This EV stock looks like the next Tesla How exactly does a company become the next Tesla? Luckily, Elon Musk revealed his playbook many years ago when talking about Tesla's "Master Plan." The entire plan could be condensed into three points: Build a sports car. TSLA Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts Right now, Rivian is about to experience a similar step change in sales. In 2021, it began deliveries of its first two models, the R1T and R1S. Per Tesla's roadmap, these vehicles were more like sports cars than family vehicles. Both have prices that can easily surpass $100,000 with certain options, and the company spared no expense when it came to quality components. The point with the R1T and R1S wasn't to sell a huge number of vehicles but to establish Rivian as a brand consumers could trust. And boy, did they accomplish that goal. Rivian was the only brand in a recent Consumer Reports study to earn a perfect score when it came to customer satisfaction and loyalty. The company beat out every other automaker in the study when it came to whether the purchaser would be interested in owning another of its vehicles. Keep in mind that the survey included both electric and conventional automakers, making the feat even more impressive. The next step for Rivian is to release its mass-market vehicles that will put it on the map with thousands of additional cities and neighborhoods. It began that step earlier this year with the announcement of its R2, R3, and R3X models -- all of which are expected to debut under $50,000. If Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y launches are any indication, Rivian's sales could explode higher by 1,000% or more. Here's how to profitably invest in Rivian stock Now trading at 2.1 times sales, Rivian looks like a bargain compared to Tesla stock, which trades at a lofty 8.8 times sales. That's especially true when you consider that Rivian is potentially about to begin its largest sales ramp in company history. However, there's a reason why shares are priced so cheaply. First, Rivian is still losing money. Last quarter, it lost more than $30,000 for every vehicle it sold. It should be noted that prior to its Model 3 and Model Y launch, Tesla was actually posting positive gross profits. Second, Rivian's mass-market models aren't expected to hit the streets until 2026 at the earliest. It could be two years or more until its mass-market sales ramp begins to gain traction. Herein lies the opportunity for patient investors. Compared to its potential, Rivian stock is clearly cheap right now. That's especially true in light of its market value, which, after a recent correction, is down to just $11 billion. It's very possible that the company's sales base in 2027 is higher than the total market cap today. Still, two things need to happen for shares to skyrocket in the coming years. The company needs to shift to positive gross profits -- something management has promised will happen by the end of this fiscal year. It also needs to get its mass-market vehicles to market on time and on budget. Will those two catalysts come to pass? Rivian's history suggests there's a good chance. But the EV market is full of historical failures. There's a lot of downside potential here. If you're willing to remain patient, huge growth potential can be had by investors willing to get in early and wait for results. Should you invest $1,000 in Rivian Automotive right now? Before you buy stock in Rivian Automotive, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rivian Automotive wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $765,523 !*Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled