Rivian (RIVN) stock rose as much as 16% in early afternoon trading Wednesday after the EV maker has announced an extension of its partnership with Volkswagen (VWAGY), with the German automaker pouring more money into a joint venture.
The joint venture (JV), initially announced in Junewill use Rivian’s electrical architecture – known as “zonal architecture” – and associated software stack to enable the introduction of Rivian’s upcoming mid-size R2 SUV in the first half of 2026.
In a new development, Rivian technology will also support the expected launch of new Volkswagen EVs “as early as 2027”.
The joint venture will begin operations today, initially in North America and eventually expand to Europe, and will also support the development of EVs in the subcompact segment. Volkswagen will increase its total transaction investment from $5 billion to $5.8 billion.
VW has already invested $1 billion in the form of a convertible note in the JV and will inject about $1.3 billion for background IP licenses and a 50% stake in the joint venture.
The remaining $3.5 billion is expected to come “in the form of equity, convertible notes and debt at future dates,” assuming milestones are met.
In particular, the agreement does not include any cooperation on battery technology, platforms or electric drive units, a Rivian spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo Finance.
“This partnership will provide capital needed for the R2 ramp and GA facility R2/R3 mid-size platform which we view as a major step in the right direction and a key move for Rivian going forward,” said analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush, wrote in a note Wednesday morning. .
“While [the VW deal] is an exciting announcement for us to see and finally launch, in the eyes of the Street, the focus will continue to be primarily on the R1 execution plans, production, optimization, the Georgia plant and the profitability story for Rivian over the next quarter stay. 12 months,” Ives added.
Last week, Rivian disclosed in its financial results for the third quarter that it expects a larger-than-expected annual loss due to a supply chain parts issue, but the company still expects a “modest gross profit” in the fourth quarter.
Wedbush maintained its Outperform rating and $20 price target following the announcement of the expanded transaction.
Volkswagen’s need for Rivian’s software expertise is no surprise, as the company’s CARIAD software unit plagued by development delays and software bugsaffecting the launch of VW Group vehicles such as the Porsche Macan EV and other Audi vehicles.
For Rivian, the capital infusion provides a runway to the production of the upcoming volume of R2 vehicles.