Becker Business: Rivian Motors + Tesla & Lucid – 11-11-25
Host: Scott Becker
Date: November 11, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Scott Becker provides an update on three electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers: Rivian, Tesla, and Lucid, with a particular focus on Rivian’s recent business progress. The discussion highlights their year-to-date performance, strategic developments, and the broader challenges of scaling in the EV industry. Briefly, Scott also touches on Skydance’s earnings and ends with a personal shoutout.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Rivian Motors: Progress and Partnerships
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Performance Surge:
- Rivian is up about 31% year to date.
- Reported $1.5 billion in revenues this past quarter.
- Becker notes: “Which almost makes it a real car company.” (00:19)
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Strategic Improvements:
- Rivian’s connection with Volkswagen is seen as pivotal.
- Enhanced platform, distribution, and resources due to the alliance.
- Increased sales, lower cost per unit – indicating operational maturity.
- Quote:
“They seem to be doing much better as they sort of connect themselves more fully to Volkswagen and have a better platform and better distribution and better resources. It just seems like they're getting better… their sales are up, their cost per unit are down." (00:28)
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Unexpected Growth:
- Scott admits the scale of Rivian’s progress was surprising:
“They're up about 31% year to date. I don't think I saw that coming, but I could see how the combination of alliance is helping them. And God bless them.” (00:50)
- Scott admits the scale of Rivian’s progress was surprising:
Tesla: Steady as She Goes
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Current Trajectory:
- Up about 7.5%–8% year to date.
- “They're plugging along pretty well.” (01:00)
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Elon Musk’s Leadership:
- Musk’s bold vision continues to shape Tesla’s path.
- Significant mention of Musk’s controversial compensation:
“He's got this crazy pay package which he's got to get to the company, a huge market cap, about six to seven times what it is today to collect on a lot of it. But God bless him. Fascinating to watch.” (01:09)
Lucid Group: The Challenges of Scale
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Market Woes:
- Down about 25% year to date.
- Lucid exemplifies the difficulty of becoming a true mass-market automaker at low scale.
“Lucid Group is proving the reality that is very hard to be a real car company at low scale.” (01:29)
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Future Uncertainty:
- “We'll see if they could rebound or not. So that's what's going on with Lucid Group, those three companies.” (01:36)
Brief Mention: Skydance Earnings
- Skydance reported its first earnings, up 11.
- “The earnings weren't great, but they did show good promise for the fourth quarter outlook.” (01:38)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Rivian’s Coming of Age:
“It had a billion five in revenues this past quarter, which almost makes it a real car company.” (00:17)
- On Strategic Alliances:
“The real lesson of a company like Rivian…is they seem to be doing much better as they connect themselves more fully to Volkswagen and have a better platform and better distribution and better resources.” (00:22)
- On Tesla and Musk’s Incentives:
“He's got this crazy pay package…a huge market cap, about six to seven times what it is today to collect on a lot of it.” (01:09)
- On Lucid’s Struggles:
“…proving the reality that is very hard to be a real car company at low scale.” (01:29)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Rivian Motors Update: 00:00–00:59
- Tesla Update: 01:00–01:28
- Lucid Motors Update: 01:29–01:38
- Skydance Earnings Brief: 01:39–01:46
Tone and Closing
Scott’s commentary is concise, analytical, and often light-hearted—punctuated by “God bless them” remarks showing a mix of admiration and bemusement at the EV sector’s ambition. The episode is a rapid summary valuable for business news followers, focusing on facts, performance, and market realities.
Summary prepared for listeners seeking a quick, insightful overview of Rivian, Tesla, and Lucid’s latest business trajectories.
