Rivian forecasts dour deliveries as demand hits speed bump

By Akash Sriram

Feb 20 (Reuters) - Rivian RIVN.O forecast an unexpected drop in deliveries for the year as higher borrowing costs and growing preference for gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles temper demand for its more expensive electric pickup trucks and SUVs.

The company, however, reported its first-ever gross profit of $170 million in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $606 million a year earlier.

The company also expects higher costs from U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

"We have a supply chain that does have footprint in both Mexico and Canada, and so large tariffs being applied will just translate to higher costs for us," CEO RJ Scaringe told Reuters.

"There's such high levels of uncertainty that will ultimately impact consumer behavior and top line revenue," he added.

Rivian forecast annual deliveries of between 46,000 and 51,000 vehicles, lower than Wall Street expectations of 55,520, according to 15 analysts polled by Visible Alpha. Last year, it delivered 51,579 units.

The EV maker is also planning to halt production for more than a month in the second half of 2025 to upgrade its assembly lines, as it gears up to launch the Tesla Model Y-rivaling R2 vehicle and start its deliveries early next year.

EV makers are staring at a tough market, with Elon Musk-led market leader Tesla reporting its first drop in annual sales in 2024.

Electric truck maker Nikola NKLA.O recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and said it would pursue a sale of its assets after struggling with rapid cash burn and funding challenges amid weak demand.

Rivian, too, continues to burn billions of dollars in cash every year. However, the rate at which it expends cash is expected to slow as profitability improves along with its sales volumes.

Revenue for the last three months of the year stood at $1.73 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $1.4 billion, according to LSEG data.