CALSTART is a North American non-profit organisation helping to drive the advancement of clean transportation, with a focus both on the U.S., and on a global scale through its ‘Drive to Zero’ initiative, in which countries, regions, and businesses have signed a pledge to make zero-emission technology the dominant propulsion method for commercial vehicles.
CALSTART is also one of the partners of this year’s World EV Day™, the internationally recognised day that looks to underline a positive narrative about how EVs are better than their internal combustion engined counterparts: better to drive, better for affordability, and of course, better for the planet. With Rivian one of CALSTART’s members, let’s take a closer look at how pure EV player Rivian is navigating the zero-emission transition.
Rapid growth
Rivian is a fairly new name within the automotive space, having only been founded in 2009, with its first model, the R1T electric truck, beginning with customer deliveries back in late 2021. That was joined soon after by the R1S, an electric SUV based on the same platform. Rivian’s investment on the commercial side is also significant with its Electric Delivery Van (EDV), with initial investor Amazon already operating over 20,000 EDVs in its fleet. These three EVs are currently built in the USA at its Normal, Illinois plant.
Despite its young age, Rivian is quickly become one of the most important firms within the automotive and emobility industry, helped along by significant investments from Amazon. Its importance has recently been strengthened further thanks to a strategic partnership with Volkswagen Group, which has resulted in a joint venture to bring next-generation software and EV architecture to vehicles from both Volkswagen Group and Rivian.
Expanding its target market
So far, Rivian has targeted the commercial sector through its commercial vans and the high-end passenger EV market through its R1S and R1T models, but two upcoming models, built on an all-new midsize EV platform, are set to significantly expand its potential customer base.
Coming first will be the R2, a midsize electric SUV that will offer the same go-anywhere capabilities of its larger R1 platform on a more compact footprint – and at a lower price. In the U.S., the R2 is targeting a $45,000 starting price, significantly lower than the R1S’ $76,990 starting price.
Rivian’s EV portfolio will later be joined by the R3 crossover, which evokes a timeless hatchback silhouette, offering the Rivian experience with even smaller dimensions and a lower, yet-to-be-confirmed price tag. Together, these two upcoming models will increase the accessibility of the Rivian brand further.
Increasing production
With more models on the horizon and deliveries forecast to rise, Rivian is also primed to begin production at a second location within the U.S., with a new plant being constructed in the southeastern state of Georgia. With plans to create around 7,500 jobs in the area, the factory will be crucial in boosting volume production for two of its upcoming EVs, the R2 and R3. Production of customer vehicles is expected to commence at the Georgia plant in 2028, with the facility serving as the company’s springboard into international markets.
Rivian has expanded its current Illinois factory to launch R2 in 2026, underscoring the scale Rivian is hoping to achieve with its more affordable electric SUV.
This new factory is being complemented by an East Coast headquarters, located in Georgia’s capital Atlanta. This is set to open later this year, with further expansion of the headquarters through 2026.
A future in Europe
Long term, Rivian has an ambition to sell its products globally, particularly in Europe. So far, Rivian’s vehicle expansion into Europe has only gone as far as its Amazon EDVs, with over 300 examples already delivering packages to customers in Germany.
Looking further ahead, the American OEM has confirmed that it has Europe in its sights, and will launch consumer vehicles later this decade. That will kick off with the Rivian R2, a much more compact take on the brand’s existing Rivian R1S SUV. Customer deliveries for the R2 will reach North American customers next year, but a specific European launch date is yet to be set.
As well as selling its passenger EVs in Europe, Rivian will also make a geographical expansion in the region through the opening of an AI-focussed technology hub in London. One of Rivian’s unique selling points is its software expertise, and this London hub will specialise on both AI integration into vehicles and the continuous improvement of existing Rivian EVs through over-the-air updates.
You can find out more about the work that CALSTART is doing with members such as Rivian, here.
