The talks aren't guaranteed to bear fruit, although Reuters understood that a successful deal could be announced as early as February.

Amazon told Engadget it declined to comment on rumors and speculation. In a statement to Bloomberg, GM spokesman Pat Morrissey didn't confirm or deny the talks but did say that the brand "admire[s] Rivian's contribution to a future of zero emissions and an all-electric future."

For GM, the incentives to back Rivian are fairly clear. It's shifting its focus to electric vehicles, and an investment in Rivian could give it access to the young outfit's long-lasting batteries and design know-how. It could ensure that Tesla's eventual pickup has some competition, too. Amazon's motivations aren't so apparent, but it just recently invested in a self-driving tech startup and has been taking greater control of its delivery operations. It could theoretically put Rivian's work to use in cargo and courier vehicles.