Rivian has yet to prove it can build cars profitably, and its self-driving effort is far more than two years behind Tesla's, a total dealbreaker. That rebuts @calistoker123's case that R2 is the second-best US EV and that Rivian, at a $23 billion market cap, could deserve $100 billion if it executes on R2, R3 and self-driving. x.com 

Rivian's plan to scale cost-efficient R2 and R3 models is unlikely to work well. Steady-state demand and price point remain unproven, an $85K loss per car is a large hole to climb out of, and even if all of that goes well it has no path to Level 4 self-driving. x.com  x.com 

Rivian is positioned to be second only to Tesla in consumer autonomy, and R2 deliveries have finally begun. Self-driving is becoming real for those with the data and compute, Uber recently struck a deal with Rivian, and no automaker outside Tesla and Rivian has vertically integrated as far. It won't be a profitable machine soon, but the coming quarters will show whether R2 has its Model 3/Y moment, and after an 18% drop on dilution news a $20 billion valuation looks worth holding. x.com 

Rivian's R2 is going to flop, because once a carmaker goes low cost it is game over. Rivian is burning massive cash while the auto market weakens fast on rates and inflation, and its $21B market cap should be closer to Lucid's. x.com 

Rivian is underweight with a $9 December 2026 target because its $16.50 price assumes the R2 ramp, positive gross margins and Volkswagen money all arrive on time. Its 62,000–67,000 delivery guidance needs H2 quarterly deliveries to nearly double during the R2 launch. $6.1B of cash plus $2B from Volkswagen gives runway, but year-end cash hinges on execution; missing positive gross margins, guided for end-2026, by a quarter means dilution, by two a restructuring. Volkswagen limits the downside. … Show more

Rivian's move from its $80K R1 into a $45K mid-priced SUV is the best brand-leverage opportunity right now and could significantly expand its addressable market. Rivian built its brand for quality and reliability on the R1 and R1T, much as Tesla established Models S and X before Model 3 and Y took off in 2017-2019. The risk is that going downmarket stretches the brand too far or drives premium customers away. x.com  x.com 

Rivian's survival depends on demand it probably lacks: it must sell out full capacity at Normal and ramp Georgia, roughly 8x R1 sales, and 400,000-plus units a year of demand looks doubtful. EV demand is down and competition is up in 2026, while the significantly cheaper Model Y sold 357,000 units in the US. The R1 backlog was also cited as proof of high demand in 2021; time will tell. x.com  x.com 

Rivian is next in line for trouble once investors stop funding its cash-burning business. Lucid's stock fell 48% to an all-time low after a report that it is considering going private or filing for Chapter 11; Lucid had not commented. x.com 

Rivian trades well below newly raised analyst targets after lifting its 2026 delivery outlook. Full-year guidance is now 65,000-70,000 vehicles, more than 30% growth, as R2 SUV deliveries began and the model drew a record 57,000 demo drives. Piper Sandler upgraded to $20, Deutsche Bank moved to $24 and TD Cowen raised to $21, against a $16.97 share price. R2 Premium arrives in late 2026, with the standard trim following in 2027. x.com 

Lucid is dead money as the EV hype cycle and subsidy tailwinds fade, especially under the Trump administration. Tesla is the only dominant EV player, and Rivian may survive long term only with near-flawless execution; everything else, including Lucid, is dead money. x.com