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Analysts cut Rivian price targets amid tariff concerns  

Baird drops Rivian’s price target to $14 while Bernstein slashes to $6.10. Rising costs + tariff pressure weigh on RIVN before Q1 earnings.

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(Credit: Rivian)

Analysts have cut Rivian price targets (PT) amid concerns over President Trump’s tariffs.

Baird is the latest investment firm to cut its Rivian price target. Baird analysts slashed Rivian’s PT from $16 to $14 while maintaining a Neutral rating ahead of the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s Q1 2025 earnings. Baird’s downgrade reflects caution in the sustainable energy and mobility sectors through late 2025.

Rivian reported producing 14,611 vehicles and delivering 8,640 in the first quarter at its Normal, Illinois plant. The company reaffirmed its full-year delivery guidance of “46,000 to 51,000” units, holding steady despite headwinds.

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Baird’s adjustment aligns with broader market uncertainties impacting Rivian’s outlook. Based on GuruFocus, the firm joins 29 analysts setting an average one-year price target of $14.54 for Rivian, with estimates ranging from a high of $23.00 to a low of $6.10.

Bernstein maintained its Underperform rating for Rivian, giving the EV automaker a $6.10 price target. The firm’s forecast suggests Rivian could drop 47% from Friday’s $11.47 close. Bernstein’s Rivian prediction cites rising tariff pressures and financial challenges, particularly with tariffs on imported batteries set to increase in May.

“We expect Rivian to discontinue its Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) variants, downgrade volume, and EBIT guidance, and be forced to consider raising fresh equity,” analysts led by Daniel Roeska wrote.

Bernstein slashed Rivian’s 2025 delivery forecast to 37,000 units, 20% below the automaker’s guidance midpoint. It also projects a negative $2.2 billion adjusted EBITDA for Rivian in Q1 2025. Analysts also flagged risks to Rivian’s gross profit breakeven goal, which is tied to Volkswagen’s planned $1 billion equity investment.

RBC Capital also trimmed its price target for Rivian to $10, anticipating a Q1 sales uptick from tariff-driven demand but warning that earnings may not fully capture trade impacts.

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Rivian’s Q1 earnings, scheduled for May 6 after market close, will shed light on its ability to navigate tariffs and financial pressures. While the EV maker maintains its production goals, analysts signal a bumpy road ahead as costs rise and market dynamics shift. Rivian’s focus on scaling remains critical, but tariff burdens and equity needs could test its resilience in a competitive EV landscape.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears

Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.

We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.

Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.

Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.

With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.

This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.

During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:

“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”

Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.

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Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026

Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla’s estimated delivery window for new Cybertruck Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive (AWD) orders in the United States has shifted to September–October 2026. This suggests that the vehicle’s sub-$60,000 variant is now effectively sold out until then.

The updated timeline was highlighted in a post on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who noted that the estimated delivery window had moved from June 2026 to September-October 2026, “presumably due to strong demand.”

The Dual Motor AWD currently starts at $59,990 before incentives. Tesla has also added a note on the Cybertruck design page stating that the vehicle’s price will increase after February 28.

If demand remains steady, the combination of a later delivery window and a pending price increase suggests Tesla is seeing sustained interest in the newly-introduced Cybertruck configuration. This was highlighted by Elon Musk on X, when he noted that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD’s introductory price will only be available for a limited time.

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When the Cybertruck was first unveiled in November 2019, Tesla listed the Dual Motor AWD variant at $49,990. Adjusted for inflation, that figure equates to roughly $63,000 in 2026 dollars, based on cumulative U.S. inflation since 2019.

That context makes a potential post-February price in the $64,000 to $65,000 range less surprising, especially as material, labor, and manufacturing costs have shifted significantly over the past several years.

While Tesla has not announced a specific new MSRP, the updated delivery timeline and pricing note together suggest that the Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD could very well be the variant that takes the all-electric full-sized pickup truck to more widespread adoption.

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SpaceX targets 150Mbps per user for upgraded Starlink Direct-to-Cell

If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX is targeting peak download speeds of 150Mbps per user for its next-generation Direct-to-Cell Starlink service. The update was shared by SpaceX Spectrum & Regulatory Affairs Lead Udrivolf Pica during the International Telecommunication Union’s Space Connect conference.

“We are aiming at peak speeds of 150Mbps per user,” Pica said during the conference. “So something incredible if you think about the link budgets from space to the mobile phone.”

If achieved, the 150Mbps goal would represent a significant jump from the current performance of Starlink Direct-to-Cell.

Today, SpaceX’s cellular Starlink service, offered in partnership with T-Mobile under the T-Satellite brand, provides speeds of roughly 4Mbps per user. The service is designed primarily for texts, low-resolution video calls, and select apps in locations that traditionally have no cellular service.

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By comparison, Ookla data shows median 5G download speeds of approximately 309Mbps for T-Mobile and 172Mbps for AT&T in the United States, as noted in a PCMag report. While 150Mbps would still trail the fastest terrestrial 5G networks, it would place satellite-to-phone broadband much closer to conventional carrier performance, even in remote areas. 

Pica indicated that the upgraded system would support “video, voice, and data services, clearly,” moving beyond emergency connectivity and basic messaging use cases.

To reach that target, SpaceX plans to upgrade its existing Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellites and add significant new capacity. The company recently acquired access to radio spectrum from EchoStar, which Pica described as key to expanding throughput. 

“More spectrum means a bigger pipeline, and this means that we can expand what we can do with partners. We can expand the quality of service. And again, we can do cellular broadband basically, cellular broadband use cases, like AI or daily connectivity needs,” he stated.

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SpaceX has also requested regulatory approval to deploy 15,000 additional Direct-to-Cell satellites, beyond the roughly 650 currently supporting the system. The upgraded architecture is expected to begin rolling out in late 2027.

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