Overview
- Speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm AI conference, RJ Scaringe said the main constraint on U.S. EV adoption is supply, not demand, citing a “shocking lack of choice.”
- He said buyers have well under five great EV options near the average new-car price and maybe only one highly compelling choice under $50,000, pointing to Tesla.
- Scaringe contrasted the U.S. with Europe and China, where consumers face far more EV options and fiercer competition across brands.
- Rivian is preparing to start production of the R2, a $45,000 mid-size SUV that would be its most affordable model and widen sub-$50,000 choices.
- Cox Automotive data underscore price headwinds, with the average new car at $49,814 in November versus $58,638 for EVs and U.S. EV penetration around 8%, and Scaringe added that EV buying is not partisan, noting R1 buyers split roughly 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats while also backing the Trump administration’s push to reshore manufacturing.