It has been a big year for most of the major automakers around the globe when it comes to the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). It’s not just the big original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) but the smaller startups too.
Rivian, the US electric vehicle startup, has released a video showcasing an exciting year of progress and momentum. The video (below) also outlines the joy of seeing its customers create their own stories in their new vehicles.
Back in September 2021, the company saw its first Rivian R1T zero-emissions truck roll off the line. This was ahead of Ford’s F-150 Lightning, General Motors’ Electric Hummer and the much anticipated Telsa’s Cybertruck.
This year has been big for Rivian, who announced in January that it was collaborating with Adopt a Charger, the national nonprofit that provides free electric vehicle charging at scenic, cultural and civic destinations.
The company announced itwould be sponsoring dozens of charging stations in Yosemite National Park and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The collaboration will enable more emission-free transportation and support electric vehicle adoption as charging infrastructure is enhanced within some of America’s most popular national parks.
In April, Rivian announced it had hired new staff to move the company forward. It took on Frank Klein as Chief Operations Officer and Anisa Kamadoli Costa as its first Chief Sustainability Officer. Klein was previously the President at Austria-based automotive contract manufacturer Magna Steyr, a subsidiary of Canadian-based Magna International.
In July, Amazon announced that customers in the US would soon see custom electric delivery vehicles from Rivian delivering their packages. These electric vehicles will be hitting the road in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle and St. Louis, among other cities.
This rollout was just the beginning of what is expected to be thousands of Amazon’s custom electric delivery vehicles in more than 100 cities by the end of this year. The online retailer plans to have 100,000 electric vehicles across the US by 2030.
In September, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate a strategic partnership. The partnership will enable the companies to cooperate on the production of electric vans.
The companies intend to establish a new joint venture manufacturing company. The purpose is to invest in, and operate, a factory in Europe to produce large electric vans for both Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian. This is intended to start in a couple of years.
The target is to build an all-new electric-only production facility using an existing Mercedes-Benz site in Central/Eastern Europe. The companies envisage production-optimised vehicle designs for efficient manufacturing on common assembly lines.
Finally, in December Rivian and Apex Clean Energy announced the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) for 50 megawatts (MW) of electricity from the renewable energy company’s proposed Goose Creek Wind farm in Piatt County, Illinois.
As Rivian’s first large-scale procurement, the agreement supports the company’s long-term vision of enabling high-impact renewable energy projects that reduce its carbon footprint while also benefiting customers, communities and the electrical grid.
This purchase, along with other renewable sourcing and on-site generation, will allow Rivian to power as much as 75% of its Normal, Illinois, plant operations with carbon-free energy on an hourly basis.
All exciting announcements and it will be good to see what 2023 brings for Rivian and the other startups out there doing great things with electric vehicles.
