Rivian capitalized on a favorable market trend in the United States, bucking the industry's decline in electric vehicle sales. As many competitors experienced decreased sales, Rivian successfully expanded its deliveries, solidifying its position as the second-largest electric vehicle brand in the country by the end of the third quarter of 2026, narrowly trailing Tesla.
Mercedes-Benz is reportedly developing a compact version of its iconic G-Class, with a planned market introduction expected to occur prior to 2028.
Rivian's sales figures for the third quarter of the year have seen a significant increase, with the company estimated to have sold 19,239 units between July and September, representing a 45.7% rise compared to the same period in the previous year. The success can be attributed to the strong demand for distribution vans and the commercial launch of the R2.
Lexus has announced that it will discontinue one of the electrified variants of its upcoming 2027 TX model. The decision to eliminate this particular powertrain option is part of the automaker's ongoing efforts to refine its product lineup and meet evolving market demands. The 2027 Lexus TX is expected to feature a range of electrified powertrains, including hybrid and battery-electric options. However, the specifics of the lineup have not been fully disclosed, leaving some uncertainty surrounding the model's overall configuration.
Commercial fleet models, specifically the EDV 500 and EDV 700, drove significant sales growth, with a total of 8,469 units sold, representing a year-over-year increase of 220.9%. This marked a notable milestone, as sales of these models exceeded those of the company's passenger vehicles individually.
Rivian's R1S model saw a significant decline in sales, with 5,582 units delivered, representing a 31.8% decrease from previous levels. Meanwhile, the R1T model also experienced a drop in sales, with 1,732 units delivered, a decline of 27.2% from earlier periods.
The R2 SUV achieved significant sales momentum in its first full quarter, with a total of 3,456 units sold. Currently, the vehicle is available in a Performance trim, but the introduction of more affordable variants is expected to expand its market reach.
Rivian's sales have shown significant growth, in contrast to Chevrolet's third-quarter performance, which declined substantially. Chevrolet's sales dropped from 39,498 units in the third quarter of 2025 to 10,031 units in the same period of 2026, representing a 74.6% decrease.
In the latest sales figures, Tesla maintained its lead with 144,094 electric vehicles sold, despite experiencing a decline of 19.7%. Rivian secured the second position, followed by Toyota with 12,904 units and Cadillac with 12,358 units.
General Motors achieved a significant sales milestone in the electric vehicle market, with a total of 25,473 units sold across its Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC brands. This figure surpasses the sales performance of Rivian, a prominent electric vehicle manufacturer.
Despite challenging market conditions, Rivian's growth was notable. The US electric vehicle market experienced a decline, with 266,630 vehicles sold between January and September, representing a 29.9% decrease from the same period last year. On an annual basis, sales dropped by 38.6% compared to the previous year.
The brand achieved a significant increase in cumulative sales from 2026, reaching 41,009 units, a 26.8% rise compared to the same period in the preceding year.
