This CEO Highlighted the Major Threat to EVs, and It's Not Trump | Carscoops

      Rivian’s CEO asserts that traditional automakers are covertly opposing electric vehicles, despite their public endorsements of electrification.

      RJ Scaringe argues that major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are "deeply anti-EV," despite their outwardly supportive statements.

      He mentioned that the removal of federal EV tax credits could potentially be advantageous for Rivian and expressed skepticism that policy changes would fundamentally alter the market, believing that electric vehicles will ultimately succeed.

      While electric vehicles are poised to shape the future of the automotive sector, the journey to broad acceptance is fraught with challenges. Many established automakers claim to be staunch supporters of electric vehicles, expressing a desire for them to lead the auto market and be commonplace in households.

      However, according to Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe, the primary impediment to electrification is not political opposition but rather the industry's dominant players.

      Since his return to the White House, President Donald Trump has made electric vehicles a regular focus, even vowing to dismantle the "EV mandate," despite the fact that no such mandate existed. He enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which removed tax credits for both new and used electric vehicles.

      Interestingly, Scaringe doesn’t seem overly worried about recent changes in policy. In an interview with Business Insider, he minimized the effect of political developments. “Policy changes ultimately don’t alter the situation,” he remarked.

      He believes that these recent shifts might actually be beneficial for Rivian and its rivals in the EV sector, adding, “The reduction of previous advantages for electric vehicles is actually favorable for Rivian and Tesla, but detrimental to the US auto industry and future generations.”

      Since neither Rivian's R1S nor R1T models were eligible for the $7,500 credit in the first place, the changes do not impact Rivian directly. Scaringe’s main concern is directed towards traditional manufacturers.

      **The Struggle Against OEMs**

      “We're essentially isolated in our fight against all the other OEMs,” he told BI. “They would never admit this publicly because they claim to support EVs — yet the biggest opponents to electrification are the large OEMs. We work hard against that, and it’s incredibly frustrating to see these companies express support for electrification while simultaneously acting against it on the policy front. They are very anti-EV.”

      It’s clear why Rivian's CEO feels this way; executives from several American car manufacturers often adjust their stances based on the political landscape and which policies might affect them immediately.

      Earlier this year, GM vigorously sought to prevent California from establishing its own emissions standards. Shortly thereafter, they achieved their goal when Senate Republicans voted to revoke the state's authority to set its own vehicle emissions regulations.