Rivian is aiming to ramp up its first round of production later this year, with plans to build a number of different products, both under the Rivian brand and for other companies as well. This includes a new SUV for GM’s crosstown rival, Ford, as well as a fleet of delivery vans for Amazon. Now, new production details on the various Rivian EV products are coming to light.
Production will take place at Rivian’s manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, which the company purchased from Mitsubishi in 2017 for $16 million. The plant was subsequently reconfigured and expanded in order to accommodate the upcoming line of Rivian EV products.
Rivian R1T
Every Rivian EV prototype produced thus far has come from Rivian’s Engineering and Design Center in Plymouth, Michigan. Rivian’s first pilot-build vehicles slated for production at the Illinois facility will kick off in Q3 of 2020. Full production of Rivian’s R1T electric pickup will begin in December, while the Rivian R1S electric SUV will hit production three months later.
Rivian Skateboard Chassis
The Rivian EV factory will dedicate a production line to production of the company’s underlying “skateboard chassis,” which will carry over to all Rivian products, including those for Ford and Amazon. The skateboard chassis includes the batteries, electric motors, and suspension pieces, on top of which the vehicle body is then placed. The factory will also dedicate a line towards the production of EV battery packs.
With Rivian handling the underlying chassis, Ford is developing its own “top hat” body for its luxury upcoming all-electric SUV, which is believed to be a forthcoming Lincoln product.
The plant will have two final assembly lines, one of which will be for high-content products like those for Ford and Rivian, and the other of which will handle the low-content Amazon delivery vans.
The upcoming Rivian EV R1T pickup is seen as a competitor for the new Tesla Cybertruck, as well as Ford’s upcoming all-electric F-150, and GM’s new electric pickup as well.
GM was previously in talks with Rivian about becoming a minority stakeholder in the company, but according to reports, negotiations eventually broke down over Rivian’s insistence on licensing technology to other automakers.
Subscribe to GM Authority for ongoing GM news coverage.
Source: MotorTrend
Comments
The Rivian R1T is not a Direct competitor to the Cybertruck or F-150. It is more Tacoma or Colorado Sized.
Very interested to see which vehicle will be Rivians best seller. The Truck or CUV.
I agree until the last sentence. CUV? The Rivian R1S is the closest thing to an SUV you’ll see out there. The Tesla Model X, Mustang Mach-E and a dozen others that are using the SUV moniker is an insult to true SUVs; they are barely a CUV.
@EV watcher
You are correct. SUV
Sic ’em, Hummer
@G8Burnout
I have been saying for at least Six Months (when Rumors first started) that GM should make the Hummer Brand their version of Rivian. Has to be Ultra Luxurious and Ultra Capable off-road.
Hummer should be like a Land Rover/Rivian EV Luxury Brand
Saw these at the LA auto show. I really like them and they are certainly better looking than most of the Tesla products. Actually, I don’t mind the Tesla cars. It’s that super ugly Model X and the now even worse looking “truck”? WTH.
Go Rivian! From what I’m reading, this is an American company that will be building in the USA and both the R1T and R1S are very attractive vehicles. Now, can they find a good name to attach to them instead of just calling them R1T and R1S?
@Dan Berning
I too am very excited to see yet another American Startup EV Company. Not sure Rivian can or will catch Tesla but I believe they are two completely different Companies.
Very excited to also see what Ford (besides Mach-E) FCA, and GM will have in the EV Market in a year or two.
Agreed. I may not care much for Musk, but I do like Tesla and am happy that it’s American. I also believe this (electric) is where the real growth is now. We won’t see the “death” of the ICE, but I don’t see any growth there either. In fact, I could see the ICE market getting much smaller due to the increase in electric. My biggest thing is (has been) why electric has to be ugly or even much different from regular vehicles? The Volt was ok and better in the second/final generation. The Bolt is not terrible, but not good either. The Leaf was barely ok and better now. The Prius is/has been ugly from the very start. Etc, etc. That’s why I like the Tesla cars and not the others. So now Rivian comes along and I really feel they will turn the entire electric scene on it’s head. And being built in my home state of IL is just the best!
Great looking vehicles… GM should ensure ALL their products are visually pleasing. Spend the extra Nickel Mary and make great looking vehicles. Spend the extra Dime on interiors… then quit because GM is sliding and not in the right direction…
I wouldn’t say that they are competing with Ford. Ford Motor Company dumped a bunch of money into the development of Rivian.