Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA): Business Model Canvas [Dec-2025 Updated]

You're tracking Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) and the core question is simple: can their proprietary 4D LiDAR-on-a-chip technology scale fast enough to justify the valuation? The Business Model Canvas reveals a high-stakes, near-term transition, where the company is moving from heavy R&D-estimated at over $100 million for the 2025 fiscal year-to commercial execution. They're leveraging key partners like ZF Group to convert a substantial long-term backlog, currently over $1.5 billion in potential lifetime revenue, into product sales, which are projected to ramp up to an estimated $35 million this year. The whole model hinges on their ability to deliver instant velocity measurement (the 4th dimension) at a low cost, but honestly, the critical path involves managing that massive R&D spend while ensuring their strategic alliances defintely align interests for mass production; let's dig into the nine building blocks to see the roadmap.

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Key Partnerships

You're looking at Aeva's strategy, and honestly, their Key Partnerships are the backbone of their shift from a development-stage company to a production supplier. The takeaway is clear: Aeva is using strategic Tier-1 and manufacturing partnerships to de-risk its path to mass production, particularly in automotive and industrial sectors, with financial backing from partners like LG Innotek providing a capital cushion of up to $77.5 million as of mid-2025. This allows them to focus on their core Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDAR-on-Chip technology.

ZF Group: Global Tier 1 Supplier for Automotive Production Programs

The partnership with ZF Group, a major global Tier 1 automotive supplier, is their foundational play in the passenger vehicle market. This collaboration is designed to industrialize Aeva's 4D LiDAR technology for mass-market automotive applications. To be fair, this partnership is still in the development phase as of late 2025. We haven't seen the announcement of a large-scale production contract yet, and the partnership is not generating meaningful revenue flow in the 2025 fiscal year, with Q3 2025 revenue of only $3.6 million largely coming from non-recurring engineering fees, not mass-market sales. Still, ZF's expertise in automotive-grade sensor production remains a critical asset for future scalability.

Nikon: Strategic Partnership for Advanced Manufacturing and Alignment

The multi-year production agreement with Nikon is a solid win that validates Aeva's technology outside of just the auto sector. Nikon is integrating Aeva's micron-precise LiDAR-on-Chip technology into its Industrial Metrology and automated inspection product suite. This is a high-margin business, as the industrial sensors are priced significantly higher than what they'd sell for in bulk automotive deals, even if the volumes are lower. Nikon product availability is expected in 2025, marking a key milestone for Aeva's transition to recurring industrial sales.

Here's the quick math on initial commercial momentum:

• Initial orders for the Eve 1D industrial sensor: Over 1,000 units.
• Targeted shipment: Later in 2025.
• Application: High-precision quality control in automotive, aerospace, and renewable energy manufacturing.

Daimler Truck/Torc Robotics: Trucking Automation Programs and Long-Term Supply Agreements

While you might have heard of other players, Aeva's concrete, high-volume win is with Daimler Truck North America and its autonomous driving subsidiary, Torc Robotics. Aeva is the production LiDAR supplier for their SAE Level 4 autonomous Freightliner Cascadia trucks. This is a massive opportunity, as Bendix, a Daimler partner, is a market leader in collision mitigation, covering about 300,000 new trucks sold annually in North America. The partnership was expanded in July 2025, with Daimler Truck providing additional non-recurring funding to accelerate production ramp-up. Aeva is now planning to install North American production capacity of up to 200,000 LiDAR units annually to support this and other growing customer demand.

Major Automotive OEMs: Co-development for Future Vehicle Platforms

Aeva has secured a significant development program with a Global Top 10 Passenger OEM for their next-generation global vehicle platform. This is a big deal because it signals a major automaker is committing to the Aeva Atlas™ Ultra 4D LiDAR sensor for Level 3 (L3) automated driving at highway speeds. The development program kicked off in March 2025, and Aeva has received a letter of intent for a potential large-scale, multi-year production program award this year, though the Start of Production (SOP) is still targeted for 2027.

The financial commitment here is defintely a vote of confidence, as a technology affiliate of a Global Fortune 500 company (LG Innotek) has invested up to approximately $50 million, which includes a ~6% equity stake in Aeva, to support this and other programs.

Foundries: Securing High-Volume, Low-Cost Silicon Photonics Manufacturing

To hit the low-cost, high-volume targets necessary for automotive scale, Aeva relies on a fabless semiconductor model, partnering with world-class foundries and manufacturing experts. This is how they ensure their core technology-integrating all key LiDAR components onto a single silicon photonics (SiPh) chip-can be manufactured affordably at scale.

The key manufacturing partners in this ecosystem include:

• LG Innotek: Selected as the Tier-2 manufacturing partner for the Top 10 passenger OEM program, with an investment of up to $50 million to bring production capacity online.
• Tower Semiconductor: A manufacturing partner accelerating the production of Aeva's LiDAR-on-chip technology.
• Jabil: Partnered to accelerate the manufacturing of the overall sensing system at scale.

This network is critical for achieving the cost structure needed to compete with traditional LiDAR, especially as the global silicon photonics market is projected to reach $2.65 billion in 2025 and is growing at nearly a 30% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR).

Key Partnership	Strategic Role and Status (Late 2025)	2025 Fiscal Year Data / Milestone
ZF Group	Tier 1 Partner for Automotive Industrialization	In development phase; not generating meaningful mass-production revenue.
Nikon	Industrial Metrology/Quality Control Production Win	Product availability expected in 2025. Initial orders for over 1,000 Eve 1D sensors.
Daimler Truck North America / Torc Robotics	Production Supplier for Level 4 Autonomous Trucks	Expanded partnership in July 2025; planning North American production capacity up to 200,000 units annually.
Global Top 10 Passenger OEM	Co-development for Next-Gen Global Vehicle Platform	Development program awarded in March 2025; SOP targeted for 2027.
LG Innotek (Foundry/Investor)	Tier-2 Manufacturing Partner and Strategic Investor	Strategic investment recorded at $77.5 million fair value (as of June 30, 2025); selected as Tier-2 manufacturing partner.

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Key Activities

The core of Aeva Technologies, Inc.'s operations revolves around accelerating the commercialization of its Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR-on-chip technology across automotive and industrial markets. This means their key activities are heavily weighted toward deep engineering, manufacturing readiness, and rigorous customer program execution, not just sales.

In late 2025, the company's focus is on transitioning from a pure R&D-heavy model to one that balances innovation with scalable, high-volume production, as evidenced by the strategic shift in spending and major customer milestones.

Research and Development (R&D): Continuous innovation in 4D LiDAR on a chip.

Aeva's single most critical activity is maintaining its technological edge through R&D, specifically in integrating the entire 4D LiDAR system onto a silicon photonics chip. This 'LiDAR-on-chip' is what delivers simultaneous instant velocity and range (the 4D aspect) with interference immunity, which is a major selling point for Level 3 (L3) and Level 4 (L4) automated driving systems.

The company is showing increased efficiency in this area; for the second quarter of 2025, R&D expenses totaled $22.84 million. This spending was reduced by 13% year-over-year, reflecting the maturation of the core technology and the completion of certain engineering activities as they move toward commercialization. The Atlas Ultra sensor, their newest product, is a direct result of this R&D focus, offering a 35% slimmer design and three times the resolution of the standard Atlas.

Manufacturing Scale-up: Optimizing high-volume production with partners.

To meet future automotive and industrial demand, Aeva must prove it can manufacture its chip-scale sensors at high volume and low cost. This is a crucial near-term activity.

The company is actively working to install an automated production line, targeting a capacity of over 100,000 units annually by the end of 2025. This capacity is essential for the anticipated large-scale production programs. A key enabler of this scale-up is the strategic collaboration with LG Innotek, which will serve as a Tier-2 manufacturing partner for the Atlas Ultra sensor, especially for the Top 10 passenger OEM program.

This scale-up is also progressing on the industrial side:

• Brought up the manufacturing line for the Aeva Eve 1D sensor in Q3 2025.
• Shipped the first units of the Eve 1D to customers in Q3 2025.

Customer Program Execution: Delivering on automotive design wins and milestones.

The company's survival depends on hitting the milestones for its major, high-volume design wins. This involves non-recurring engineering (NRE) services, joint development programs, and final product qualification.

The execution of these programs drove a significant increase in 2025 revenue. Total sales for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, were $12.46 million, nearly double the $6.37 million from the same period a year prior. The most notable program milestones include:

• Top-10 Global Passenger OEM: Successfully completed the joint development program and is now in late-stage contract negotiations for a large-scale series production award. This program targets Start of Production (SOP) in 2027.
• Daimler Truck: Continuing the production program, progressing on track toward SOP in 2026 for their autonomous truck platform.
• Industrial/Mobility: Secured initial orders for over 1,000 Eve 1D sensors from customers like SICK AG and LMI Technologies, with commercial deployments starting in Q3 2025.

Here's the quick math on recent revenue traction:

Metric	Q3 2025 Value	Year-over-Year Change
Total Revenue (Sales)	$3.58 million	Up 59.1% from Q3 2024
9-Month Sales (YTD Sep 30, 2025)	$12.46 million	Up from $6.37 million in 2024

Intellectual Property (IP) Protection: Maintaining a strong patent portfolio.

Protecting the proprietary FMCW 4D LiDAR-on-chip technology is a foundational activity, creating a significant barrier to entry for competitors. The company is defintely focused on building a deep moat around its core innovations.

As of late 2025, Aeva holds a portfolio of 185 patents globally, covering 61 unique patent families, with 162 patents currently active. Recent patent grants in 2025 demonstrate the continuous expansion of this IP, focusing on the sophisticated signal processing required for 4D perception. For example, a patent was granted in August 2025 for 'Techniques for parallel cascade filtering in point clouds.'

Software Integration: Developing perception algorithms for customer stacks.

The hardware is only half the battle; the other half is the software that turns raw data into actionable intelligence. Aeva's key activity here is developing a unified perception platform that simplifies the customer's integration work.

Their platform is designed to provide simultaneous velocity and range, which inherently reduces the complexity and development effort required for customer-side perception software. The strategic collaboration with LG Innotek specifically aims to accelerate the expansion of the 'Aeva Perception Platform' across automotive, robotics, and consumer applications. This platform includes the development of proprietary perception algorithms that run on their custom silicon, the Aeva X1 System-on-Chip (SoC) LiDAR processor, to deliver processed data directly to the customer's autonomous stack.

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Key Resources

You need to know where Aeva Technologies' real value lies, and it's not just in the hardware; it's in the intellectual property and the manufacturing partnerships they've secured. Their core resource is a proprietary, mass-manufacturable sensing platform, backed by a deep patent portfolio and a strategic supply chain that is already scaling for high-volume automotive and industrial production.

Proprietary FMCW LiDAR-on-a-chip

The single most critical resource is Aeva's unique Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR-on-a-chip. This isn't just a sensor; it's a complete perception platform integrated onto silicon using silicon photonics technology. This approach is what makes mass production cost-effective and scalable.

The core components are the CoreVision module and the Aeva X1 system-on-chip (SoC) LiDAR processor. This integrated design is the key to their differentiated offering: measuring both 3D position and instantaneous velocity (hence, 4D) for every point, which is a big advantage over traditional time-of-flight (ToF) LiDAR.

Deep Intellectual Property in 4D Sensing

Aeva's competitive moat is built on its intellectual property (IP). As of early 2025, the company had a confirmed portfolio of 185 patents globally, with 162 patents active, primarily focused on the core FMCW technology, integrated photonics, and perception software. This patent strength is essential for protecting their unique Doppler-based velocity measurement capability.

Here's the quick math: protecting this IP is defintely a priority, as it underpins their ability to command premium design wins, like the one with a global top 10 passenger OEM for their next-generation platform.

World-Class Engineering Talent

The technology is complex, so the human capital-the engineering team-is a key resource. This team possesses deep, specialized expertise in three critical areas: silicon photonics, high-speed optics, and custom digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms.

• Design the CoreVision LiDAR-on-chip module.
• Develop the custom DSP algorithms for 4D data processing.
• Enable long-range performance up to 500 meters.

You can't just hire a general engineer for this; you need specialists who can manage the physics and the software stack simultaneously.

Manufacturing Infrastructure: Access to High-Volume Foundry Capacity

Aeva has chosen an asset-light model, relying on strategic manufacturing partnerships to scale. This is a smart move that minimizes capital expenditure (CapEx), which was only $33.6 million in gross cash use for Q3 2025.

Key manufacturing and supply chain partners include:

• Tower Semiconductor and Jabil: For scaling the lidar-on-chip platform and sensing system.
• LG Innotek: For manufacturing the Atlas Ultra sensor for top-tier passenger vehicle OEMs.
• Fabrinet: For establishing a precision production line.

This network allows Aeva to target a production capacity of up to 200,000 lidar units annually, supported by the expanded partnership with Daimler Truck. That's a serious volume goal.

Automotive Qualification and Financial Strength

Meeting the strict quality and security standards of the automotive industry is a non-negotiable resource. In June 2025, Aeva achieved TISAX Assessment Level 2 (AL2) certification, which is crucial for handling sensitive data for European, American, and Asian automotive partners. This proves their operational maturity.

Financial resources are also critical for a scaling technology company. The strategic $100 million investment from Apollo Funds in November 2025, in the form of Convertible Senior Notes, boosted their pro forma liquidity to approximately $270 million. That cash runway gives them the resources to execute on their production ramp and development programs.

Key Resource Metric	2025 Fiscal Year Data (Latest Available)	Significance
Active Patents (as of Q1 2025)	162 patents globally	Protects core FMCW and 4D sensing technology.
Production Capacity Goal	Up to 200,000 units annually	Target volume to support Daimler Truck and other OEM programs.
Q3 2025 Revenue	$3.6 million	Reflects early product shipments and NRE from partners.
Pro Forma Liquidity (Post Nov 2025 Investment)	Approximately $270 million	Financial runway to fund manufacturing scale-up and R&D.
Automotive Certification	TISAX AL2 Certification (June 2025)	Confirms compliance with stringent automotive information security standards.

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Value Propositions

The core value proposition of Aeva Technologies is simple: they offer the only commercially available 4D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) that directly measures instant velocity alongside 3D position. This is a crucial distinction from competitors, whose Time-of-Flight (ToF) systems only give you position and require complex software to estimate velocity. For a decision-maker like you, this translates directly into a superior safety profile and faster, more reliable decision-making for autonomous systems.

Here's the quick math on why this matters: A traditional sensor might see a stationary object 500 meters away, but Aeva's 4D system knows if that object is a piece of road debris or a vehicle moving toward you at 70 mph, instantly. This capability is what enables Level 3 (L3) and Level 4 (L4) automated driving at highway speeds, which is the current industry focus.

4D LiDAR: Instant Velocity Measurement (The 4th Dimension) for Superior Perception

Aeva's Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology is the engine behind its unique 4D capability. This isn't just a marketing term; it's a fundamental physics advantage. By measuring the Doppler shift-the change in light frequency as it reflects off a moving object-the sensor captures the object's velocity (the fourth dimension) with centimeter-per-second precision for every single point in the scene.

This instant velocity data is a game-changer for safety and perception algorithms. It allows autonomous systems to dynamically detect and track all objects-including vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists-with greater reliability and at up to twice the distance of conventional 3D Time-of-Flight LiDAR sensors.

Chip-Scale Design: Low-Cost, Small-Form-Factor Sensor for Mass Market Integration

To move from lab-bench prototype to mass-market product, you need a sensor that is small, robust, and manufacturable at scale. Aeva achieves this with its proprietary LiDAR-on-Chip design, known as Aeva CoreVision. It integrates all key LiDAR components onto a single silicon photonics chip, eliminating complex, costly, and fragile fiber optics.

This chip-scale approach is critical for achieving the low-cost and compact form factor needed for consumer vehicle integration. The new Atlas Ultra sensor, for example, features a 35% slimmer design than its predecessor, making it ideal for seamless, behind-the-windshield or roofline placement that doesn't compromise vehicle styling or aerodynamics. This design is what enables the company to target a production capacity of up to 200,000 LiDAR units annually to support its major automotive programs.

Immunity to Interference: FMCW Technology Avoids Sunlight and Other LiDAR Crosstalk

One of the biggest risks for traditional LiDAR is interference, whether from bright sunlight, fog, or the signals from another LiDAR sensor on an adjacent vehicle (crosstalk). The FMCW technology fundamentally solves this problem because it uses a continuous laser beam and measures frequency, not just a pulse's return time.

The Atlas Ultra is specifically designed to be immune to interference from direct sunlight and signals from other LiDAR sensors. This reliability is non-negotiable for a safety-critical system, and it means the perception data remains clear and actionable across a wide variety of real-world driving scenarios.

High-Performance Sensing: Long-Range Detection up to 500 Meters

High-speed highway driving demands ultra-long-range sensing. If a vehicle is traveling at 75 mph, it needs hundreds of meters of clear, reliable detection distance to safely execute maneuvers like emergency braking or lane changes. Aeva's Atlas and Atlas Ultra sensors deliver a maximum detection range of up to 500 meters.

This range, combined with the instant velocity data, allows the automated driving system to detect low-reflectivity objects (like dark tires or a poorly lit sign) at a range of 250 meters, which is a key requirement for highway-speed autonomy. This is a clear performance edge for the company in the long-range LiDAR market.

Automotive Grade: Designed for Reliability and Durability in Vehicles

Aeva is not just selling a sensor; they are selling an automotive-grade solution designed for mass production. Their core technology, the Aeva X1 System-on-Chip (SoC), is designed for dependability, including functional safety to ISO 26262 and automotive cybersecurity to ISO 21434.

This commitment to automotive standards is validated by their key customer engagements. They have an ongoing production program with Daimler Truck, and they recently completed a joint development program with a global top 10 passenger OEM, moving into late-stage contract negotiations for a large-scale production award. This passenger OEM program is expected to be a major win, with the Start of Production (SOP) targeted for 2027.

Here is a snapshot of Aeva's 2025 financial progress, which reflects their transition from development to commercialization:

Metric	2025 Value/Target	Context
Full-Year 2025 Revenue Target	$15 million to $18 million	Represents 70%-100% growth over 2024 revenue.
Q3 2025 Revenue	$3.6 million	Up from $2.3 million in Q3 2024.
Q3 2025 GAAP Operating Loss	$33.2 million	Reduced from $37.9 million in Q3 2024, indicating improved operational efficiency.
Annual Production Capacity Goal (Year-end 2025)	Over 100,000 units	Plan is to install a fully automated production line to support scaling demands.
Industrial Sensor Orders (Q1 2025)	Over 1,000 sensors (Aeva Eve 1D)	Initial orders from strategic customers like SICK AG and LMI Technologies, shipping later in 2025.

The company is defintely at an inflection point, pushing its differentiated technology into both the high-volume passenger vehicle market and new industrial sectors like factory automation and intelligent traffic management.

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Relationships

Aeva Technologies, Inc.'s customer relationships are not about simple transactions; they are deep, technical alliances built for long-term production and market expansion. You're not buying a sensor off the shelf; you're entering a co-development program to integrate a foundational technology, and that requires a high-touch, consultative model.

This strategy is defintely necessary because the Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDAR technology is still being integrated into next-generation platforms across automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. The relationship model is designed to lock in major, multi-year revenue streams once a design-win moves to mass production.

Co-Development and Engineering Support: Deep, Technical Collaboration with Key Clients

The core of Aeva's customer engagement is hands-on engineering support, which is critical for integrating their 4D LiDAR-on-chip technology into complex systems like autonomous vehicles and industrial robots. This is a high-cost, high-reward approach, but it's the only way to secure a design-win for a foundational component.

A prime example is the work with a Top-10 global passenger OEM. Aeva successfully completed a joint development program with this major client and, as of late 2025, is in late-stage contract negotiations for a large-scale series production award. This transition from a development relationship to a production relationship is the key to scaling the business.

In the aerospace sector, the relationship with Airbus UpNext is another co-development model, focused on supplying 4D LiDAR for the Optimate smart automation demonstrator to improve airport guidance and safety systems.

Long-Term Supply Agreements: Multi-year Contracts for Volume Production

The relationship goal is to convert development projects into multi-year, volume supply agreements, which provide the predictable, recurring revenue institutional investors look for. While the company's nine-month 2025 sales were $12.46 million, the value lies in the future production contracts.

The anticipated large-scale series production award with the Top-10 global passenger OEM represents the largest potential long-term contract. Furthermore, Aeva is on track with the Daimler Truck production program, with initial vehicle builds completed and orders for Atlas C Samples expected in 2026.

In other markets, the model is already translating to exclusive supply deals:

• Inyo Mobility: Exclusive LiDAR supplier for their autonomous shuttle platform for L4 urban operations.
• Sensys Gatso Australia: Exclusive LiDAR supplier for new mobile speed detection products.
• Industrial Automation: Initial orders for over 1,000 Eve 1D sensors, with shipments planned for late 2025, from strategic customers like SICK AG and LMI Technologies.

Dedicated Account Management: High-touch Support for Complex Integration

Given the complexity of Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology, Aeva must provide dedicated, high-touch support. This means assigning senior engineering and commercial teams to each major OEM and Tier-1 partner. This level of service is essential to minimize integration risk and accelerate time-to-market for the customer.

The entire business model hinges on this deep support, as the current Q3 2025 revenue of $3.58 million is primarily driven by these non-recurring engineering (NRE) services and prototype sales, not high-volume product revenue yet. You are paying for the expertise to get the product to market.

Strategic Investment: Equity Stakes for Select Partners to Align Interests

Aeva uses strategic investments to align its financial interests with its most important partners, moving beyond a simple vendor/customer dynamic. This capital infusion also strengthens the balance sheet, which is crucial for a company still in its early commercialization phase.

The May 2025 strategic collaboration with a Global Fortune 500 Company's Technology Subsidiary included an investment of up to $50 million, which represented an approximate 6% equity stake in Aeva. This investment is a strong signal of commitment and a clear alignment of long-term commercial goals.

Also, the $100 million investment from Apollo Global Management in convertible unsecured senior notes, announced in Q3 2025, further positions the company to accelerate its commercial momentum and scale its programs.

Partnership Model: Moving Beyond Transactional Sales to Strategic Alliances

Aeva's customer model is fundamentally a partnership model, particularly with the largest players. The goal is to become an indispensable, embedded technology partner, not just a component supplier. This is reflected in the dual role of the Global Fortune 500 Company's Technology Subsidiary, which is both a strategic investor and a selected Tier-2 manufacturing partner for the Top-10 global passenger OEM program.

Here's the quick math on the strategic capital influx in 2025, which underscores the partnership value:

Strategic Partner	Relationship Type	2025 Financial Value/Commitment
Global Fortune 500 Company's Technology Subsidiary	Strategic Investment & Tier-2 Manufacturing Partner	Up to $50 million (including ~6% equity stake)
Apollo Global Management	Strategic Financing	$100 million (Convertible Unsecured Senior Notes)
Top-10 Global Passenger OEM	Co-Development to Series Production	Advanced to late-stage contract negotiations for large-scale series production

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Channels

You're looking at Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) and trying to figure out how they actually get their 4D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) products into the hands of customers. The channel strategy is a blend of high-touch, direct sales for massive automotive programs and strategic partnerships for scale and non-core market penetration. This isn't a retail business; it's all about deeply embedded, high-value relationships.

For the 2025 fiscal year, Aeva is focused on converting development programs into production contracts, which is reflected in their projected revenue guidance of $15 million to $18 million, a growth of at least 80% to 100% over 2024. The channels below are what drive this transition from prototype revenue to real product sales.

Direct Sales Force: Targeting Automotive OEMs and large industrial clients

The core of Aeva's channel strategy is a highly specialized direct sales force that manages the complex, multi-year relationship with major global manufacturers. This team is responsible for securing and managing the massive series production contracts that define the company's long-term value.

The most important example here is the engagement with a Top-10 global passenger OEM, where Aeva has completed the joint development program and is in late-stage contract negotiations for a large-scale series production award. This is a direct, Tier 1 supplier relationship. Another key direct channel win is the ongoing program with Daimler Truck, which is on track for a 2027 market entry for their autonomous truck platform. These direct deals generate significant Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) revenue during the development phases, contributing to the Q3 2025 revenue of $3.6 million.

Here's the quick math: a single large OEM contract is estimated to be worth around $110 million at peak volume, so landing these direct sales is defintely the priority.

Tier 1 Suppliers (e.g., ZF): Leveraging their established sales and distribution networks

While Aeva can act as a Tier 1 supplier directly to OEMs, they also partner with established players to access specific, high-volume markets, especially in commercial vehicles and global manufacturing. This is how they scale without building a massive, global sales and support infrastructure overnight.

A prime example is the collaboration with Bendix, a leader in ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) for commercial vehicle systems. Bendix is leveraging Aeva's 4D LiDAR for L2+ Collision Mitigation, which taps into the North American market of approximately 300,000 new trucks sold annually across major platforms like Paccar and Navistar. Furthermore, a strategic collaboration with LG Innotek was announced in Q2 2025, which aims to accelerate the expansion of the Aeva Perception Platform across automotive, robotics, and consumer applications, essentially using LG Innotek's global reach as a channel.

System Integrators: Reaching non-automotive sectors like robotics and industrial automation

For non-automotive applications, Aeva uses specialized system integrators and key strategic customers to embed their technology. These partners take the raw 4D LiDAR sensor and integrate it into a final product solution for a specific vertical market.

In the industrial automation sector, they have secured SICK AG and LMI Technologies as strategic customers for their Eve 1D high-precision sensor. These companies collectively hold over 15% of the laser displacement sensor market, and Aeva has already booked initial orders for over 1,000 sensors to be shipped later in 2025. This channel is critical for monetizing the new industrial product line. Other key system integrator channels include:

• Intelligent Transportation Systems: Exclusive LiDAR supplier for Sensys Gatso Australia's new mobile speed detection products.
• Aerospace: Supplying 4D LiDAR to Airbus UpNext for the Optimate smart automation demonstrator project.

Online Developer Portal: Providing tools and APIs for early-stage integration

While Aeva does not maintain a single, public-facing 'Developer Portal' in the traditional sense, they use a technical channel to enable early-stage partners and developers to integrate their technology. This is crucial for building an ecosystem around their Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) LiDAR (a type of sensor that measures distance and velocity simultaneously).

The channel is a combination of direct software distribution and open-source contributions. This includes the Aeva API, the Aeva SDK (Software Development Kit), and the Aeva ROS Driver/Packages. These tools are distributed to partners to integrate the LiDAR data stream into their own perception software. Aeva also maintains a presence on GitHub under @aevainc, where they host open-source code like the AevaScenes Python SDK and a Doppler LiDAR plugin for the CARLA simulator, which is the ultimate low-friction channel for researchers and early developers.

Exclusive Licensing: Potentially licensing IP for specific non-core applications

Aeva's channel strategy includes a joint development and investment model that functions similarly to a licensing arrangement for non-core markets, especially consumer electronics, where they lack direct channel expertise.

This is best demonstrated by the strategic collaboration with a Global Fortune 500 company's technology affiliate. This partner will invest up to $50 million and take an approximately 6% equity stake in Aeva. The goal is a joint effort to bring Aeva's 4D LiDAR into new industrial and consumer markets, like consumer electronics, which are non-core to Aeva's direct automotive focus. This arrangement essentially licenses Aeva's technology and manufacturing know-how (as the partner is also a Tier-2 manufacturing partner) in exchange for capital and immediate access to new, massive global channels.

Channel Type	Target Customer Segment	Key 2025 Examples / Partners	Primary Function
Direct Sales Force	Automotive OEMs, Large Industrial	Top-10 global passenger OEM, Daimler Truck	Securing high-value, multi-year production contracts
Tier 1 Suppliers	Commercial Vehicle OEMs, Global Electronics	Bendix, LG Innotek	Scaling volume, accessing established vehicle platforms
System Integrators	Industrial Automation, ITS, Robotics	SICK AG, LMI Technologies, Sensys Gatso Australia, Airbus UpNext	Embedding sensors into final vertical market solutions
Online Developer Portal/Tools	R&D Teams, Software Engineers	Aeva SDK, Aeva API, @aevainc GitHub (AevaScenes Python SDK)	Enabling early-stage integration and ecosystem development
Exclusive Licensing/Joint Ventures	Consumer Electronics, Non-Core Markets	Global Fortune 500 company's technology affiliate	Market expansion with minimal capital expenditure; IP monetization

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Customer Segments

Aeva Technologies' customer segments are currently in a pivotal transition, moving from pure development partners to high-volume production clients, with the automotive sector being the primary long-term value driver. In the 2025 fiscal year, the company is seeing a significant ramp in the industrial segment, which is helping to bridge the revenue gap until major automotive programs begin production in 2026 or 2027.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, Aeva reported total revenue of $12.46 million, with the vast majority-86%-coming from the North American market. This revenue is a mix of sensor sales and non-recurring engineering (NRE) fees from its key customer segments.

Automotive OEMs: Primary focus for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving

This is defintely the largest potential segment, though it is still in the development and pre-production phase as of late 2025. Aeva has secured two major, high-profile programs that validate its Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) 4D LiDAR technology for mass-market adoption.

The most significant near-term opportunity is the ongoing production program with Daimler Truck, one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. This deal is on track for the start of production (SOP) in 2026, targeting a market entry in 2027 for autonomous trucks.

A second, massive future opportunity is the development program with a global top 10 passenger OEM. As of Q3 2025, Aeva has successfully completed the joint development program for its Aeva Atlas Ultra 4D LiDAR and is in late-stage contract negotiations for a large-scale series production award. To give you a sense of scale, a few full-scale automotive programs like this could represent between $400 million and $500 million in annual revenue once fully ramped. That's a game-changer.

Tier 1 Automotive Suppliers: Integrating Aeva's sensor into their modular systems

While Aeva often works directly with OEMs, the Tier 1 segment is crucial for scaling production and integration. A key move in 2025 was the strategic collaboration and investment agreement with a Global Fortune 500 company's technology affiliate.

This affiliate will serve as a Tier-2 manufacturing partner for the global top 10 passenger OEM program, which helps Aeva rapidly scale production capacity to meet future automotive demands. The partnership also includes an investment of up to $50 million to accelerate the adoption of Aeva's 4D LiDAR technology across multiple new markets.

Industrial Automation and Robotics: High-precision sensing for factory floors and logistics

The industrial segment is generating substantial product revenue in 2025, serving as a critical revenue bridge before the automotive programs start mass production. Aeva launched its Aeva Eve 1D sensor, specifically targeting the $4 billion global laser displacement sensor market. This is where the near-term volume is coming from.

Key strategic customers in this segment include industry leaders:

• SICK AG: A major sensor company for factory and process automation.
• LMI Technologies: Focused on 3D scanning and inspection solutions.

Initial purchase orders from these and other customers exceeded 1,000 sensors in 2025, with shipments planned for the second half of the year. The CEO has also detailed a broader plan to tap into the $10 billion market opportunity in robotics and factory automation.

Consumer Electronics: Potential future segment for augmented reality and sensing

This segment remains a future growth vector, but the groundwork was laid in 2025. The strategic collaboration with the Global Fortune 500 company's technology affiliate is explicitly designed to bring Aeva's 4D LiDAR into new industrial and consumer markets. This indicates a clear strategic intent to pursue applications like augmented reality (AR) and other consumer sensing devices once the core technology is fully commercialized at scale and cost-optimized.

Defense and Government: Specialized applications requiring high-fidelity 4D data

This segment focuses on specialized, high-margin applications that benefit from Aeva's unique ability to measure both distance and velocity (4D data). These are typically low-volume but high-value contracts.

Recent 2025 wins in this segment include:

• Airbus UpNext: Selected Aeva to co-develop an airport guidance and safety system demonstrator.
• Sensys Gatso Australia: Selected Aeva as the exclusive LiDAR supplier for its new mobile speed detection products, entering the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) market.
• Inyo Mobility: Selected Aeva as the exclusive LiDAR supplier for its autonomous shuttle platform for L4 urban operations.

Here's the quick math on the current revenue mix and future potential:

Customer Segment Focus	2025 Revenue Contribution (Estimated)	Key 2025 Program/Customer	Long-Term Revenue Potential (Annual)
Automotive OEMs (Development/NRE)	High portion of $15M to $18M guidance	Global Top 10 Passenger OEM (Late-stage contract negotiations)	$400M - $500M from a few full-scale programs
Industrial Automation & Robotics (Product Sales)	Significant ramp (>1,000 sensors ordered)	SICK AG, LMI Technologies (Initial orders for >1,000 Eve 1D sensors)	$10 billion total market opportunity
Defense & Government (Specialized/NRE)	Project-based NRE revenue	Airbus UpNext, Sensys Gatso Australia	High-margin, project-based revenue
Tier 1 & Consumer Electronics (Strategic)	Investment & NRE revenue	Global Fortune 500 Technology Affiliate (Up to $50M investment)	New market expansion for consumer and industrial applications

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Cost Structure

You are looking at Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) in late 2025, and the cost structure is exactly what you'd expect from a deep-tech company moving from pure development to commercial scale: it's dominated by high fixed costs to protect and advance the core technology, but with a clear, strategic path toward cost reduction in manufacturing.

The biggest takeaway is that Aeva is burning cash to win major automotive programs, but they are also showing discipline by targeting a 10% to 20% reduction in full-year 2025 non-GAAP operating expenses year-over-year. This is a critical balancing act.

Research and Development (R&D): Estimated at over $100 million for the 2025 fiscal year.

R&D is the engine of Aeva's business model and, consequently, its largest cost center. The company's total GAAP operating expenses for the first nine months of 2025 (Q1-Q3) already reached $96.522 million, and R&D is the primary driver of this figure. To put it in perspective, the full-year 2024 R&D expense was $102.7 million, and with the ongoing push into new product lines like the Eve 1D industrial sensor and the advancement of the Daimler Truck production program, R&D remains the top priority for capital deployment.

Here's the quick math: With nine months of operating expenses nearly hitting the $100 million mark, the full-year R&D investment is defintely on track to meet or exceed that figure, funding the next generation of their 4D LiDAR-on-chip technology.

Manufacturing Costs: Scaling up silicon photonics production for cost reduction.

The cost of revenue is currently high, reflecting the early-stage, low-volume production and non-recurring engineering (NRE) services. For example, the Cost of Revenue in Q2 2025 surged to $8.23 million, an increase of 188% year-over-year, which included a $3.8 million loss on a joint development agreement.

However, the strategy is a classic semiconductor scaling play: drive down unit cost through volume and process maturity. The key cost-saving lever is the silicon photonics architecture, which integrates all key LiDAR components onto a single chip. As manufacturing lines, like the one for the Eve 1D sensor, are brought up and units are shipped, the company anticipates a significant improvement in gross margins, targeting a range of 35-45% and potentially reaching 50% at full scale.

Sales, General, and Administrative (SG&A): Expanding global sales and support teams.

While R&D is the largest expense, SG&A is growing to support the commercialization push. The company is actively focused on operational efficiency, targeting a 10% to 20% reduction in non-GAAP operating expenses for the full year 2025. This is a good sign of fiscal discipline.

The SG&A costs cover the expansion of global sales teams necessary to convert development programs, like the one with the Top-10 global passenger OEM, into large-scale series production awards. It also includes the general administrative overhead required to operate across North America, EMEA, and Asia.

Patent Maintenance and Litigation: Protecting core IP globally.

Protecting the core intellectual property (IP) is a significant and unavoidable cost for a technology leader. This includes the legal fees and official payments for a global patent portfolio.

• Patent Maintenance Fees: The 11.5-year maintenance fee for a single large-entity utility patent with the USPTO is now $8,280. Multiply that across a global portfolio, and the annual cost is substantial.
• Litigation Overhead: The company had an accrued contingent liability of $14.0 million as of June 30, 2024, related to a stockholder litigation settlement, though they expected a $2.5 million recovery from an insurance carrier. Litigation is expensive, even when settled.

Automotive Qualification and Testing: Expensive, necessary compliance overhead.

Getting a new sensor into an automotive production program is a multi-year, multi-million dollar investment that falls under the cost structure. These costs are non-negotiable for a Tier 1 supplier.

• Compliance Investment: Aeva achieved the rigorous TISAX Assessment Level 2 (AL2) certification in June 2025, which is mandatory for handling sensitive information from European, American, and Asian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
• Program Costs: The company is currently on track with the Daimler Truck production program, which involves expensive, continuous testing and delivery of samples, such as the Atlas C Samples expected in 2026. This phase requires significant internal engineering and external lab testing resources to meet automotive-grade standards for temperature, vibration, and reliability.

Here is a snapshot of the recent operational expense dynamics:

Expense Category	Q3 2025 (GAAP, in millions)	Q1-Q3 2025 (GAAP, in millions)	Strategic Context
Total Operating Expenses	$33.591	$96.522	Primary cash burn, driven by R&D and scaling efforts.
Non-GAAP Operating Loss	$27.2	N/A	Reflects a 13% year-over-year decline in Q3, showing cost management focus.
Cost of Revenue (Q2 2025)	N/A	N/A	Surged to $8.23 million in Q2 2025, including a $3.8 million loss on a joint development agreement.

Finance: Track Q4 R&D expenditure to ensure the full-year figure remains within the projected capital plan.

Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) - Canvas Business Model: Revenue Streams

You need to understand that Aeva Technologies' 2025 revenue is still heavily weighted toward development work, not mass production. The company is projecting full-year 2025 revenue growth of 100-110% over 2024, targeting a range of $18.2 million to $19.11 million, with the bulk of that coming from Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) fees and early product shipments.

The core of the revenue model is a classic high-tech ramp: secure long-term, high-volume production contracts, then generate near-term cash flow through custom development and prototype sales while you wait for the multi-year production programs to start. It's a bridge strategy, and right now, the bridge is carrying most of the load.

Product Sales

While the long-term goal is high-volume sensor sales, 2025 product revenue remains in the early commercialization phase. Based on the projected total revenue of $18.2 million and the fact that NRE is the largest component, we estimate product sales to be approximately $7.28 million for the full year.

This product revenue is driven by the initial commercial deployment of their 4D LiDAR units in both automotive and industrial sectors. For example, Aeva Technologies reported orders for over 1,000 sensors for its industrial automation segment in Q1 2025, specifically for the Aeva Eve 1D sensor line, with shipments scheduled for later in the year.

Here's the quick math on the first three quarters' GAAP revenue: $3.4 million (Q1 2025) plus $5.5 million (Q2 2025) plus $3.6 million (Q3 2025) totals $12.5 million in revenue recognized so far this year.

Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) Fees

NRE fees-payments for custom development and integration-are currently the most significant revenue stream. This is a clear indicator of the company's development-stage status, as customers are paying for the customization and integration of the 4D LiDAR-on-chip technology into their specific platforms (prototypes).

We estimate NRE-related revenue to be around $10.92 million for 2025, which represents roughly 60% of the total projected revenue. This stream is critical because it funds ongoing R&D and solidifies customer relationships before the production phase. The recent strategic collaboration with a Global Fortune 500 company's technology affiliate includes up to $17.5 million in joint product development revenue, which is a major NRE component.

Milestone Payments

Milestone payments are a key feature of Aeva Technologies' major automotive and industrial development programs. These payments are tied to achieving specific, pre-defined technical or program development goals, not just the delivery of a sensor. It's a way for the customer to manage risk while still funding the development. The company has already achieved its 'first key milestone' in a development program with a global top 10 passenger OEM.

The $50 million strategic collaboration announced in May 2025 explicitly notes that additional amounts are subject to meeting certain milestones, reinforcing this as a structural revenue component.

Licensing and Royalty Fees

This revenue stream is entirely future-facing but represents a huge potential opportunity from IP licensing in non-core markets. The value of the company's proprietary Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology is its ability to be integrated into a chip, which lends itself to a licensing model.

The strategic partnership with LG Innotek, which included a $77.5 million strategic investment (recognized as a share subscription liability as of June 30, 2025), is a strong signal of future licensing or royalty potential, particularly in consumer electronics and non-automotive sectors.

Long-Term Backlog

The true value driver for Aeva Technologies is the long-term backlog, which secures multi-year production revenue. This is where the big money is, but it won't hit the income statement for a few years. The most concrete example is the multi-year OEM deal with Daimler Truck AG and Torc Robotics, where Aeva's 4D LiDAR is the exclusive long-range and ultra-long-range sensor.

This deal alone has an estimated potential lifetime revenue of $1 billion. Production for this autonomous truck program is planned to start in 2027. This backlog is the foundation for the company's valuation, even though it provides minimal cash flow today.

Revenue Stream	2025 Estimated Contribution (Based on $18.2M Projection)	Nature of Revenue
Product Sales	Approx. $7.28 million	Initial shipments of 4D LiDAR units (e.g., Eve 1D sensors to industrial customers).
Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) Fees	Approx. $10.92 million	Custom development and integration services for major OEM programs. Currently the largest contributor.
Milestone Payments	Included in NRE/Development Revenue	Payments tied to achieving development milestones (e.g., first key milestone with a global top 10 passenger OEM).
Licensing and Royalty Fees	Minimal or Future Potential	Future revenue from IP licensing in non-core markets, supported by strategic investments like the LG Innotek partnership.
Long-Term Backlog (Future Lifetime Revenue)	Over $1 billion (e.g., Daimler Truck deal)	Secured revenue from multi-year production contracts, with production start dates like 2027.