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Rivian (RIVN) released its Q4 2023 earnings Wednesday, showing gross margin improvements over last year, but the numbers are down sequentially. Rivian also announced it will reduce its workforce by 10%. With cost-cutting measures in place and new affordable products, Rivian expects to achieve modest gross profit by the end of the year.

Fourth quarter earnings preview

After delivering over 50,000 EVs, more than double last year’s delivery numbers, Rivian looks to keep the momentum rolling in 2024.

Despite the growth, Rivian’s pace slowed in Q4 as expected. Rivian’s CFO, Claire Mcdonough, said the company expected “a more significant gap between production and deliveries in Q4.”

The slowdown was due to Amazon limiting its new vehicle intake during the holiday season. Meanwhile, registration data shows Rivian was the fifth best-selling EV brand in the US last year, with 4% of the market.

After introducing new lower-priced R1S and R1T options (now starting at $71,700), analysts are worried about Rivian’s ability to generate a p.rofit

The EV maker reported a net loss of $1.3 billion in the third quarter, with around a $30,500 loss per vehicle. Although still high, that number is down from $139,277 a year ago.

Rivian-Q4-2023-earnings
Rivian delivery and production numbers by quarter (Source: Rivian)

Rivian Q4 2023 earnings results

Rivian generated $1.3 billion in revenue in Q4, primarily from the 13,972 vehicles delivered. For the full-year, Rivian’s revenue reached $4.4 billion, up 167% from 2022.

Rivian’s gross loss of $606 million is an improvement from last year’s $1 billion loss. However, it’s up from -$477M in Q3 and -$412M in Q2 2023. With lowered delivery numbers, higher gross losses were expected.

Gross margins were -46% in the fourth quarter, down from -36% in Q3 and -37% in Q2 2023. That equaled out to a $43,372 loss per vehicle delivered.

Q3 ’22 Q4 ’22 Q1 ’23 Q2 ’23 Q3 ’23 Q4 ’23
Rivian loss per vehicle $139,277 $124,162 $67,329 $32,594 $30,500 $43,372
Rivian loss per vehicle by quarter

Although $43K is still a significant amount, it’s an $81K improvement compared to the year before. Following a shutdown in the second quarter, Rivian expects to see further cost reductions.

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Rivian gross profit per vehicle delivered (Source: Rivian)

Overall, Rivian posted a net loss of $1.58 billion in Q4, down from $1.79 billion the year before. For the full-year, Rivian’s net losses totaled $5.4 billion, down from $6.8 billion in 2022.

The EV maker also announced in its 8K Wednesday it will be reducing its salaried workforce by roughly 10%. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said on the company’s earnings call the move is to maximize the brand’s ability to make an impact.

Rivian ended the quarter with 9.37 billion in cash and equivalents. The company believes it has enough cash to fund operations through 2025.

A substantial opportunity ahead

Rivian says the “opportunity ahead is substantial” as it focuses on growing the brand. The EV maker will reveal its more affordable R2 electric SUV on March 7.

The company is focusing on driving greater cost efficiency with its R1 and RCV lineup. Rivian’s R1S was the top-selling EV in the US, priced over $70K. A smaller, more affordable version will help expand into new markets.

Rivian-first-look-R2
Rivian R2 teaser (Source: Rivian)

Rivian expects deliveries to be flat this year with around 57,000 due to the planned shutdown. The EV maker expects deliveries to be 10% to 15% below Q4’s numbers (11.9K to 12.5K)

With new tech and engineering upgrades, Rivian expects to achieve a “modest gross profit” in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The EV maker recently introduced leasing and new standard pack options to expand the brand to new customers. Rivian says it plans to launch new variants and trims this year to attract new markets.

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Rivian (RIVN) stock chart over the past 12 months (Source: TradingView)

Rivian’s (RIVN) stock is down over 13% in after-hours trading following the earnings release. The EV makers’ shares are down 27% since the start of 2024.

Check back for more info following Rivian’s Q4 2023 earnings call.

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Chevy Blazer SS EV first drive, over 600hp and 300 miles of range!

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Chevy Blazer SS EV first drive, over 600hp and 300 miles of range!

Chevy flew us down to Charlotte for some track and road time with the Chevy Blazer SS EV. The 600+ horsepower beast barely hidden beneath the skin of Chevy’s mid-sized SUV is also the quickest ‘SS’ monikered vehicle the company has ever produced. The Blazer SS also has a ton of extras like a standard, robust SuperCruise, which competes favorably with the Performance line from domestic competitors like Tesla’s Model Y and Ford’s Mustang Mach-e GT.

As one could imagine, a trip to Charlotte to test the Chevy Blazer SS should begin at the track. There, we got to experience a few laps at the raceway, along with some 3.4-second wide-open throttle 0-60 times, but not the 11.8-second quarter mile at 115mph that Chevy advertises. I have no doubt that the SS can handle that, especially with the right tires.

But the SS isn’t just a straight line monster, it also is a very respectable track car. The Blazer felt tied to the road with inefficient but huge 22-inch tires, a massive 102kWh Ultium battery and a long 10-foot wheelbase, all tops in the class:

Interior

The interior of the Blazer is definitely sporty and probably a bit polarizing with those jet engine looking vents. Also polarizing is GM’s decision to do away with Carplay and go with Google’s Android based center stack system. I don’t quite follow the logic of not letting people decide but here we are.

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As with other companies utilizing this system like Volvo/Polstar, I think it works pretty great but you can see some of the lag in the video below. Note there have been significant updates since our Blazer first look at the end of last year and it was certainly passable and Google tends to update this stuff pretty frequently.

As for the seats and the cockpit, I’m giving the Blazer high marks. Our 4 hours of driving were easy even through back country roads where Supercruise was almost useless. The wrap around screens are very nice and wow, what a great heads up display. I wouldn’t change a thing here.

One nag coming from a Tesla FSD owner: I wish Supercruise could talk to Google maps better. As it stands, if Google tells you to exit, the highway, Supercruise doesn’t yet listen. GM is working on this.

Blazer SS interior

The Blazer SS is a mid-sized SUV which is a step up size-wize from the Mustang Mach-E or Tesla Model S so there is some additional room there.

303 Miles of range from 102kWh battery

Probably the biggest standout feature on the Blazer SS is not only the speed but also the range over 300 miles. 303 EPA est. to be exact. How did GM do this? The same way they got the Silverado/Sierra to 440 Miles. They just threw a ton of battery at it. In this case 102kWh of batteries compared to 90kWh for the Mustang and 75kWh for the Tesla Model Y P. The Kia EV6 GT drops down to nearly 200 miles when you add the performance package so this is clearly the only vehicle in its class that goes hard on speed AND Range.

Note that you will be able to charge up at 190kWh but I didn’t get to check the charging curve on this one. That’s a respectable speed, but I wonder how nice an 800V architecture would have been for charging. Hyundai/Kia EGMP platform vehicles and Tesla do better here.

Electrek’s take

I liked the Chevy Blazer SS a lot more than I thought I would. The interior is comfortable yet exciting. The exterior is neat. The power and performance are riveting, and the price is respectable. I will definitely recommend the Blazer SS to folks coming off of Model Ys and who are looking for a similar and often better vehicle.

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Lime officially launches new e-bike and electric moped into broader sharing fleets

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Lime officially launches new e-bike and electric moped into broader sharing fleets

Lime, a global leader in shared electric micromobility, is significantly expanding its fleet this spring with the launch of two new vehicles – the LimeBike and LimeGlider.

After a successful series of pilot programs in 2024, Lime announced plans to roll out more than 10,000 of these new electric vehicles across multiple cities in Europe and North America in the coming months.

The introduction of the LimeBike and LimeGlider mark a key step forward for Lime as the company aims to attract a wider range of riders to shared micromobility. Both vehicles feature significant design innovations informed by extensive rider feedback, city partner consultations, and performance data gathered from Lime’s extensive operational experience.

The LimeBike marks the return of the Lime brand’s original name in a refreshed and modern form. Designed specifically to enhance rider accessibility and comfort, the LimeBike features an approachable step-through frame making it easier to mount and dismount.

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Additionally, it has a unique ergonomic clamp design allowing riders to easily adjust seat height. This feature was developed directly from rider feedback, aiming to make the bike more inclusive for riders of different heights and abilities.

Smaller 20-inch wheels give the LimeBike improved handling and a compact feel, making it more maneuverable in dense urban settings.

Unlike European markets, the LimeBike is offered in US markets will also include a hand throttle, allowing riders the flexibility to choose between traditional pedal-assisted cycling and throttle-only operation. This flexibility caters to varying rider preferences and physical abilities, broadening the appeal of the bike in a market where most e-bike riders tend to prefer throttle operation.

The LimeGlider, meanwhile, introduces a completely new vehicle type to Lime’s fleet – a seated, pedal-less electric vehicle designed for effortless riding. Combining the comfort of a seated ride with the simplicity of a scooter, the LimeGlider aims to appeal especially to riders who prefer a less physically demanding ride experience or who may have limitations making traditional scooters challenging.

Designed with rider comfort as a priority, the LimeGlider includes footrests instead of pedals, a large padded moped-style seat positioned lower to the ground to lower the center of gravity, and intuitive ergonomic hand grips to reduce rider fatigue. The green and black colorway sets it apart somewhat from Lime’s usual green and white fleet, further underscoring its new role as a bridge between scooters and bicycles in terms of ride experience.

Both the LimeBike and LimeGlider incorporate several shared improvements aimed at boosting convenience and safety. Wider front baskets offer increased utility for everyday errands and ergonomic phone holders provide secure and accessible navigation for riders. Each vehicle is equipped with 2.5-inch tires optimized for reliable traction in varying conditions.

From the tech side, the LimeBike and LimeGlider represent Lime’s most advanced offerings yet. Lime says that improved location accuracy within the vehicles’ onboard systems ensures quicker identification and responsiveness in recognizing designated parking zones, restricted access areas, and low-speed zones, crucial for compliance with city regulations and enhancing rider safety.

Sustainability has also been central to the design philosophy behind Lime’s latest vehicles. Utilizing modular construction methods, the LimeBike and LimeGlider are among the most repairable vehicles Lime has produced to date. Modular components mean quicker, easier repairs, minimizing downtime and extending vehicle lifespan. Both vehicles share Lime’s proprietary swappable battery technology, common across the company’s Gen4 fleet, streamlining operations and reducing environmental impacts by prolonging battery life and optimizing energy usage.

The pilot tests conducted in 2024 underscored the strong market potential for both vehicles. Lime reported notably positive rider responses, with high rates of repeat usage and longer ride durations, particularly with the LimeGlider. For instance, during the pilot in Seattle and Zurich, riders frequently embarked on journeys exceeding 5 kilometers and averaging over 15 minutes per trip, surpassing the usage patterns of Lime’s existing Gen4 electric bikes.

Building upon these successful pilots, Lime’s spring launch targets several strategically selected cities. The LimeBike is set to roll out in Turin, Italy; Aarhus, Denmark; Nice, France; and Nyon, Switzerland, expanding into areas with established cycling cultures and infrastructure. The LimeGlider debuts in major U.S. cities including Denver, Austin, and San Francisco, markets that Lime identifies as primed for growth in seated, scooter-like micromobility solutions. Both vehicles will also see wider availability in cities like Atlanta, Seattle, and Zurich, where initial pilots indicated strong rider enthusiasm.

Lime’s President Joe Kraus expressed optimism about the new vehicles, highlighting their appeal during early trials: “During our initial pilots last year, it was clear that the LimeBike and LimeGlider earned the love of our riders, with people returning to them frequently for local travel,” Kraus explained. “We’re so excited to take our next step with these vehicles and bring them to more cities this spring.”

The introduction of these vehicles aligns closely with urban policy goals aimed at reducing car dependency and enhancing accessibility for a diverse range of city residents. Lime specifically designed the LimeBike and LimeGlider to meet the needs of traditionally underrepresented micromobility users, such as older riders and women. Enhanced vehicle stability, ease of use, and adjustable features aim to reduce common barriers to micromobility adoption among these groups.

Since its inception in 2017, Lime riders have collectively completed over 750 million rides, covering more than 900 million miles (over 1.5 billion kilometers). This significant uptake of micromobility solutions has translated into meaningful environmental benefits, replacing an estimated 180 million car trips, thereby preventing over 77 million kilograms of CO2 emissions and saving more than 33 million liters of gasoline.

With the launch of the LimeBike and LimeGlider, Lime is poised to significantly build upon these achievements, further shifting urban transportation patterns toward sustainable, inclusive, and efficient micromobility.

Electrek’s Take

I think that Lime’s new LimeBike and LimeGlider are smart additions that feel well-positioned for today’s micromobility market. It’s also great to see Lime include a throttle on the LimeBike for the North American market, where so many riders prefer to ride without pedaling. For casual users and tourists especially, a throttle can make all the difference between choosing to hop on a shared e-bike or not.

Lime clearly listened to rider feedback, and these new models could help pull even more people into using micromobility instead of cars. Let’s just hope they can keep it up.

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Tesla Q1 2025 earnings preview: it’s going to be a messy one

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Tesla Q1 2025 earnings preview: it's going to be a messy one

Tesla (TSLA) will release its Q1 2025 financial results today, Tuesday, April. 22, after the markets close. As usual, a conference call and Q&A with Tesla’s management are scheduled after the results.

Here, we’ll look at what the street and retail investors expect for the quarterly results.

Tesla Q1 2025 deliveries and energy deployment

CEO Elon Musk and his loyal shareholders often claim that Tesla is now an AI/Robotics company, but the truth is that the company’s automotive business still drives the vast majority of its financial performance.

Tesla’s revenue remains tied mainly to the number of vehicles it delivers.

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Earlier this month, Tesla disclosed its Q1 2025 vehicle production and deliveries:

  Production Deliveries Subject to operating lease accounting
Model 3/Y 345,454 323,800 4%
Other Models 17,161 12,881 7%
Total 362,615 336,681 4%

It was significantly below expectations and approximately 50,000 units short of what Tesla delivered in Q1 2024.

Analysts have been adjusting their revenue and earnings expectations accordingly since the disclosure a few weeks ago.

Now, Tesla’s energy storage business is also starting to make a meaningful contribution to its financial performance. The company disclosed having deployed 10.4 GWh of energy storage products during Q1 2025.

Tesla no longer discloses solar deployment information.

Tesla Q1 2025 revenue

For revenue, analysts generally have a pretty good idea of what to expect, thanks to the delivery numbers and now the energy storage deployment data.

However, many were taken by surprise by how low Tesla’s deliveries were this quarter and the automaker offered a lot of discounts, which will affect the average sale price that analysts are now trying to figure out.

The Wall Street consensus for this quarter is $21.345 billion, and Estimize, the financial estimate crowdsourcing website, predicts a slightly lower revenue of $21.254 billion.

Here are the predictions for Tesla’s revenue over the past two years, with Estimize predictions in blue, Wall Street consensus in gray, and actual results are in green:

This would be about a $1 billion lower than the same period last year – meaning that analysts don’t expect Tesla’s increased energy storage deployment to compensate for the lower vehicle deliveries.

Tesla Q1 2025 earnings

Tesla claims to consistently strive for marginal profitability every quarter, as it invests the majority of its funds in growth, but its growth has disappeared from its automotive business over the last year, and its gross margin is going in the same direction.

Analysts are trying to estimate Tesla’s gross margin with the lower deliveries to figure out its actual earnings per share.

For Q1 2025, the Wall Street consensus is a gain of $0.41 per share and Estimize’s crowdsourced prediction is a little lower at $0.40.

Here are the earnings per share over the last two years, where Estimize predictions are in blue, Wall Street consensus is in gray, and actual results are in green:

If the estimates are accurate, Tesla’s earnings per share would be down from $0.45 during the same period last year.

There are several things that Tesla could do here that could surprise investors with a significant earnings beat. Tesla could have recognized revenue from the launch of FSD in China, even though the launch was brief and 95% of the value of the FSD package is unsupervised self-driving, which Tesla has yet to deliver.

Tesla could have also sold more emission credits. As of the end of last quarter, Tesla was still sitting on a good amount, and while it claims to sell them when the price makes the most sense, it is quite an opaque market and Tesla could at any time decide to sell them just to save itself from a bad quarter.

Other expectations for the TSLA shareholder’s letter, analyst call, and special ‘company update’

As we reported yesterday, this is likely going to be a messy earnings report. Musk has been on a propaganda spree lately after Tesla suffered immense brand damage and declining stock price due to his involvement in politics.

Now, he has called for a “live company update” at the same time as the release of Tesla’s financial results, which appears to be a desperate move at damage control amid a tough quarter for the company.

I expect that he will try to paint a rosy picture of Tesla’s self-driving and robot efforts to come save the company amid declining EV sales.

As I previously reported, I wouldn’t be surprised if he also pushes for Tesla to invest in his xAI startup or proposes a merger between the companies.

Tesla will also take questions from retail shareholders based on the most popular ones on Say. Here are the top 5 questions and my thoughts on them:

  1. Is Tesla still on track for releasing “more affordable models” this year? Or will you be focusing on simplified versions to enhance affordability, similar to the RWD Cybertruck?
    • We have had the answer to that question for about a year now, but Tesla shareholders don’t believe it because Elon claimed that Reuters’ original report that Tesla canceled its more affordable EV was “wrong” when it fact it wasn’t. As we recently reported, Musk killed the “$25,000 Tesla” in favor of the Robotaxi and building new stripped-down versions of Model Y and Model 3.
  2. When will FSD unsupervised be available for personal use on personally-owned cars?
    • Lol – we are just going to get Elon’s “best guess”, which has been wrong every time for the last decade.
  3. How is Tesla positioning itself to flexibly adapt to global economic risks in the form of tariffs, political biases, etc.?
    • Musk is going to say “you go woke, you go broke” and that his pathetic quest to “kill the woke mind virus” will ultimately be good for Tesla because the world will be rid of this destructive virus. As for the global economic risks, I wouldn’t be surprised if Tesla announces more layoffs soon.
  4. Robotaxi still on track for this year?
    • It could very well be. We have already reported in detail about how Tesla’s “robotaxi” launch in Austin, planned for June, is actually a “moving of the goal” and it has very little to do with Tesla’s long-stated promise of delivering unsupervised self-driving in a consumer vehicle, as asked in the second question.
  5. Did Tesla experience any meaningful changes in order inflow rate in Q1 relating to all of the rumors of “brand damage”?
    • If they say no here, don’t believe them. Tesla is down 50,000 units in Q1, and yes, the Model Y changeover has something to do with it, but you can clearly see now, based on new Model Y delivery timelines, that Tesla has no order backlog for the vehicle. It will likely launch incentives to sell the brand-new vehicle that was supposed to save Tesla’s auto business in the coming weeks.

Tune in with Electrek after market close today to get all the latest news from Tesla’s earnings, conference call, and now also an apparent “company update.”

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