Rivian's best-case guess for 2025 sales is a 16% drop from last year | TechCrunch

Rivian has revised its 2025 delivery guidance downward, now expecting to deliver a maximum of 43,500 electric vehicles, representing a nearly 16% decrease from last year's sales figures. This announcement followed the release of third-quarter figures showing deliveries rose to 13,201 vehicles, a positive recovery from the start of the year, though total production for the quarter was 10,720 EVs. The company has effectively confirmed that 2025 deliveries will be fewer than those in 2024 and 2023, despite preparing for the launch of its highly anticipated, more affordable R2 SUV next year. Rivian had initially been optimistic for 2025 but lowered expectations in May, citing the impact of tariffs and changing trade regulations on consumer sentiment. The broader electric vehicle market is currently challenging, facing increased hostility from the Trump administration, which has led many traditional automakers to delay EV plans. While other automakers benefited from the expiring federal EV tax credit, Rivian's vehicles were less affected as they were primarily eligible only through leasing. Despite these external pressures, CEO RJ Scaringe remains optimistic, suggesting that the removal of subsidies might create a 'vacuum of competition' benefiting pure-play EV companies like Rivian in the long run.