But the big change in locomotion from the internal combustion engine to electric motors has shaken everything up. This is unquestionably a good deal for Rivian, because it’s getting what it most needs right now: money. On the contrary, the company has been very committed to electric vehicles and invested heavily in pursuit of the future. To be sure, some electric vehicles from old-school car companies have become popular successes with fewer tech glitches; these include the Ford F-150 Lightning and Hyundai’s Ioniq. But this conclusion would drastically overstate the nature of Volkswagen’s problem as well as underestimate the potential gains of the deal.