Rivian has adjusted its timeline regarding a long-anticipated profitability target for 2027, attributing this shift to substantial expenditures on its autonomous vehicle initiatives, as announced by the company on Thursday.

The firm indicated that it does not foresee achieving EBITDA positivity by the next year, noting an increase in R&D expenses correlating with its accelerated drive to enhance self-driving technology.

This revelation was embedded within a document that also highlighted Rivian’s new collaboration with Uber to create robotaxi versions of its forthcoming R2 SUV for the ride-hailing giant’s network.

Rivian refrained from additional comments beyond what was provided in the filing.

Rivian has consistently informed its shareholders of its potential to attain positive EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) by 2027, reliant on the successful introduction of the R2 SUV and a boost in software revenues. However, the firm has encountered a growing array of obstacles hindering that goal: the cessation of the federal EV tax credit, diminished ability to sell regulatory credits to other automakers, and cost hikes attributed to President Trump’s tariffs.

These challenges have undoubtedly complicated Rivian’s path to financial stability. At least one analyst, Joseph Spak from UBS, noted in February that he did not anticipate the company achieving positive EBITDA for “several years.” Rivian reported in February a cumulative net loss of $27 billion since its founding in 2009 through the end of 2025.

However, the company’s significant investment in self-driving technology has pushed back the timeframe for its EBITDA positive milestone. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe stated that Rivian is currently investing more in autonomy research and development than in any other area. The company’s annual report reflected an expenditure of $1.7 billion on R&D in 2025, an increase from $1.6 billion in 2024, which was attributed to “rises in engineering, design, and development costs, prototyping costs, and software expenditures to support our R2 launch and AI and autonomy initiatives.”

Rivian is working on its own “large driving model” and has created a custom processor along with an “autonomy computer” to facilitate that software. The company aims to debut eyes-off, hands-off driving next year and is striving to enable its electric vehicles to perform “personal L4” driving, referencing the level established by the Society of Automotive Engineers where an autonomous vehicle can operate within a specified area without human involvement.

Rivian first presented many of these objectives in December during its inaugural “Autonomy & AI Day” event, where Scaringe guided investors and media through the company’s Silicon Valley campus, offering test rides that showcased the current capabilities of its driver-assistance software.

The partnership with Uber revealed on Thursday marks a new initiative in addition to those disclosed in December. This collaboration includes Uber investing up to $1.25 billion in Rivian and possibly ordering up to 50,000 R2 SUVs. However, the ride-hailing giant is initially committing $300 million and will order only 10,000 R2s upfront. Much of the agreement appears to be poised for execution around 2030.

The company also faces numerous significant expenses on the horizon. It plans to commence construction of a new factory in Georgia this year and is just months away from starting the R2’s production. The company informed investors in February that it anticipates spending between $1.95 billion and $2.05 billion this year.