Ford-backed upstart EV automaker Rivian has been busy the last few months, starting production of its very first vehicle – the R1T pickup, which just won MotorTrend‘s Truck of the Year award – at its plant in Normal, Illinois, while also enjoying one of the biggest IPOs in history and becoming the largest company in history with zero revenue. Ford and Rivian originally planned on collaborating on a new Blue Oval EV, but recently scrapped those plans as the two remain competitors, in spite of also enjoying a cozy relationship. Now, as Rivian continues to eye further expansion, the automaker will build its second plant in Georgia, according to Reuters.
Rivian’s second U.S. plant will cost around $5 billion and be located east of Atlanta. The automaker notes that the plant will eventually employ 7,500 people and produce 400,000 vehicles per year. Scheduled to open in 2024, the plant will build not only vehicles but also batteries to power those vehicles. Construction is expected to commence next summer.
CEO R.J. Scaringe also revealed that Rivian has produced 652 R1T pickups so far, while 386 of those models have already been delivered to customers. The company also posted a third-quarter net loss of $1.2 billion as it continues to struggle with ramping up production amid a tight labor market, massive supply chain issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rivian – which plans to eventually open plants in Europe and China – currently has the capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles per year at its Normal facility. Scaringe previously stated that he wants to increase that capacity to 200,000 by 2023, and plans to build one million vehicles annually by 2030. Currently, the automaker has around 71,000 pre-orders for the R1T and R1S SUV, along with a contract to build 100,000 EV delivery vans for retail giant Amazon.
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Comments
Better competition builds ultimately better Fords!
Where are the dealerships located
So, I cannot fathom, or have read, where are all these EV’s will plug into or what the cost will be when millions will be on the road. BTW,….ugly “truck”
Unless they make more attractive, appealing, and varying models to fill that capacity and draw consumer acceptance, I am afraid they are setting themselves, and their investors, up to fail. What they should be doing is to acquire a Ford factory that they are going to make obsolete from elimination of ICE models, and reduce their costs and decrease their project time.