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Friday is upon us once again, and today we’re talking about Rivian’s first positive gross profit quarter, Carvana’s record quarter, how Tesla is instituting wait queues at Superchargers, and the design of Kia's new PV5 van.

Show Notes with links:

• We could talk about tariff warnings, but we aren’t going to. We could talk about the ongoing Nissan saga and Moodys downgrading their stock to ‘junk status’ but we’re not going to. Instead…we’re going to talk about…

• Rivian hit a major milestone, achieving its first-ever positive gross profit of $170M in Q4 2024, a $776M improvement from the previous year.
  • Total revenue hit $1.73B, above expectations of $1.4B.
  • Rivian cut per-vehicle costs by $31,000 year-over-year, helping it turn the corner.
  • Despite this, the company still posted a $743M net loss for the quarter.
• Meanwhile, Carvana swung to a record $159M net income in Q4
  • They sold 114,379 used vehicles in Q4, a 50% increase year over year.
  • Full-year revenue hit $13.7B, with a record $1.4B adjusted EBITDA.
  • Stock dropped 12% after-hours due to concerns over softening per-vehicle margins.
  • CEO Ernie Garcia “In 2024, Carvana became the most profitable public automotive retailer in U.S. history as measured by adjusted EBITDA margin while also resuming industry-leading growth,”

• Tesla’s Supercharger network is the best in the game, but with increased usage from both Tesla and non-Tesla EVs, long wait times have become a problem. After a viral altercation at a Supercharger, Tesla is finally launching a virtual queue system in Q2.
  • Tesla will roll out the queue at select Superchargers nationwide, aiming to improve the experience for the ~1% of users who experience wait times.
  • The viral video shows two Tesla owners arguing over a charging spot, highlighting the need for a structured waiting system.
  • Tesla has not provided details on how the queue system will work, but a broader rollout is expected later this year if feedback is positive.
  • The company continues to expand its Supercharger network by over 20% annually to meet growing demand.
  • Tesla in a statement said, “Goal is a net customer experience improvement,”

• Kia has revealed  the exterior design of its PV5, the first EV under its "Platform Before Vehicle" (PBV) brand. Designed to compete with electric vans like the VW ID Buzz and Ford E-Transit, the PV5 offers a modular design for cargo, rideshare, and even #vanlife.
  • The PBV system allows the van to transform between different body types while keeping the driver cab fixed.
  • Uber has already signed an agreement to add the PV5 to its fleet as part of its all-electric push by 2040.
  • While Kia has not shared powertrain, range, or pricing details, more information will

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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