Rivian Continues to Beat Expectations
Rivian delivered 19,248 vehicles from July through September, a 46% year-over-year increase that topped Wall Street's expectations and prompted the company to reconfirm its full-year guidance.
The figure, reported Friday, compares with 13,201 units in the same period a year earlier. Analysts had expected 18,000 units, based on average estimates compiled by FactSet. That left Rivian more than 1,200 vehicles ahead of consensus.
The company held its 2026 delivery guidance at between 65,000 and 70,000 vehicles, a target it raised earlier this year. Reaching the low end will require a fourth-quarter increase of at least 20.5% over the third, bringing deliveries to 23,193 vehicles.
The quarterly gain comes as Rivian continues ramping production of the R2. The entry-level SUV launched earlier this year beneath the flagship R1.
While Rivian is often touted as Tesla's biggest Rival, it has a long way to go. Tesla produced 464,391 vehicles and delivered 486,532 in Q3 2026—primarily Model 3 and Model Y units—comfortably beating Wall Street's estimate of 462,000 and achieving its third-best quarter on record despite the absence of tax incentives.
Year-to-date deliveries reached 1.3 million vehicles, while energy storage deployments marked their second-highest quarter ever at 13.7 GWh. Additionally, Tesla expanded its Texas Cybercab robotaxi fleet to 578 vehicles, driving a boost in early stock trading as analysts praised the company's market resilience.
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