'Thank You, Elon:' Musk's Longtime Aide Reportedly Fired Days After Public Praise
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 26 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Elon Musk's Leadership Changes: Tesla's chief Elon Musk has reportedly fired long-time confidant Omead Afshar, who was vice president of sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe, amid declining vehicle sales and internal scrutiny related to a controversial materials purchase plan.
Sales Decline and Industry Impact: Tesla's new vehicle sales dropped 27.9% year-over-year in Europe, contrasting with the overall growth in the electric vehicle market, while other companies like Rivian are also facing job cuts due to cost pressures.
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Analyst Views on RIVN
Wall Street analysts forecast RIVN stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
7 Hold
3 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 17.180
Low
10.00
Averages
17.78
High
25.00
Current: 17.180
Low
10.00
Averages
17.78
High
25.00
About RIVN
Rivian Automotive, Inc. is an automotive technology company, which is engaged in developing and manufacturing category-defining electric vehicles (EVs) as well as vertically integrated technologies and services. The Company's R1 platform consists of two vehicles: the R1T, a two-row five-passenger pickup truck, and the R1S, a three-row seven-passenger sport utility vehicle (SUV). In the commercial market, the Company offers a Rivian Commercial Vehicle (RCV) platform. The vehicle on this platform is the Electric Delivery Van (EDV), designed and engineered by Rivian in collaboration with Amazon. The Company also offers FleetOS, its proprietary, end-to-end centralized fleet management subscription platform. It also offers a variety of services, including vehicle repair and maintenance, financing, insurance, joint venture, software subscriptions, and vehicle accessories, among others. Its other services include vehicle electrical architecture and software development services, and more.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Rivian Automotive: A Promising AI Stock Amid Valuation Opportunities
- AI Transformation Potential: Rivian Automotive is viewed as an ideal choice for AI investors in the second half of 2026, despite a 20% decline in stock value since 2026, as the market has yet to fully recognize its value as an AI stock.
- Delayed Market Reaction: At the “AI Day” in December last year, Rivian announced a strategic shift towards technology, planning to produce its own AI chips and heavily invest in self-driving software; although shares have since fallen nearly one-third, analysts expect a 31% sales growth this year.
- New Model Launch: Rivian is set to launch its first affordable R2 SUV priced under $50,000, with sales growth projected to jump to 64% next year, which will drive scaling in production and sales.
- Strategic Partnership Opportunity: Uber has signed an order with Rivian for up to $1.25 billion, planning to purchase up to 50,000 R2 SUVs, demonstrating strong confidence in Rivian's technology; while the order structure remains unclear, it lays a foundation for future revenue growth.
See More
Rivian Exceeds Q2 Delivery Expectations
- Delivery Exceeds Expectations: Rivian delivered 12,194 vehicles in Q2, surpassing its guidance of 9,000 to 11,000, indicating strong market demand and improved production capabilities, which is likely to boost investor confidence.
- Full-Year Guidance Raised: The company raised its full-year delivery target from 62,000-67,000 to 65,000-70,000 vehicles, reflecting confidence in its ability to ramp up deliveries in the second half, although this requires nearly doubling the delivery pace.
- Mixed Financial Performance: Despite an 11% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.38 billion in Q1, the automotive segment reported a $62 million gross loss, highlighting profitability challenges during the expansion phase, necessitating close monitoring of the R2 model's profitability.
- Enhanced Capital Support: Rivian secured up to $4.5 billion in Department of Energy loans and increased its Georgia plant's annual capacity by 50% to 300,000 vehicles, strengthening its capital position during the rollout of new models and reducing associated risks.
See More
Rivian Exceeds Q2 Delivery Expectations, Raises Full-Year Target
- Record Deliveries: Rivian delivered 12,194 electric vehicles in Q2, surpassing its forecast of 9,000 to 11,000, indicating strong market demand and boosting investor confidence, leading to an over 8% stock price increase.
- Raised Full-Year Target: The company raised its full-year delivery target from 62,000-67,000 to 65,000-70,000 vehicles, reflecting optimism about the market acceptance of the new R2 model, with expectations of reaching 42,000 deliveries in the second half, nearly double the first half's pace.
- Profitability Challenges: Despite the increase in deliveries, Rivian's automotive segment reported a $62 million loss in Q1, primarily due to declining sales and lower production volumes, indicating that profitability still needs improvement.
- Enhanced Capital Support: Rivian secured up to $4.5 billion in Department of Energy loans and a $1 billion investment from Volkswagen Group, significantly bolstering its production capacity and reducing business risks as it aims to meet its delivery targets in the second half.
See More
Rivian's AI Transformation Potential
- AI Transformation Strategy: Rivian Automotive is viewed as a top AI stock for the second half of 2026, despite a 20% decline in value since 2026; the company is pivoting towards AI by planning to produce its own AI chips and emphasizing the development of autonomous driving software.
- Sales Growth Expectations: Analysts expect Rivian's sales to grow by approximately 31% this year and jump to 64% next year, primarily driven by the launch of its first affordable vehicle, the R2 SUV, indicating that production and sales growth are beginning to scale.
- Significant Order: Uber Technologies has placed an order for up to 50,000 Rivian R2s worth $1.25 billion, demonstrating strong confidence in Rivian's technology; while the accounting revenue from this order remains unclear, it signifies Rivian's potential in the robotaxi service market.
- Market Valuation: Rivian shares currently trade at just 3.4 times sales, and as its AI pivot gains traction, this valuation is expected to improve, although the Motley Fool analyst team did not include Rivian in their list of top investment stocks.
See More
Investment Comparison Between Rivian and Lucid
- Lucid's Production and Financial Challenges: Lucid achieved a 55% year-over-year production increase and a 68% revenue rise to nearly $1.4 billion in 2025, yet it still faces a GAAP net loss of $12.09 per share, ongoing capital needs, and management uncertainty that cloud its future prospects.
- Lucid's Management Turmoil: The company has seen three CEOs in just four years, with current CEO Silvio Napoli taking over in June and already cutting 18% of the workforce to save $158 million, highlighting instability in management and operations.
- Rivian's Sales and Profitability Improvements: Despite a 14% decline in vehicle production and only an 8% sales increase in 2025, Rivian achieved two quarters of gross profitability driven by its software and services segment, indicating a positive shift in its financial health.
- Rivian's New Model Launch: The new R2 model starts at approximately $58,000, with plans to introduce a more affordable $45,000 base version next year, which is expected to broaden its customer base and enhance market competitiveness.
See More
Automakers' Software Business Poised for High Margins
- Software Growth Potential: Rivian's partnership with Volkswagen is expected to yield up to $5.8 billion in investments, driving the development of a software-defined vehicle architecture that significantly enhances profitability and encourages traditional automakers to explore software opportunities.
- Profitability Boost: Rivian's total revenue reached $1.28 billion in Q1 2026, with the software and services segment growing 49% to $473 million, demonstrating the positive impact of software on overall gross profit, which totaled $181 million, surpassing competitor Lucid Group.
- GM's Strategic Shift: General Motors anticipates $3.1 billion in realized revenue from OnStar and Super Cruise in 2023, with projected gross margins nearing 70%, fundamentally altering its investment appeal in a low-margin industry and supporting future growth.
- Increased Customer Retention: GM plans to provide an eight-year basic OnStar subscription for every new vehicle starting in 2025, with early data showing that 30% of Super Cruise users renewed their subscriptions in 2025, indicating strong customer acceptance and future revenue potential.
See More
Rivian Automotive: A Promising AI Stock Amid Valuation Opportunities
- AI Transformation Potential: Rivian Automotive is viewed as an ideal choice for AI investors in the second half of 2026, despite a 20% decline in stock value since 2026, as the market has yet to fully recognize its value as an AI stock.
- Delayed Market Reaction: At the “AI Day” in December last year, Rivian announced a strategic shift towards technology, planning to produce its own AI chips and heavily invest in self-driving software; although shares have since fallen nearly one-third, analysts expect a 31% sales growth this year.
- New Model Launch: Rivian is set to launch its first affordable R2 SUV priced under $50,000, with sales growth projected to jump to 64% next year, which will drive scaling in production and sales.
- Strategic Partnership Opportunity: Uber has signed an order with Rivian for up to $1.25 billion, planning to purchase up to 50,000 R2 SUVs, demonstrating strong confidence in Rivian's technology; while the order structure remains unclear, it lays a foundation for future revenue growth.
See More
Rivian Exceeds Q2 Delivery Expectations
- Delivery Exceeds Expectations: Rivian delivered 12,194 vehicles in Q2, surpassing its guidance of 9,000 to 11,000, indicating strong market demand and improved production capabilities, which is likely to boost investor confidence.
- Full-Year Guidance Raised: The company raised its full-year delivery target from 62,000-67,000 to 65,000-70,000 vehicles, reflecting confidence in its ability to ramp up deliveries in the second half, although this requires nearly doubling the delivery pace.
- Mixed Financial Performance: Despite an 11% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.38 billion in Q1, the automotive segment reported a $62 million gross loss, highlighting profitability challenges during the expansion phase, necessitating close monitoring of the R2 model's profitability.
- Enhanced Capital Support: Rivian secured up to $4.5 billion in Department of Energy loans and increased its Georgia plant's annual capacity by 50% to 300,000 vehicles, strengthening its capital position during the rollout of new models and reducing associated risks.
See More
Rivian Exceeds Q2 Delivery Expectations, Raises Full-Year Target
- Record Deliveries: Rivian delivered 12,194 electric vehicles in Q2, surpassing its forecast of 9,000 to 11,000, indicating strong market demand and boosting investor confidence, leading to an over 8% stock price increase.
- Raised Full-Year Target: The company raised its full-year delivery target from 62,000-67,000 to 65,000-70,000 vehicles, reflecting optimism about the market acceptance of the new R2 model, with expectations of reaching 42,000 deliveries in the second half, nearly double the first half's pace.
- Profitability Challenges: Despite the increase in deliveries, Rivian's automotive segment reported a $62 million loss in Q1, primarily due to declining sales and lower production volumes, indicating that profitability still needs improvement.
- Enhanced Capital Support: Rivian secured up to $4.5 billion in Department of Energy loans and a $1 billion investment from Volkswagen Group, significantly bolstering its production capacity and reducing business risks as it aims to meet its delivery targets in the second half.
See More
Rivian's AI Transformation Potential
- AI Transformation Strategy: Rivian Automotive is viewed as a top AI stock for the second half of 2026, despite a 20% decline in value since 2026; the company is pivoting towards AI by planning to produce its own AI chips and emphasizing the development of autonomous driving software.
- Sales Growth Expectations: Analysts expect Rivian's sales to grow by approximately 31% this year and jump to 64% next year, primarily driven by the launch of its first affordable vehicle, the R2 SUV, indicating that production and sales growth are beginning to scale.
- Significant Order: Uber Technologies has placed an order for up to 50,000 Rivian R2s worth $1.25 billion, demonstrating strong confidence in Rivian's technology; while the accounting revenue from this order remains unclear, it signifies Rivian's potential in the robotaxi service market.
- Market Valuation: Rivian shares currently trade at just 3.4 times sales, and as its AI pivot gains traction, this valuation is expected to improve, although the Motley Fool analyst team did not include Rivian in their list of top investment stocks.
See More
Investment Comparison Between Rivian and Lucid
- Lucid's Production and Financial Challenges: Lucid achieved a 55% year-over-year production increase and a 68% revenue rise to nearly $1.4 billion in 2025, yet it still faces a GAAP net loss of $12.09 per share, ongoing capital needs, and management uncertainty that cloud its future prospects.
- Lucid's Management Turmoil: The company has seen three CEOs in just four years, with current CEO Silvio Napoli taking over in June and already cutting 18% of the workforce to save $158 million, highlighting instability in management and operations.
- Rivian's Sales and Profitability Improvements: Despite a 14% decline in vehicle production and only an 8% sales increase in 2025, Rivian achieved two quarters of gross profitability driven by its software and services segment, indicating a positive shift in its financial health.
- Rivian's New Model Launch: The new R2 model starts at approximately $58,000, with plans to introduce a more affordable $45,000 base version next year, which is expected to broaden its customer base and enhance market competitiveness.
See More
Automakers' Software Business Poised for High Margins
- Software Growth Potential: Rivian's partnership with Volkswagen is expected to yield up to $5.8 billion in investments, driving the development of a software-defined vehicle architecture that significantly enhances profitability and encourages traditional automakers to explore software opportunities.
- Profitability Boost: Rivian's total revenue reached $1.28 billion in Q1 2026, with the software and services segment growing 49% to $473 million, demonstrating the positive impact of software on overall gross profit, which totaled $181 million, surpassing competitor Lucid Group.
- GM's Strategic Shift: General Motors anticipates $3.1 billion in realized revenue from OnStar and Super Cruise in 2023, with projected gross margins nearing 70%, fundamentally altering its investment appeal in a low-margin industry and supporting future growth.
- Increased Customer Retention: GM plans to provide an eight-year basic OnStar subscription for every new vehicle starting in 2025, with early data showing that 30% of Super Cruise users renewed their subscriptions in 2025, indicating strong customer acceptance and future revenue potential.
See More
