing one of its biggest and most costly problems: vehicle quality. Ford ranked above all competitors in a category it didn't want to win in 2025: manufacturer with most recall campaigns. Ford topped the list with 153 recall campaigns last year, covering nearly 13 million vehicles. Ford had more recall campaigns in the U.S. than any competitor during each of the past five years except in 2024 when Stellantis took the crown briefly.
Not all recalls are created equal, and over-the-air updates can cheaply fix a long list of vehicle issues, but if the vehicle needs physical repairs, it can get costly. Investors will remember Q2 2024 when Ford's total warranty and recall costs surged to $2.3 billion, a $700 million increase over the prior year. It sent pretax profits plunging and crippled Ford's ability to meet Wall Street estimates; the stock initially plunged almost 18%.
Here's the good news! While Ford has for years preached that correcting vehicle quality was a top priority, investors had to rely on the company's word about its internal metrics pointing in a positive direction. That changed when JD Power released its 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study, which grades brands on "problems per 100 vehicles (PP100)." The lower the score the better. Ford ranked third overall, behind only Porsche and Genesis, and was easily the highest-ranked mass-market brand. The study average reported PP175, while Ford checked in with far fewer problems and a score of PP152. Only three years ago, Ford ranked 23rd in the same study, lending credibility to the idea that Ford is fixing one of its biggest long-term problems.
But wait, there's more
In addition to fixing its vehicle quality woes -- which will take time to filter into the massive number of older Ford vehicles on the road right now -- Wall Street also noticed Ford's newest ambition: Ford Energy. Ford stock soared nearly 50% in May alone before giving back roughly half of those gains since, following the announcement of Ford Energy, which would deliver battery energy storage systems (BESS) to large industrial customers and artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The latter needs uninterrupted power and a system that helps cut costs by charging when electricity is cheaper and discharging when prices are peaking.
Ford is investing roughly $2 billion to repurpose its Glendale, Kentucky manufacturing plant to produce stationary storage systems capable of delivering 20 GWh of battery storage annually. The first deliveries to customers are scheduled for late next year, and Morgan Stanley analysts estimate that at full annual capacity, Ford Energy could generate between $500 million and $600 million in annual operating profits, or earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT).
What it all means
There could be many reasons why Wall Street's interest in Ford has surged, including the company's lucrative 4.1% dividend yield even after its share price rise. Or Wall Street could be optimistic about Ford's plan to refresh roughly 80% of its North America vehicle portfolio by volume by the end of the decade. However, two big reasons likely influencing Wall Street are that Ford is gaining traction by improving vehicle quality and that it is seeking new revenue streams from its EV and battery technology, which could boost margins above the notoriously low-margin narrative that haunts the automotive industry. Whatever it is, Ford is moving in a positive direction, and Wall Street has certainly noticed.
Should you buy stock in Ford Motor Company right now?
Before you buy stock in Ford Motor Company, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Ford Motor Company wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $412,074!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,314,319!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 932% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 209% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 17, 2026.
Daniel Miller has positions in Ford Motor Company. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Ferrari and Tesla. The Motley Fool recommends BYD Company and Stellantis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.