Rivian Automotive IncCEO highlights Chinese EV makers' zero capital cost advantage, making them hard to compete against.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said Chinese electric-vehicle manufacturers are hard to compete against because their capital cost is often zero, provided by local governments. Speaking on the automaker's second-quarter earnings call, Scaringe noted that while manufacturing approaches are similar, China enjoys much lower labor costs and a cost-of-capital advantage that dramatically reduces production expenses. He added that in a world of completely open trade, Rivian would optimize around the lowest input costs, but under current conditions the company believes certain components should be sourced from the United States. Rivian also disclosed a $250 million investment from Uber as part of a partnership targeting fully autonomous robotaxis by 2028, with Level 3 eyes-off driving planned for 2027. The company reported second-quarter revenue of $1.66 billion, up 27% year-over-year and above the $1.51 billion consensus, with a narrower-than-expected loss of 63 cents per share.
Rivian Automotive IncCEO highlights Chinese EV makers' zero capital cost advantage, making them hard to compete against.
Uber Technologies IncInvests $250M in Rivian as part of autonomous robotaxi partnership.