If Only Rivian’s Electric SUV Drove as Smooth as It Looks

As Tesla Inc. has become more difficult to stomach for a number of reasons, political and otherwise, Rivian Automotive Inc. has emerged as a viable alternative.

The Irvine, California-based company has been in the news of late, most notably for plant shutdowns and disappointing quarterly losses, postponing plans to build an electric-vehicle plant in Georgia and a cash infusion from Volkswagen AG, which committed $5 billion in June to start a joint venture with the 15-year-old company. The investment spells salvation for Rivian, which loses about $32,705 per vehicle it sells. We featured it last month in Bloomberg Businessweek and discussed it on the Hot Pursuit! podcast, which I co-host with Bloomberg Television’s Matt Miller.