US electric vehicle (EV) startup Rivian is aiming to produce one million EVs annually by 2030 despite recent production and supply chain challenges.
In a recent interview with Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, Reuters reports the EV startup is hoping to build “a lot more than that as we get out into the 2030s”.
For context, Tesla produced 930,422 vehicles in 2021 and CEO Elon Musk said the company could be producing 20 million vehicles annually by 2032.
In order to achieve this one million annual production goal Mr Scaringe said that it’s “going to require multiple vehicles, different platforms and sizes”.
R1T
Mr Scaringe recently said on Twitter the EV startup is on track to achieve its 2022 annual production goal of 25,000 vehicles.
Rivian also said it’s now “ramping up production and deliveries” of its R1T ute, R1S SUV and EDV700 long-wheelbase van.
In addition to confirming Rivian’s 2030 production target, Mr Scaringe also said the company is looking into a number of different applications of its so-called RCV platform, which underpins the EDV700 large delivery van.
EDV700
“We’re thinking about many other aspects of the commercial space outside of last-mile delivery (including) cargo and work vans,” said Mr Scaringe.
“We’ve had a whole host of discussions with other customers.”
It’s unclear what types of RCV-based commercial vehicles Rivian has in the works at this stage.
As previously detailed, Amazon has ordered 100,000 of these EDV700 delivery vans.
Mr Scaringe also said Rivian is planning a range of smaller commercial vehicles that could share components with the EV startup’s upcoming R2 crossover.
These smaller commercial vehicles will be built at Rivian’s second production facility in the US state of Georgia.
As previously reported, Rivian has been grappling with high shipping costs and supply chain issues which lead to it producing only 2553 vehicles in the first quarter of 2022.
It also posted a quarterly net loss of $US1.59 billion ($A2.3 billion) in the first quarter, which followed an almost $US2.5 billion ($A3.62 billion) loss in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Following this, Ford offloaded a little over $US400 million ($A579.87 million) of its shares in Rivian in May 2022. The Blue Oval still holds almost 87 million Rivian shares, however.
In November 2021 Ford and Rivian cancelled their jointly-developed EV project which was going to see Rivian’s skateboard EV architecture underpin a Ford and a Lincoln.
Rivian has yet to lock in plans for an Australian introduction, but previously said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission that it plans to enter major Asia-Pacific markets, among others.
Keyword: Rivian CEO aims to build a million electric vehicles in 2030