New York, February 17, 2026, 06:15 EST — Premarket
- Rivian shares barely budged ahead of the open.
- Rivian’s 2026 delivery forecast shoved the R2 launch into the spotlight, sending the stock 26.6% higher at the last close.
- March 12 is circled on trader calendars, with new product information and pricing set to land for the lower-cost R2.
Rivian Automotive was steady in premarket action Tuesday, with the stock sticking close to $17.7 as investors sized up its move toward cheaper models.
Shares finished the day up 26.6% at $17.73, marking the largest single-day gain in months. Investors piled back into the electric-vehicle maker before its upcoming product update. (Reuters)
This is a key moment for Rivian, as the company looks to step out from its high-end R1 series and show it can deliver the more affordable R2—on schedule and at scale—all while cash keeps flowing out the door. The latest numbers: Rivian posted $120 million in consolidated gross profit for the fourth quarter, and is aiming to deliver between 62,000 and 67,000 vehicles in 2026, expecting capital expenditures to land between $1.95 billion and $2.05 billion. CEO RJ Scaringe described early buzz around R2 pre-production vehicles as “incredibly exciting.” (SEC)
Rivian told shareholders that first deliveries of the R2 for customers are still set for the second quarter of 2026, with additional product and line-up information coming March 12. The company also noted that Amazon is now running over 30,000 Rivian electric delivery vans across the U.S. (SEC)
Piper Sandler put it plainly: “For the stock itself, nothing matters more than a timely launch for the R2 SUV.” Over at AJ Bell, Dan Coatsworth pointed to Rivian’s most recent quarter as a sign that “the business is finding its groove.” (Reuters)
Rivian’s outlook hinges on the upcoming R2. “The growth is really, of course, what we see in R2,” CEO Scaringe told Reuters. Zacks Investment Research strategist Andrew Rocco described Rivian as “focused on shifting from a luxury brand to a high-volume mass market player.” (Reuters)
Competition is fierce out there. Tesla’s Model Y still sets the standard among midsize crossovers, while other electric vehicle makers, Lucid among them, are touting lower-priced offerings as demand slackens and shoppers zero in on affordability.
The bear case isn’t hard to see. Any delay in the R2 launch, or early trims landing above what buyers are counting on, could force Rivian into yet another reset—this after shares have already baked in a smoother 2026 ramp.
