Latest news with #RivianElectricDeliveryVan
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Despite VW JV and New Cargo Van, Rivian Expects a Challenging 2025
Rivian produced 49,476 vehicles in 2024 and delivered a total of 51,579 but is forecasting a slight decline in 2025 owing to multiple factors. The EV maker expects a "challenging demand environment" in 2025, also citing changes to government regulations and policies, which are expected to include the demise of the $7,500 tax credit. Rivian is getting ready for the start of R2 production in 2026, which will consume some financial resources and factory prep time later this year. Rivian is one of just a handful of EV startups from the 2010s that have survived into the present day, making the perilous journey from concept to mass production. But surviving into 2025 does not necessarily mean smooth sailing. The EV maker revealed its fourth quarter results a few days ago, hitting generally positive notes headlined by achieving a gross profit of $170 million. The EV maker also saw record revenues in 2024, and it cited the sale of regulatory credits along with higher average selling prices of its R1 models, among other factors. The automaker said it produced 49,476 vehicles in 2024 and delivered 51,579. "In 2024 more than 1 billion packages were delivered by Amazon in the Rivian Electric Delivery Van (EDV) in the US alone," the EV maker noted, adding that it had begun to offer its smaller Rivian Commercial Van (RCV) to non-fleet commercial buyers earlier this month, such as small businesses. Rivian also entered into a joint venture with VW in 2024, with a deal worth up to $5.8 billion that will bring Rivian tech to Volkswagen's Scout brand, in addition to other goals. But there are still a few clouds on the horizon when it comes to repeating this feat this year. "We believe external factors could impact our 2025 expectations, including changes to government policies and regulations, and a challenging demand environment," the automaker said in a letter to shareholders. "While uncertainties persist, we remain focused on executing against our key value drivers and are confident in electrifying the world in the long term." It's not too hard to guess just what regulatory challenges Rivian expects to see this year, with the fate of the $7,500 tax credit being just one of the factors. That credit is still expected to depart, perhaps quite abruptly, though the specific timing of its demise remains uncertain. Other automakers are already factoring in the loss of federal incentives sometime in 2025 in their outlook for this year. In citing a challenging demand environment, Rivian is referring to the slowdown in EV sales that began in late 2023, prompting quite a few automaker to drop prices repeatedly over the course of several weeks and months, as the EV adoption rate in the US showed signs of plateauing. Rivian has not been immune to this trend, though it has navigated it better than some other, much larger automakers. But as a result, Rivian cautions that it expects to deliver 46,000 to 51,000 vehicles in 2025, just a bit south of the number delivered in 2024. "Rivian's guidance represents management's current view on potential adjustments to incentives, regulations, and tariff structures," the automaker noted, hinting at the remaining uncertainty in regards to tariffs that could produce one of the most consequential shake-ups in the EV industry's short history. The Trump administration has indicated in recent days that tariffs of approximately 25% will be levied on imported automobiles as soon as April 2, 2025, but is expected to clarify the matter sometime prior to or on that precise date. Rivian does not have a manufacturing footprint outside the US, but it could easily suffer various downstream effects of the imposed tariffs that will affect vehicle component suppliers. Rivian also expects to see expenses relating to the planned start of R2 production in 2026, which will affect its financial resources later this year, though should pay healthy dividends in 2026 when deliveries start. "We recently completed our first tooling trials for some of the key stamped body panels," the automaker noted. "The R2 body has been heavily optimized around cost with a focus on minimizing complexity. For example, the R2 utilizes a number of large high-pressure die castings to eliminate parts and connection points." In preparation for the start of production, the EV maker's plant in Normal, Illinois, is expected to see some preparatory work and some footprint expansion. Ahead of the R2 launch, Rivian will also grow its service network with plans to open 30 new service locations through the course of the year. Rivian is certainly not alone in expecting a rocky 2025, but we have a feeling that some of the more consequential events for the EV industry will be ones not anticipated by automakers at the moment. Will the departure of the $7,500 tax credit affect purchasing decisions for buyers of EVs priced above the $60,000 mark? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
What Should Be The Next Mail Truck When The Post Office Gets Privatized?
After lengthy delays, the Oshkosh NGDV finally made its delivery debut with the U.S. Postal Service last September. The oddly proportioned truck quickly won over postal workers while being deemed an ugly duckling by online commentators. However, they could become an endangered species during Trump's second term in office. The budget-slasher-in-chief made moves last week hinting at a potential privatization of the USPS. What do you think the next mail truck will be after the Post Service inevitably gets privatized? While Oshkosh's machine is practical for couriers toiling away to ensure that your mail reaches its destination, there will certainly be corporate number crunchers dissatisfied with its terrible fuel economy of 8.6 miles per gallon. There were plans to transition the Oshkosh-built fleet to an EV powerplant over the next 10 years with $3 billion in funding provided by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. It wouldn't surprise anyone that Trump wants to cancel that deal. Read more: New EVs Still Can't Beat The Efficiency Of A Plug-In Hybrid For the procurement specialist in the comments, there are plenty of viable options. With Amazon's exclusivity deal ending, the Rivian Electric Delivery Van is now available for anyone to order. You could convince Northrop Grumman to restart production of the venerable LLV. Maybe there are enough Pontiac Azteks still on the road to assemble a postal fleet. I only have two rules: it has to be a single-model fleet, and it has to be feasible to get 100,000 vehicles. The U.S. Post Office was deemed vital enough during the country's founding that it was enshrined in the Constitution. The service helped connect our continent-spanning country in an era before the Internet or even the telegraph, arguably the country's greatest achievement. Today, it still serves a crucial role as the federal government's final mile outpost in communities big and small. Now, imagine the worst possible scenario in the comments below for what an equity firm C-suite is willing to shove out onto our roads. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Now Anyone Can Buy Rivian's Electric Cargo Van
Looking to start a whisper-quiet delivery service, a zero-emissions food truck or other van-based business? Do those new round-eyed Amazon delivery vans leave you green with envy? Well, you're in luck, because Rivian -- maker of some of our favorite electric trucks and SUVs -- announced today that it's opening sales for its commercial delivery van to "fleets of all sizes in the US, whether they want 1 van or thousands." The initial 10,000 examples of what was then known as the Rivian Electric Delivery Van were ordered by Amazon in 2019. A major early investor in Rivian, the online retail giant held exclusive rights to the EDV until 2023 when the contract was fulfilled with over 20,000 EDVs in its fleet and Rivian began courting electric van sales to other large fleet buyers and using the EDV as a service vehicle platform. Today, the Illinois-based EV announced it is opening sales to anyone interested in its electric commercial van. The EV cargo van comes in two flavors, Delivery 500 and Delivery 700. The 500 is the more maneuverable of the two with its 478 cubic foot cargo box, shorter 157.5-inch wheelbase and smaller turning radius of 49.9 feet. The larger 700 boasts a bigger 652 cubic foot box which necessitates a longer wheelbase (187 inches) and wider, 53.9-foot turning circle. Both EVs share the same Rivian Commercial Vehicle powertrain with its single motor driving the front wheels to the tune of 320 horsepower and 299 pound-feet of torque. The stated Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the same at 9,500 pounds, but the slightly lighter Delivery 500 has just a scosche more payload (2,663 pounds versus 2,258 lbs) and a slight range advantage -- 161 miles versus the Delivery 700's 160. The Delivery 500 and 700 each also feature Rivian's suite of commerce, safety and convenience-focused technologies ranging from advanced driver assistance feature, surround-view cameras, connected dashboard tech and integrated fleet management and monitoring software. The Rivian Delivery 500 starts at $79,900 before taxes and destination charges while the larger Delivery 700 steps up to a bigger $83,900 price tag. Interested individuals and fleets can get started with the ordering process at
