New York, Jan 18, 2026, 12:37 EST — Market closed.
- Officials from the Trump administration hinted at rolling back EV regulations and incentives, injecting new policy uncertainty into the sector.
- Tesla is under a U.S. safety probe targeting its “Full Self-Driving” system, a key issue investors are watching closely ahead of earnings.
- Shares of Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid closed mixed on Friday ahead of the U.S. holiday break.
U.S.-listed EV stocks open Tuesday under pressure, with Washington in focus after Trump administration officials revealed plans to roll back regulations and tax credits linked to electric vehicles, aiming to bring down car prices.
This shift is crucial, given that U.S. EV adoption has depended heavily on incentives and stricter emissions standards. Investors have spent the past year trying to gauge demand once those supports disappear. Trade adds another layer of complexity: the administration is cracking down on Chinese-made EVs entering North America.
As earnings season expands beyond the banks and markets resume after a lengthy holiday, investors are zeroing in on individual company sparks rather than broad index moves. “One of the other reasons markets have been flat-lining is we’re at the start of the earnings season,” said Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, in a Reuters interview. Reuters
Tesla’s stock closed Friday slightly lower, slipping 0.2% to $437.50. Rivian dropped 2.4%, ending at $16.67, while Lucid edged up 0.7% to $10.12.
Tesla is also racing against the clock with regulators. U.S. auto safety officials gave the company a five-week extension to respond in an investigation over whether its Full Self-Driving system — which still needs a human driver to supervise — is connected to traffic violations. The new deadline is Feb. 23.
Derivatives traders have their eyes on another potential trigger: options. A Reuters analysis pointed out that single-stock options expirations often ramp up price swings as dealers adjust their hedges. Tesla stands out, with a large share of open contracts set to expire soon. Mike Khouw, a strategist at YieldMax ETFs, said, “(That is where) I suspect options are probably going to weigh more heavily on the price action of the underlying asset.” Reuters
Rivian’s focus now shifts firmly to its fundamentals. The company reported that 2025 deliveries are down 18% compared to last year. Investors are eyeing the upcoming R2 SUV, a smaller, more affordable model expected in the first half of 2026.
Lucid reported fourth-quarter deliveries just above estimates, highlighting strong demand for its Gravity SUV. Still, production outstripped deliveries, underscoring the gap between making cars and actually selling them.
Tesla will unveil its fourth-quarter results after the market closes on Jan. 28. Rivian follows with its earnings report on Feb. 12, and Lucid is set to release numbers on Feb. 24.
But policy moves and court decisions risk overshadowing the tape, especially for volatile names like EV makers. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case on Trump’s attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. This high-profile challenge to Fed independence could shake rate expectations—and EV valuations tend to react sharply to those shifts.
Tuesday marks the first real test for EV-stock traders as markets reopen and investors digest the weekend’s policy signals. Afterward, focus shifts sharply to Tesla’s Jan. 28 earnings and any developments tied to the Feb. 23 deadline in the U.S. safety investigation.
