EV Stock Showdown: Rivian or Lucid -- Which Is the Smarter Long-Term Buy?
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By Reuben Gregg Brewer – Apr 25, 2026 at 11:15AM ESTKey PointsRivian is on the cusp of launching a lower-cost version of its award-winning truck.Lucid is ramping up its production, but it isn't going as well as hoped.Rivian (RIVN 2.54%) and Lucid (LCID 0.32%) are two high-profile electric vehicle start-ups. They have each achieved a lot in a relatively short period of time. However, one of these two companies looks much closer to turning a sustainable profit than the other. Here's what you need to know as you compare these two EV makers. Taking on industry giants Like Tesla (TSLA +0.73%) before them, Rivian and Lucid are attempting to use new technology to break into the highly competitive, capital-intensive automotive sector. The big difference is that Tesla did that when there was virtually no competition in the electric vehicle space. Now, every major automaker offers an EV option, and there are a number of profitable EV-focused companies, including Tesla. Image source: Getty Images. It is going to be much harder for Rivian and Lucid to do what Tesla did. That's a big problem, given that Tesla produced more than 1.6 million vehicles in 2025. By comparison, Rivian produced just over 42,000 vehicles in 2025, and Lucid produced just 18,000 or so. Rivian and Lucid, even if you added them together, are just rounding errors compared to Tesla. Rivian and Lucid have a lot more work to do Still, Rivian is clearly further along in its development. Not only has it achieved scale production, but it is planning to introduce a lower-price truck in 2026 that could broaden the brand's appeal. And, notably, it has turned a gross profit, meaning that it makes more from selling its EVs than it costs to build them. ExpandNASDAQ: RIVNRivian AutomotiveToday's Change(-2.54%) $-0.43Current Price$16.52Key Data PointsMarket Cap$21BDay's Range$16.26 - $17.0752wk Range$11.57 - $22.69Volume24MAvg Vol29MGross Margin-276.59% Lucid is nowhere near that goal, with its cost of revenue exceeding revenue by more than $1 billion in 2025. Production-wise, it is also falling short, with the company repeatedly missing its goals. The most recent production miss came in the first quarter of 2026, when supplier issues left it in the lurch. ExpandNASDAQ: LCIDLucid GroupToday's Change(-0.32%) $-0.02Current Price$6.25Key Data PointsMarket Cap$2.1BDay's Range$6.17 - $6.4252wk Range$6.17 - $33.70Volume17MAvg Vol10MGross Margin-9280.51% Rivian looks like the better choice in this EV matchup right now. However, you can't ignore the fact that they are both money-losing start-ups. In other words, Rivian appears to be further along in its development, but it is still a risky investment. Lucid is as risky, if not more risky. Both companies have a lot more work to do before they have proven they are sustainably profitable businesses. Only appropriate for aggressive investors Rivian and Lucid have made impressive achievements. However, the end goal of producing positive earnings remains a long way away for each company. Neither one is appropriate for risk-averse investors. That said, given Rivian's position relative to Lucid, it seems like a better EV start-up investment today.Read NextApr 22, 2026 •By Daniel MillerRivian Doesn't Get Enough Credit for Crushing Rivals in This MetricApr 21, 2026 •By Ryan VanzoIs Rivian the 10X Stock You've Been Looking For? (Hint: Yes.)Apr 21, 2026 •By Ryan VanzoRivian Stock Is Outrageously Cheap -- Here's Why There Could Be 5,000% in Upside PotentialApr 20, 2026 •By Brett SchaferRivian Stock: Can It Beat the Market in 2026?Apr 20, 2026 •By Scott LevineBest Electric Vehicle (EV) Stocks to Buy in 2026Apr 18, 2026 •By Ryan Vanzo2 Reasons Rivian Is a Once-in-a-Decade Stock Pick for Long-Term InvestorsAbout the AuthorReuben Gregg Brewer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, utilities, REITs, and consumer staples. He is the former director of research at Value Line Publishing, where he rose from mutual fund analyst to equity analyst before leading all research operations. Reuben holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Purchase, a master’s in social work from Columbia University, and an MBA from Regis University. He has been featured as a financial expert on CNBC and in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and InvestmentNews.TMFReubenGBrewerStocks MentionedRivian AutomotiveNASDAQ: RIVN$16.52(-2.54%)-$0.43TeslaNASDAQ: TSLA$376.30(+0.69%)+$2.58Lucid GroupNASDAQ: LCID$6.25(-0.32%)-$0.02*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.