Rivian (RIVN) Q3 earnings preview: Will rising costs slow production ramp?
Rivian ($RIVN) is set to deliver its third-quarter earnings Wednesday, November 9, after the bell as the EV maker comes under the microscope into year’s end. Can Rivian continue expanding operations, or will inflationary pressure slow its momentum? In this Rivian Q3 earnings preview, I’ll discuss what to look for as the EV startup attempts to establish its position in the growing electric vehicle market.
Rivian Q3 deliveries and updates
Rivian began deliveries of its R1T electric pickup in September 2021, followed by the R1S and EDV electric delivery van later that year.
Higher input prices due to inflation caused the automaker to raise prices in March 2022, which caused some buyers to cancel their orders.
At the end of the second quarter, the automaker announced it had produced 4,401 vehicles (+72% QoQ) and delivered 4,467 EVs, an increase of 264% from Q1. Rivian also confirmed at the time it was on track to achieve its prior guidance of producing 25,000 EVs in 2022.
Rivans net backlog for its R1T pickup grew to around 98,000 as the average daily preorder rate rose in the second quarter.
In October, Rivian announced it produced 7,363 electric vehicles at its Normal, Illinois plant and delivered 6,584 EVs during the third quarter ending September 30, 2022.
Amazon confirmed yesterday that the e-commerce giant will roll out over 1,000 Rivian EDVs this holiday season as part of its 100,000 orders to be completed by 2025. The partnership should help supplement Rivian with cash flow as it scales production over the next few years.
At the same time, several macroeconomic factors are causing pressure on startups and the auto industry in general. Rising interest rates and labor are cutting into already tight profit margins while causing debt to become more expensive over time.
Rivan’s financial situation
Rivian generated $364 million in revenue in the second quarter, primarily driven by EV deliveries. Meanwhile, ramping up production and launching new EV platforms is costly, as Rivian recorded a gross loss of $704 million. Claire Mcdonough explains on the company’s Q2 earnings call:
Simultaneously launching two vehicle platforms and production lines is a complex process with high fixed costs associated with the labor and overhead required to run our large-scale plant, which can support 150,000 units of annual capacity.
Altogether, Rivian posted a net loss of $1.7 billion as operating expenses reached over $1 billion. To compensate, the company says it will focus on “optimizing our product road map and associated operating expenses,” cutting capital expenditure guidance by $600 million.
Regarding the balance sheet, Rivian ended the second quarter with $15 billion in cash, noting they “remain confident in our path to launch the R2 vehicle platform” with the cash on hand. Meanwhile, the company’s total debt climbed to $1.65 billion.
To boost production, Rivian did note it will be adding a second shift for general assembly.
Rivian Q3 earnings preview: What to look out for
One of the biggest things investors will be looking for is demand. Is Rivian’s backlog growing, and is the average daily preorder rate still rising?
If Rivian is on track to hit its 2022 production goal of 25,000, it would indicate an improvement in Q3 and Q4 production levels. The company produced 6,954 in the first half of the year, meaning they need to achieve over 18,000 in the second half.
Guidance is always a critical factor to keep an eye on. With rising input costs, can Rivian maintain and build upon its momentum? Or will the changing macroeconomic environment prove to be too much?
The last thing to watch for is any updates on the R2 platform. Rivian said that although its R1 models won’t meet the price threshold to receive tax credits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, its R2 product line is being developed “to allow our customers to capture the value of these incentives.”
Rivian stock price is down over 70% this year, like many unprofitable growth companies. If Rivian wants to get back on track, it must show it can manage its debt while continuing to build its production capabilities. The Amazon EDV backing should help, but it needs to show it has what it takes to compete in the highly competitive EV market to get investors back on board. Doing so will mean trimming debt, building cash flow, and getting margins under control.
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On today’s informative episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got Honda engineers Jason Hwang and Emilio Sanchez to talk us through some of the things that make the GM Ultium-based Honda Prologue EV feel like a real Honda, and why that matters.
Jason and Emilio talk about some of the choices they made to make the Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX feel different from its GM-branded cousins, and explain why this was much more than a case of badge-engineering. Give it a listen, then let us know what you think of the Prologue and ZDX in the comments.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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The first EV charging hub funded by the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Program in the Eastern US is now online in Deerfield, Massachusetts.
The town installed the region’s first DC fast chargers (four ports), along with four Level 2 chargers, at 59 North Main Street in South Deerfield.
These new charging stations, funded with $2.46 million from the CFI program, are conveniently located near Interstate 91 in Franklin County, the most rural county in Massachusetts, which serves drivers from Connecticut up to the Canadian border.
The hub also features local and regional bus stops and designated bike lanes with secure onsite bike racks. The chargers are meant to cater to everyone: from local residents and visitors to municipal EVs and commercial vehicles that service the region’s businesses, like those in food and beverage manufacturing.
Gabe Klein, executive director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, sees this as a model for future projects:
Multi-modal charging hubs in communities are key to giving more people the choice to ride and drive electric. The Town of Deerfield is showing leadership in building out convenient charging infrastructure that brings new transportation choices to rural and disadvantaged communities while supporting local commerce.
In recent years, Deerfield has experienced increased climate change-driven flooding from nearby rivers, including the Deerfield River, the Connecticut River, and the Bloody Brook. The project incorporates environmental engineering designed to mitigate and adapt to the effects of flooding and climate, including the installation of permeable asphalt and rain gardens, planting of native trees, grasses, and shrubs, and the creation of new greenspace in the center of Deerfield.
The Biden-Harris administration’s CFI Grant Program is expanding EV infrastructure nationwide. It offers grants for projects that complement and expand upon the initiatives of the NEVI program in urban, rural, and disadvantaged and low-income communities. So far, the CFI Grant Program has allocated over $1 billion to nearly 100 projects across the US, encouraging private investments and expanding the EV charging network to make EV ownership more practical and convenient.
Read more: The US reaches milestone of 200,000+ public EV charging ports
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Kia’s upcoming EV4 electric sedan was just spotted testing in the US for the first time. The low-cost EV is expected to make its big debut by the end of the year. Here’s a look at the new model.
The EV4 will round out Kia’s new “EVs for all” master plan launched last year. Kia showcased three new models, the EV3, EV4, and EV5, during its first annual EV Day in October 2023.
During the event, Kia outlined its new global strategy to “lead and accelerate the EV revolution” with a wide range of models priced from $30,000 to $80,000.
Kia plans to rapidly expand its lineup with a series of smaller, lower-priced models. It launched the EV9, its first three-row electric SUV, which is already proving to be a hot seller in the US. Starting at under $55,000, the EV9 is still a great deal compared to others in its class, but Kia plans to go even lower.
The EV3 and EV4 are expected to be among the most affordable electric vehicles when they arrive in the US.
Kia’s new EV4 is now testing in the US
Ahead of its official debut, Kia’s new EV4 sedan was recently caught driving on US streets for the first time.
The latest image from KindelAuto doesn’t reveal much more than what’s been shown in the past, but the fact that it’s now testing in the US is significant.
Kia’s EV3 is already on sale in Korea, starting at around $30,000 (42.08 million won). Earlier this week, the company said its new compact SUV is now available across Europe, starting at around $38,000 (36,000 euros) with a “segment-leading range” of up to 375 miles (WLTP).
Next up will be the EV4. Kia is expected to officially reveal the new EV by the end of the year, with deliveries starting in 2025. It could be as soon as next week at the 2024 LA Auto Show.
The interior will feature Kia’s advanced new ccNC infotainment system with dual 12.3″ navigation and driver display screens. An otherwise minalimalistic design is expected inside.
Kia’s EV4 will also be available in a hatchback variant. Although the hatch is likely aimed at European buyers, it was also recently spotted testing in the US for the first time.
We will learn official prices closer to launch, but the EV4 is expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Kia is teasing five new vehicles for the US, at least one being a new EV, that will debut at the LA Auto Show next week. Will it be the EV3? EV4?
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