Rivian now #2 US EV brand, up from #10, as Big Auto marginalizes itself — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Rivian rose from 10th to #2 among US EV brands in Cox Automotive's Q3 sales report, taking the spot Chevrolet previously held
- Tesla remains the #1 US EV brand despite a nearly 20% year-over-year sales decline in Q3
- Rivian's R2 crossover booked 3,456 units in Q3, just months after launch, with cheaper ~$50K trims aimed at the Tesla Model Y market and the existing R1S priced near $80K
- Almost every other automaker saw Q3 EV sales declines, with only Mercedes, Lexus, Toyota, Subaru, and Rivian posting gains, per Cox Automotive
- Research from UC Davis cited in the piece says suppressed US EV sales reflect automakers "almost universally refusing to make EVs," not weak consumer demand
- Several brands with falling Q3 sales have cancelled models, including the newly improved and affordable Chevy Bolt, which GM is discontinuing next year
Why it matters: Rivian vaulted to #2 on the strength of a single new model still in early ramp, while the rest of the US auto industry throttles back EV programs — the piece cites UC Davis research blaming automakers, not demand, for the slump. With 3,456 R2 units logged in Q3 and a planned move into ~$50K pricing, Rivian is positioning to contest the Tesla Model Y just as the Model Y itself is losing 20% of its US volume year over year.
Ask SkimNews
