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Two months after Rivian started delivering EVs with its long-anticipated Max battery pack, we’ve seen our first real-world range comparison, and the results are… just ok. Despite over 50 miles more EPA range than the Large Pack, the first real-world tests show that the gap is significantly narrower.

Rivian ($RIVN) is exiting 2023, a lot better off than it began the year. After pausing EV production to optimize its assembly lines early on, the American automaker has continued to scale in Normal, IL, as it erects its second plant in Georgia.

The automaker’s Q3 report offered better-than-expected production numbers, alongside steady interest from US consumers, allowing Rivian to maintain its price points while continuing to ramp up production of EDVs and R1 EVs.

Rivian is currently contribution margin positive on both its EDVs and R1 vehicles and its CFO Claire McDonough expects the automaker to become gross margin positive in 2024. Some of the appeal to consumers eyeing a new Rivian R1T or R1S purchase has been the arrival of the Max battery pack, which finally started reaching customers this past October.

Promising an EPA range of 410 miles on a single charge, the Max Pack looks like a monster on paper compared to Rivian’s other battery options. However, a recent video showing a real-world range comparison with the Large Pack might soon have consumers thinking twice.

Rivian battery pack
Source: Scooter Doll

Is Rivian’s $10k Max battery pack upgrade worth it?

Until October 2023, Rivian customers could only obtain delivery of their shiny new R1S or R1T if they opted for the Standard or Large battery packs, delivering 270 and 352 miles of electric range, respectively.

However, many reservation holders held out for an electric truck with Rivian’s Max pack, promising a whopping 410 miles of EPA estimated range. Kyle Conner and the team at Out of Spec Reviews took two R1Ts – one with the Large Pack and one with the Max Pack – and put them through the same tests, only to find a marginal difference in real-world range, despite the $10K price difference.

While the EPA range difference between the Large and Max Packs is listed at 58 miles, Out of Spec’s comparison detailed a much closer race – a mere 22 miles. Since the Max Pack is significantly more expensive (an additional $16,000 compared to $6,000 for the Large battery), it begs the question if it is worth it to would-be Rivian customers.

Here’s another kicker. We’ve learned the Max Pack is the same size as the $6k option, just more efficient and energy-dense. A spokesperson for Rivian told Electrek that the automaker does not divulge battery capacities in its EV specs but did confirm the Max Pack offers a total battery capacity of 149 kWh – all in the same footprint as the Large Pack without adding weight.

The spokesperson shared that Rivian’s engineers achieved this by implementing a proprietary battery management system unique to the Max Pack that optimizes and increases its usable energy from a new version of Rivian’s 2170 battery cells. The result is higher energy density and absolute energy without requiring more modules or significantly more weight.

That, again, sounds promising on paper, but the real-world results appear much more marginal as the Max Pack offers 11-12 additional kWh of battery capacity that translates to 22 miles of range. This is obviously one test and not gospel, but it does beg the question of whether Rivian’s Max battery pack is worth shelling out an extra $10k. Following the real-world tests, the Out of Spec team even questioned whether their Max Pack R1T test vehicle was defective. Or perhaps it needs a software update to see the full advantages of the new battery?

What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments below.

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CNBC Daily Open: Tech sell-off? Investors could just be taking profit and enjoying the summer

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CNBC Daily Open: Tech sell-off? Investors could just be taking profit and enjoying the summer

A Palantir sign at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on May 22, 2022.

Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Images

If you have any U.S. technology stocks in your portfolio (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), you might want to look away.

For the second day in a row, tech stocks dragged markets lower, with the Nasdaq Composite slipping 0.67%. Juggernauts such as Apple, Amazon and Alphabet were more meh-nificent than magnificent, falling more than 1%.

Palantir — the standout S&P 500 stock, having more than doubled so far this year — had its sixth consecutive day in the red and lost its place among a ranking of the 20 most valuable U.S. companies.

While Palantir’s slide was partly triggered by a report from short seller Andrew Left’s Citron Research, which called the company “detached from fundamentals and analysis,” there was no single trigger for the broader pullback.

Investors could have been spooked by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s caution about an AI bubble forming, although some analysts dispute that assertion. “In our view the tech bull cycle will be well intact at least for another 2-3 years,” said Wall Street tech bull Dan Ives.

Or it could be something benign, like traders locking in profits. “Tech stocks,” said Carol Schleif, chief market strategist at BMO Private Wealth, “have had an incredibly strong run – with some up over 80% since the early April lows.”

Summer, after all, is far from over. Some investors might have just wanted to cash out for another round of margaritas.

What you need to know today

And finally…

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Aug. 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Andrew Harnik | Getty Images

Red carpet for Putin, trade relief for China, penalties on India: Inside Trump’s peculiar policy playbook

U.S. President Donald Trump is pursuing an unusual strategy — courting Russian President Vladimir Putin, holding fire on Beijing, all the while turning the screws on India.

Despite India being one of the earliest nations to engage in negotiations with the Trump administration, there is still no sign of it sealing a deal with America. New Delhi is now also staring at a secondary tariff of 25% or a “penalty” for its purchases of Russian oil that is set to come into effect later this month.

— Anniek Bao

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CNBC Daily Open: The U.S. tech-sell off extends to its second day — but don’t let it ruin your summer

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CNBC Daily Open: The U.S. tech-sell off extends to its second day — but don't let it ruin your summer

Palantir Technologies signage on an options contract ticker as traders work on the floor of American Stock Exchange at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, U.S., on Friday, June 20, 2025.

Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images

If you have any U.S. technology stocks in your portfolio (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), you might want to look away.

For the second day in a row, tech stocks dragged markets lower, with the Nasdaq Composite slipping 0.67%. Juggernauts such as Apple, Amazon and Alphabet were more meh-nificent than magnificent, falling more than 1%.

Palantir — the standout S&P 500 stock, having more than doubled so far this year — spent its sixth consecutive day in the red and lost its place among a ranking of the 20 most valuable U.S. companies.

While Palantir’s slide was partly triggered by a report from short seller Andrew Left’s Citron Research, which called the company “detached from fundamentals and analysis,” there was no single trigger for the broader pullback.

Investors could have been spooked by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s caution about an AI bubble forming, although some analysts dispute that assertion. “In our view the tech bull cycle will be well intact at least for another 2-3 years,” said Wall Street tech bull Dan Ives.

Or it could be something benign, like traders locking in profits. “Tech stocks,” said Carol Schleif, chief market strategist at BMO Private Wealth, “have had an incredibly strong run – with some up over 80% since the early April lows.”

Summer, after all, is far from over. Some investors might have just wanted to cash out for another round of margaritas.

What you need to know today

Fed officials divided over inflation and employment worries. Central bank governors generally agreed there were risks on both sides. But a couple — breaking from the majority — saw the labor market woes as more pressing, according to minutes of the Fed’s July meeting.

Trump likely to pick Kevin Hassett as next Fed Chair. The director of the National Economic Council firmly led the pack, according to a CNBC Fed Survey. However, respondents think the president “should” pick former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh.

No new solar or wind power projects, Trump says. Renewable energy projects will no longer receive approval, Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social. His comment comes after the administration already tightened federal permitting last month. 

Fourth day of losses for the S&P 500. Investors continued selling off technology stocks on Wednesday, with Palantir having its sixth straight losing day. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 closed at another high despite inflation in July coming in hotter than expected.

[PRO] The Fed is expected to cut just as markets trade at highs. This is what tends to happen when both factors coincide, according to Goldman Sachs research.

And finally…

United States President Donald Trump participates in a Multilateral Meeting with European Leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US. Picture date: Monday August 18, 2025.

Aaron Schwartz – Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty Images

Trump has snapped up more than $100 million in bonds since taking office

U.S. President Donald Trump has been on a multimillion-dollar bond-buying spree since taking office in January, investing in debt issued by local authorities, gas districts and major American corporations.

Across 33 pages of filings with the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, or OGE, dated Aug. 12, the president outlined 690 transactions that have taken place since he took office. The documents were made public on Tuesday.

— Chloe Taylor

Correction: This report has been updated to correct the spelling of Kevin Hasset’s name.

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Tesla offers used car leases with $0 down as it desperately tries move cars

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Tesla offers used car leases with alt=

Tesla has started offering leases of certified pre-owned cars, which is relatively rare in the industry, with $0 down as it desperately tries to move vehicles before the end of the quarter.

With the federal tax credit for electric vehicles set to expire at the end of the quarter, automakers in the US are all trying to optimize EV sales, as demand is being pulled forward.

This also applies to used EVs, as the $4,000 federal incentive for used electric vehicles will also expire on September 30th.

Now, leasing used vehicles is much less common than leasing new cars, but some automakers, or mainly dealers, do offer it.

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Tesla is getting into this business for the first time.

In California and Texas, Tesla is now offering leases on certified pre-owned (aka used) Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

These are reasonably priced and can be as low as $215 per month with $0 down for a 24-month lease and 10,000 miles per year.

Tesla also offers a 12-month lease and up to 15,000 miles annually. While there’s no down payment needed, there’s an “Acquisition Fee” of $695.

That, and the first month, is all you need to get in a used Tesla for the next year or two.

This is undoubtedly the cheapest way to get into a Tesla vehicle right now.

Tesla is trying to sell as many vehicles as possible in the US this quarter, as demand for EVs has been pulled forward due to the end of the tax credit. This is expected to result in a record quarter in the US, but it also going to create a few difficult ones in the future.

With demand being pulled forward and future buyers feeling like they missed out on EV discounts, the US EV market is expected to experience a significant slowdown over the next 12 to 18 months.

Tesla sales are down about 13% globally so far this year. While this quarter is expected to be better, many analysts still anticipate Tesla’s year-over-year performance to be down.

This year alone, Tesla added more than 50,000 electric vehicles to its inventory.

Used cars have also been piling up.

Tesla owners rushed to sell their vehicles as Tesla’s brand perception dived following its CEO’s involvement in politics.

We previously reported that the average used Tesla sale price has recently dipped below the overall average used car sale price in the US.

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