[Moo Brief] Rivian soars 44% due to $5B injections from Volkswagen: A Tesla-killer in the making?

Since announcing its partnership with Volkswagen, $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$'s pre-market trading has surged by 44.06% to $17.23 as of 4:02 am EDT on June 26.

$Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$, founded in Irvine, California in 2009 and known for its electric SUV and outdoor pickup truck, has long been considered a competitor to $Tesla(TSLA.US)$ in the US electric vehicle market.

Recently, Volkswagen and $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$ have joined forces to create a joint venture for the next generation of electric cars. Volkswagen has invested $1 billion in $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$ and plans to invest an additional $5 billion by 2026.

$Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$ has been focused on electric trucks since its inception, even predating $Tesla(TSLA.US)$'s Cybertruck. With Cybertruck's recent recall of 23,000 units due to hardware issues, do you think $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$'s early bet on electric trucks will prove to be a smart move in a market that is still not fully mature?

Meanwhile, many startups in the electric car industry have struggled in the face of intense pricing competition. In such an unfavorable environment, Volkswagen's partnership with $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$ begs the question of whether the German automaker is looking to create a "next generation" electric vehicle to rival $Tesla(TSLA.US)$. Do you think this partnership between a traditional automaker and an electric vehicle startup will be successful? Would you consider investing in $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Many Mooers have profited from the sudden surge in $Rivian Automotive(RIVN.US)$'s stock price, and here are some of their sharings：