Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) just made a bold strategic movespinning off its micromobility unit into a new standalone company called Also, Inc., with $105 million in fresh funding from Eclipse Ventures. This isn't just about cutting fat. It's a calculated bet on the next big thing: ultra-light EVs for crowded cities and emerging markets. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, who will chair Also's board, made it clearthere's no one-size-fits-all EV solution. So while Rivian doubles down on its core SUV and truck roadmap, Also gets a clean slate to innovate, move fast, and define a new product category altogether.

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Also is aiming high: a flagship lightweight EV rolling out in the U.S. and Europe by 2026, followed by custom-built models for Asia and South America. Think flexible pricing, smaller form factors, and a tech stack inherited from Rivian's high-performance DNA. It's a smart play in a sector that's seen more hype than follow-throughremember Bird and VanMoof? But this time might be different. With deep-pocketed backing and real tech under the hood, Also could finally give the micromobility market the credibility it's been chasing.

For investors, this is one to watch closely. Rivian keeps skin in the game with a minority stake, while Also gets the agility to chase a very different type of growth. If the playbook works, Rivian benefits twicefirst from sharper capital allocation on its R2 launch, and again if Also cracks the micromobility code.