NEW YORK — Electric vehicle (EV) stocks are in the spotlight in U.S. trading on Thursday, December 18, 2025, as a softer‑than‑expected inflation update pushes yields lower and revives appetite for growth names. At the same time, the sector is digesting several company‑specific catalysts: Tesla’s California self‑driving marketing case, a fresh Rivian upgrade tied to its upcoming R2 platform, and new signs that legacy automakers are recalibrating EV plans amid shifting policy and demand expectations.
Below is what’s moving the major EV and EV‑adjacent stocks around noon Eastern (12:00 p.m. ET) — and what the latest headlines and forecasts suggest for the next leg of trading.
EV stocks at noon: the quick scoreboard
Prices below reflect the latest available intraday quotes in U.S. trading late morning (just before noon ET), and are subject to rapid change:
- Tesla (TSLA): $489.28, up ~4.7%
- Rivian (RIVN): $18.91, up ~7.3%
- Lucid (LCID): $11.86, up ~6.6%
- General Motors (GM): $81.93, up ~1.8%
- Ford (F): $13.41, up ~0.7%
- QuantumScape (QS): $11.19, up ~4.1%
- ChargePoint (CHPT): $7.47, up ~1.1%
- EVgo (EVGO): $3.14, up ~4.7%
- NIO (NIO): $4.97, up ~2.3%
- XPeng (XPEV): $18.76, up ~3.7%
- Polestar (PSNY): $12.06, down ~3.9%
- Blink Charging (BLNK): $0.84, up ~6.7%
- Li Auto (LI): $16.32, up ~1.1%
EV-themed ETFs are also higher, tracking the broader risk‑on tape:
- DRIV (Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles): $29.53, up ~1.3%
- IDRV (iShares Self‑Driving EV & Tech): $37.74, up ~0.9%
- LIT (Global X Lithium & Battery Tech): $63.77, up ~0.2%
Why EV stocks are moving today: rates, inflation — and a “growth stock” reflex
1) A softer inflation print lifts stocks — but with an asterisk
The biggest sector-wide driver at midday is macro: U.S. consumer prices rose 2.7% year over year in November, below expectations cited by Reuters, and markets quickly treated the report as supportive for rate‑sensitive assets. But the report came with unusual caveats: a 43‑day U.S. government shutdown disrupted data collection, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not publish month‑to‑month CPI changes for November because much of October’s data wasn’t collected. [1]
In practical terms, though, the market reaction was straightforward: Treasury yields eased and equities climbed, a setup that tends to benefit EV makers and charging names that investors often value as long‑duration growth stories. Reuters reported Wall Street’s main indexes higher in early trading as investors kept rate‑cut hopes alive. [2]
2) EVs trade like tech — and tech is rebounding
EV stocks, particularly Tesla and early‑stage names, often trade in the same emotional lane as high‑multiple tech: when investors feel better about rates (or when megacap tech stabilizes), EV multiples can expand quickly.
That dynamic matters today because Wednesday’s session featured renewed jitters around the AI/data‑center trade. Reuters described a technology‑led bruise that bled into broader sentiment, before Thursday’s data helped markets regain footing. [3]
Tesla stock: California headline risk vs. the “AI autobahn” narrative
No EV stock carries more gravitational pull than Tesla, and the company has two competing storylines driving discussion today: regulatory risk around self‑driving marketing and investor enthusiasm for Tesla as an AI/robotics platform.
California threatens a sales‑license suspension unless Tesla changes messaging
California regulators are threatening to suspend Tesla’s license to sell vehicles in the state for 30 days unless it changes how it markets “Autopilot” and “Full Self‑Driving,” after an administrative law judge concluded Tesla’s terminology misled consumers about the technology’s real capabilities. The Associated Press reported Tesla will have a 90‑day window to make changes to avoid the sales‑license suspension; regulators are not planning to impose a manufacturing‑license penalty. [4]
Investors, at least so far, appear to be treating this as manageable execution risk rather than an immediate earnings event — largely because the window to comply reduces the chance of an abrupt operational shock. Investor’s Business Daily also highlighted the view from at least one major analyst that the ruling is unlikely to disrupt Tesla’s near‑term business given time to comply and Tesla’s ability to adjust branding and disclosures. [5]
But Tesla’s tape still trades on tech sentiment
Barron’s coverage underscored something traders have seen repeatedly in 2025: Tesla can sell off or rally hard on broader tech positioning — sometimes more than on “car” fundamentals. Tesla hit a record high near $495 this week before pulling back amid AI‑related volatility, then rebounded as the broader market stabilized. [6]
Forecast watch: U.S. sales projections are getting tougher
Beyond the day’s headline cycle, one of the most market‑moving Tesla debates into year‑end is demand. MarketWatch pointed to Cox Automotive projections suggesting Tesla’s U.S. sales could post their weakest performance since 2022, with a sharp decline expected in Q4 and a lower full‑year total, as the market contends with softer EV demand and fading incentives. [7]
What to watch next for TSLA today:
- Any Tesla response or formal compliance plan for California regulators
- Whether TSLA continues to trade “with tech” as the Nasdaq firms up
- Follow‑through on delivery/demand expectations heading into year‑end
Rivian stock jumps after a major upgrade — and the market leans into “R2 era” optimism
If Tesla is the sector’s gravity, Rivian is the day’s momentum story.
Baird upgrades Rivian and hikes its target to $25
Barron’s reported that Baird upgraded Rivian to Buy (from Hold) and raised its price target to $25 (from $14). The upgrade thesis centers on Rivian’s R2 platform, expected to launch in mid‑2026, which the firm views as a pivotal chance to broaden demand beyond the premium R1 lineup. [8]
This upgrade lands at a sensitive moment: sentiment across EV makers has been pressured in 2025 by shifting incentive structures and concerns about affordability. Even so, Rivian’s ability to tell a credible “next product cycle” story — with a clearer path to higher‑volume price points — is exactly the kind of narrative that can catch fire when macro conditions turn supportive.
Forecasts: Street expectations are being reset
Barron’s also pointed to changing expectations for future Rivian volumes (and the reality that projections have moved around). For investors, the key takeaway isn’t one precise number — it’s that the 2026–2027 window is becoming the battleground for whether Rivian can turn product momentum into sustainable cash flow. [9]
What to watch next for RIVN today:
- Whether the upgrade sparks follow‑on analyst commentary
- Any additional details from Rivian’s autonomy/compute roadmap that keep “tech premium” alive
- How the stock holds gains into the afternoon (upgrades often fade if the market tone cools)
Lucid surges with the risk‑on tape — but investors still debate runway and dilution
Lucid is sharply higher at midday, benefiting from the same macro impulse lifting high‑beta growth names.
Unlike Rivian today, Lucid’s move looks more sentiment‑driven than headline‑driven in mainstream coverage: when yields fall and investors rotate toward speculative growth, LCID often reacts with exaggerated beta.
Still, the core questions that tend to cap Lucid rallies remain the same:
- How quickly can Lucid scale deliveries without destroying margin?
- What’s the funding path — and what level of dilution risk is acceptable?
- Can the company translate new-model excitement into repeatable demand?
In other words, Lucid can rally on “tape,” but it typically holds gains only when investors see clearer proof on production ramp + balance-sheet durability.
Ford and GM: legacy automakers climb, but headlines show EV strategy is still shifting
Legacy automakers often act as a reality check on the EV transition: less volatility than pure‑play EVs, but huge sensitivity to policy, capex cycles, and consumer demand.
Ford-linked battery headline: a canceled EV battery supply deal
A Reuters report from overnight Asia trading said Ford canceled an EV battery supply deal with South Korea’s LG Energy Solution. LGES disclosed the termination in a regulatory filing, citing Ford’s decision to halt production of some EV models due to “policy changes and shifts” in the outlook for EV demand; the deal was slated to begin in January 2027. [10]
Even though Ford shares are higher midday with the market, the story reinforces a theme that has weighed on the whole EV ecosystem in 2025: manufacturers are increasingly selective about which EV programs get funded aggressively, especially in a world of uncertain incentives and demand elasticity.
Europe adds another twist: more time for hybrids
EV investors also woke up to a significant policy development overseas. Reuters reported that the European Commission proposed abandoning the EU’s 2035 deadline for a total shift to fully electric driving, potentially allowing hybrids and other powertrains to remain legal beyond that date — while analysts still argue EVs remain the long‑term end state. [11]
For U.S.-listed EV stocks, Europe matters because it influences:
- global product mix strategies,
- competitive dynamics vs. Chinese automakers,
- and the pace of charging infrastructure and consumer adoption.
EV charging and battery tech stocks: steady gains, but the business models diverge
Charging and battery names often get grouped together as “EV picks-and-shovels,” but today’s trading shows why investors increasingly separate them.
- EVgo (EVGO) and ChargePoint (CHPT) are higher, largely following the broader risk‑on move in rate‑sensitive growth.
- QuantumScape (QS) is up solidly as well, consistent with renewed interest in higher‑risk battery technology stories when the macro backdrop is supportive.
The market’s underlying question here is simple: which parts of the EV ecosystem can reach durable profitability even if EV adoption grows slower than early‑decade forecasts?
The noon setup: what could move EV stocks for the rest of the session
With several hours left in Thursday’s trading, EV investors are likely to focus on three “levers”:
- Rates and the CPI aftertaste
Reuters flagged that the November inflation report may raise questions because of missing October observations and shutdown distortions — and that markets are still debating what it implies for the Fed path. If yields reverse higher, the highest‑beta EV names can fade quickly. [12] - Tesla headline churn
Regulatory stories can accelerate into afternoon trading as more commentary lands. For Tesla, the key is whether the market frames California’s action as a manageable compliance task or a broader reputational/legal problem. [13] - Analyst narrative momentum
Rivian’s upgrade is the kind of catalyst that can attract fast money — but those flows often depend on whether the broader market stays constructive into the close. [14]
This article reflects market conditions and publicly reported news as of around noon Eastern time on Dec. 18, 2025. It is for informational purposes and is not investment advice.
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. apnews.com, 5. www.investors.com, 6. www.barrons.com, 7. www.marketwatch.com, 8. www.barrons.com, 9. www.barrons.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. apnews.com, 14. www.barrons.com
