Who's leading the charge in building brand? Koto|10|2026

In this section we’re going to look at a set of 10 brands through a few different lenses to get the clearest possible picture. 

  • Sales volume (# of units sold) gives us an idea of the numbers in play. We know size has an impact on brand management so understanding scale is essential.

  • Business momentum gives us a snapshot of performance. Who's rising, falling, plateauing?

  • Finally: the - our very own 18 point assessment criteria, that puts a numerical score on brand strength.

PositionBrandSales volume

1

BYD

2,256,714

2

Tesla

1,636,129

3

Volkswagen

~421,300

4

Nio

326,028

5

Hyundai

269,169

6

Mercedes

168,823

7

Volvo

151,830

8

Polestar

60,119

9

Rivian

42,247

10

Genesis

~25,000

Unlock the full report to access all data visualizations, key findings, and expert analysis.

Rivian

Sales volume

#9

Business momentum

#6

Koto Bat

#1

Rivian tops our brand assessment, and it’s easy to see why. Its positioning is clear, its identity consistently applied, and adventure runs through the whole thing - see the R2 marketing, or ‘Postcards’ work for proof of this. Add positive sales and business momentum, and Rivian looks like a brand hitting its stride.

If we were Rivian, we’d focus on scaling without diluting. The ingredients are already there. The challenge now is getting the brand and product in front of more people, in more places, without losing what made it distinctive in the first place.

Its mission – “To keep the world adventurous forever” – gives Rivian plenty of road to play with. The opportunity is to keep finding new expressions of that idea across identity, communications, experience and media.

Provocations

  • How could Rivian start building presence in key markets before it arrives?

  • Can the brand protect a premium position with the launch of a more affordable R3?

  • How far could “keep the world adventurous forever” go?