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Despite Tesla’s growth, the EV revolution still caught the auto industry off guard
The signs of an EV revolution were all there, but it seems like consumer demand for all-electric vehicles was still able to catch veteran automakers off guard. With Tesla currently commanding about 70% of the United States’ electric vehicle sales in the first half of the year, the race to catch up to the trailblazer is on — but it’s a lot easier said than done.
It’s a pretty insane thought today, but when Tesla announced its plans to build a dedicated battery factory to support the Model 3’s ramp, many were skeptical. Back then, many still questioned if there really was a demand for electric cars. This is not the case anymore today. If auto executives were not sure if there would be buyers for EVs before, now they’re worrying if they can build them fast enough.
Electric cars only account for about 6% of the United States’ overall vehicle sales, but this percentage has tripled in the past two years. Meanwhile, sales of other types of cars have declined, as per insights from research firm Motor Intelligence. This was represented by the fact that five of the six fastest-selling cars in the US were electric or plug-in hybrids. Tesla’s Model Y, a crossover, is on track to become one of the world’s best-selling cars.
All-In on EVs
Veteran automakers have expressed their intention to go all-in on EVs, and some, such as GM CEO Mary Barra, have even stated in the past that she believes General Motors can pass Tesla in the future. The same is true for executives from Ford and Volkswagen. But inasmuch as it’s easy to announce such an ambitious target, accomplishing it is a completely different matter.
GM, for example, started its recent EV push with the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyric. GM received a lot of support from the Biden administration for its electric vehicle efforts, so much so that Biden dubbed Barra as a leader who electrified the auto industry. Yet, according to The Wall Street Journal, people familiar with the matter have noted that the production of the Hummer EV and Lyriq is still at rates of less than a dozen a day. This was despite the waiting lists of both vehicles stretching into the tens of thousands.
And it’s not just GM. Ford is somewhat in the same boat. The Ford F-150 Lightning is an acclaimed vehicle, and its order books are extremely long. The demand for the vehicle was so notable that Ford had to double its production target twice. In 2020, the company expected its lightning factory to produce 40,000 of the pickups per year, a target that was doubled last year. This past January, as the order books for the Lightning continued to grow, Ford doubled its target again to 150,000 trucks by summer 2023.
Ford’s head of EV programs Darren Palmer provided an idea of the speed at which Ford had to adjust its Lightning targets. “The cement had barely joined to some of the walls, and we were already expanding,” he said.
A Rush for Supplies
A lot of the challenges faced by veteran automakers were due to a lack of parts from the supply chain, as well as a struggle to secure as many batteries as possible. EVs use more computer chips than combustion-powered cars, which made things very challenging during the chip crisis faced by the entire industry. Electric cars also rely on batteries, so carmakers are now in a battery arms race of sorts in an effort to ensure that their EVs can be ramped.
Ultimately, the Journal noted that automakers are in their current situation because many have lowballed their early EV production estimates. Thus, when electric vehicles took off during the pandemic, many executives in the auto industry were caught off guard. Couple this with the fact that newcomers like Rivian and Lucid are also entering the fray, and the auto industry is looking more and more like it’s in the cusp of some real changes.
In a way, it’s simple. If veteran automakers would like to catch up to Tesla, they have to make electric cars that people want to buy. The success of non-Tesla EVs such as the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 show that the EV market has enough space for multiple carmakers. But with demand for EVs increasing now, some automakers may end up watching EV only competitors like Tesla increase their lead in the coming years.
The question of whether there is demand for EVs has long been settled. In a statement to the WSJ, Earl Stewart, a Florida-based Toyota dealer, noted that there’s actually a lot of interest in the bZ4X. However, the vehicle’s availability is just not there. Stewart noted that mass adoption of electric vehicles would need affordable electric cars. That being said, he has already taken the leap to EVs — he currently drives a Tesla Model S Plaid.
“Until they bring the prices down, it will just be people like me who can afford to buy EVs and who want to be the first on the block to drive one,” Stewart said.
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News
Rivian and Amazon announce huge milestone with EDV
The companies announced today that they had officially launched the EDV in Canada for Amazon, as the first 50 units are out and about in Vancouver, and the company said it was “marking an exciting milestone in our five-year history of operations in Canada.”
 
														Rivian and Amazon have announced a huge milestone with their Electric Delivery Vehicle (EDV), the van that the two companies developed for the e-commerce giant to sustainably deliver packages to customers.
The EDV was first unveiled back in September 2019, when Amazon announced a massive investment in Rivian and placed an order for 100,000 electric vans, aiming to deploy them by 2030 as part of the company’s sustainability goals.
Production started in 2021 in Normal, Illinois, and entered Amazon’s fleet of active delivery vehicles over the Summer of 2022. Amazon kept the initial vehicles in major metropolitan areas and eventually started rolling them out to more delivery hubs across the United States.
In December 2024, the companies announced they had successfully deployed 20,000 EDVs across the U.S. In the first half of this year, 10,000 additional vans were delivered, and Amazon’s fleet had grown to 30,000 EDVs by mid-2025.
Amazon’s fleet of EDVs continues to grow rapidly and has expanded to over 100 cities in the United States. However, it has just reached a new milestone, and it has nothing to do with the size of its fleet.
The companies announced today that they had officially launched the EDV in Canada for Amazon, as the first 50 units are out and about in Vancouver, and the company said it was “marking an exciting milestone in our five-year history of operations in Canada.”
The first Rivian Electric Delivery Vans have arrived in Canada as @amazon announced that 50 vans are hitting the road to serve the Vancouver area – marking an exciting milestone in our five-year history of operations in Canada. 🍁 https://t.co/rc6GvSRX2v pic.twitter.com/0jAQ3ABkYt
— Rivian (@Rivian) October 30, 2025
The EDV is a model that is exclusive to Amazon, but Rivian sells the RCV, or Rivian Commercial Van, openly. It detailed some of the pricing and trim options back in January when it confirmed it had secured orders from various companies, including AT&T.
The RCV starts at $83,000, and is one of the few electric vans on the market that is suitable for package delivery in a commercial setting because of its build and interior features.
Rivian prepares to launch the EDV outside of Amazon as the RCV – Here’s when
However, it also seems to be a great option as a service vehicle for companies, which is likely why AT&T is going to utilize it.
News
Tesla’s biggest rival in China reported a big profit decline once again
 
														Tesla’s biggest rival in China reported a big decline in its profitability for the second straight quarter, and a loss of one-third compared to the same quarter last year.
BYD overtook Tesla as the best-selling EV maker in China in the fourth quarter of 2023, finally surpassing the company in terms of sales in the region.
Is Tesla really losing to BYD, or just playing a different game?
The Chinese market is one of the most competitive in the world, especially for EVs, as the industry is healthy with young and scrappy companies looking to sell the best possible tech in their vehicles.
BYD reported its earnings on Thursday and said that its profit had slumped by 33 percent compared to the same quarter last year. For this year’s third quarter, BYD reported a net profit of 7.8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion), a 32.6 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
Its revenue was 195 billion yuan ($27.4 billion), which was only a 3 percent decrease compared to Q3 2024.
The drop in profits and revenue can mostly be attributed to the ongoing growth of competition in the Chinese market. The increased competition in China has pushed companies to turn to overseas markets in response, according to CnEVPost.
BYD is one of those companies, and it is attempting to push sales upward by entering new markets, especially in Europe, where the company sold more than 13,000 units in EU countries in September alone.
This was a 272 percent increase year over year, a major piece of evidence that it has a lot of potential in foreign markets.
The drop in financial figures is likely a short-term issue for BYD, as it has already established itself as a formidable competitor to many companies in many markets. In Q1, it reported an increase in profit by 100 percent compared to the same time span the year prior.
As it works to expand to even more markets in the world, it will continue to build upon its already-solid reputation.
News
GM takes latest step to avoid disaster as EV efforts get derailed
There was an even larger step taken this morning, as the Detroit Free Press reported that GM was idling its Factory Zero plant in Michigan until late November, placing about 1,200 workers on indefinite layoff status.
 
														General Motors has taken its latest step to avoid financial disaster as its electric vehicle efforts have been widely derailed.
GM’s electric vehicle manufacturing efforts started off hot, and CEO Mary Barra seemed to have a real hold on how the industry and consumers were starting to evolve toward sustainable powertrains. Even former President Joe Biden commended her as being a major force in the global transition to EVs.
However, the company’s plans have not gone as they’ve drawn them up. GM has reported some underwhelming delivery figures in recent quarters, and with the loss of the $7,500 tax credit, the company is planning for what is likely a substantial setback in its entire EV division.
Earlier this month, the company reported it would include a $1.6 billion charge in its quarterly earnings results from EV investments. It was the first true sign that things with GM’s EV projects were going to slow down.
There was an even larger step taken this morning, as the Detroit Free Press reported that GM was idling its Factory Zero plant in Michigan until late November, placing about 1,200 workers on indefinite layoff status.
This is in addition to the 280 employees it has already laid off after production cuts that happened earlier this year at the Detroit-Hamtramck plant.
After November 24, GM will bring back 3,200 people to work until January 5 to operate both shifts. On January 5, GM is expected to keep 1,200 workers on indefinite layoff.
GM is not the only legacy automaker to make a move like this, as Ford has also started to make a move that reflects a cautious tone regarding how far and how committed it can be to its EV efforts.
After the tax credit was lost, it seemed to be a game of who would be able to float their efforts longest without the government’s help. Tesla CEO Elon Musk long said that the loss of these subsidies would help the company and hurt its competitors, and so far, that is what we are seeing.
Elon Musk was right all along about Tesla’s rivals and EV subsidies
However, Tesla still has some things to figure out, including how its delivery numbers will be without the tax credit. Its best quarter came in Q3 as the credit was expiring, but Tesla did roll out some more affordable models after the turn of the quarter.
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