Bloomberg reported in April 2025 that Rivian built a reserve of batteries from Asia ahead of tariff changes. The report points to an inventory buffer, not proof that every battery was exempt from every tariff. Neither Bloomberg’s account nor Rivian’s later public comments established the stockpile’s size or its current balance.
What Bloomberg reported about Rivian’s battery stockpile
Bloomberg reported on April 30, 2025, citing people familiar with the matter, that Rivian directly acquired lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells from China’s Gotion High-Tech late in 2024, before the U.S. election. It also reported a separate move involving Samsung SDI: a large amount of battery inventory was transported from South Korea to the United States. Bloomberg’s report and Transport Topics’ account carrying Bloomberg News reporting did not give a cell count, energy capacity, dollar value, or exact storage locations.
Two reported supply movements, not a disclosed total
| Reported source | What was described | What is not established |
|---|---|---|
| Gotion High-Tech, China | Rivian directly acquired LFP cells in late 2024, according to Bloomberg’s sources. | Quantity, capacity, value, storage location, and tariff treatment for each shipment were not stated in the report. |
| Samsung SDI, South Korea | Bloomberg reported that Rivian worked with the supplier to move a large amount of battery inventory to the United States. | The report did not specify chemistry, quantity, capacity, value, storage location, or whether every shipment avoided duties. |
These are different reported movements, not quantities that can be added or directly compared: the reporting did not disclose amounts for either one.
How many batteries did Rivian stockpile, and are they really tariff-free?
The reviewed reporting does not disclose how many cells Rivian held, and Rivian’s public statements did not quantify the reported reserve. “Tariff-free” is therefore too broad if it implies that every shipment was legally exempt from all duties. The reporting describes timing intended to provide a buffer against tariff changes; it does not establish that the cells incurred no tariffs or that stockpiling removed Rivian’s wider tariff exposure.
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What Rivian later said about the inventory buffer
On Rivian’s Q1 2025 earnings call, CEO RJ Scaringe said the company had inventory that provided resilience against tariff increases “through the end of 2025.” He also said sourcing R1 cells for 2026 and beyond was being actively addressed, with flexibility to consider alternatives. Those remarks support the idea of an inventory buffer, but they did not confirm the individual supplier movements in Bloomberg’s report or disclose the reserve’s size. Read the Q1 2025 earnings call transcript.
What Rivian’s later tariff figures do—and do not—show
On the Q3 2025 earnings call, CFO Claire McDonough said tariff impact on products sold in that quarter was just under $2,000 per vehicle. She expected a few hundred dollars per unit for new builds once the policies discussed on the call were fully in place. These were company-reported figures for overall vehicle tariff exposure, not estimates of savings from the reported battery stockpile. Read the Q3 2025 earnings call transcript.
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In the same Q3 call, Scaringe said the LG-supplied 4695 cylindrical cell planned for R2 would be produced in Arizona starting in the late-2026 timeframe. That was a forecast made in 2025, not confirmation that production began on schedule.
Why carrying extra battery inventory has risks
Rivian’s 2024 annual filing discussed risks from holding higher levels of battery cells in inventory, including obsolescence, degradation, or damage. It also described risks involving thermal events and regulated storage and transport. The filing provides context about the costs and handling risks of extra inventory; it does not identify the reported tariff reserve as the inventory being discussed. Read Rivian’s 2024 annual filing.
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What is known about the stockpile now?
The latest relevant company statements in the sources cited here are from 2025. They do not establish Rivian’s remaining stockpile balance as of October 4, 2026, its storage locations, or the precise tariff treatment of the reported shipments. The April 2025 report and later earnings-call remarks explain the reported hedge and company-stated resilience at that time; they are not a current inventory count.
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