Photo: Rivian
Rookie electric car producer Rivian thinks big, looking to extend production beyond the borders of the United States. Talks are underway for a British or an EU factory.
Rivian is a freshman in the automotive industry and has yet to deliver cars to real customers. That is not preventing the producer of R1T pick-up truck and R1S SUV from looking for new production facilities outside the United States.
According to AutoExpress, the electric car manufacturer is in talks with the UK government for a potential factory in Somerset. Brits are so eager to host Rivian’s production that are willing to spill taxpayer’s money to make it happen. That is, if Rivian decides to build the £1bn (1.326 billion U.S. dollars) factory in England.
The incentives promised by the UK government include a new exit off the M5 motorway for easy access to the plant, the recommissioning of a railway link in the area, and financial support to have the plant up and running. The factory will be built on a 635-acre site and could produce batteries, assemble cars, or both at the same time if the plans are to go ahead.
The UK is not the only country Rivian is in talks to for a new factory. According to Financial Times (paywall), Rivian is also considering proposals from at least two other European countries. Amazon is also big into this, being a major Rivian stakeholder and also the beneficiary of 100,000 electric delivery vans expected by 2030.
If Rivian decides to build its second factory in the UK, it will follow the footsteps of two other car manufacturers that announced plans to extend operations in the Kingdom. Recently, Nissan announced that will build its Leaf replacement at a new facility in Sunderland, while Stellantis will continue to do business in Ellesmere Port. It is also true that Rivian might prefer an EU country, preferably one with lower wages to make ends meet.
Rivian is expected to start deliveries of its R1T electric pickup in January 2022, with the seven-seat R1S SUV following at a later time. Rivian will probably be the first producer with an electric pick-up to market, beating Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning to the punch.
The Rivian R1T is a four-electric-motor affair with a 0-60 mph (97 kph) time of three seconds and a maximum range over 300 miles Just don’t take it towing, as in this case the range will severely drop. Prices start at $67,500, with longer-range (and more expensive) variants in the pipeline.
According to AutoExpress, the electric car manufacturer is in talks with the UK government for a potential factory in Somerset. Brits are so eager to host Rivian’s production that are willing to spill taxpayer’s money to make it happen. That is, if Rivian decides to build the £1bn (1.326 billion U.S. dollars) factory in England.
The incentives promised by the UK government include a new exit off the M5 motorway for easy access to the plant, the recommissioning of a railway link in the area, and financial support to have the plant up and running. The factory will be built on a 635-acre site and could produce batteries, assemble cars, or both at the same time if the plans are to go ahead.
The UK is not the only country Rivian is in talks to for a new factory. According to Financial Times (paywall), Rivian is also considering proposals from at least two other European countries. Amazon is also big into this, being a major Rivian stakeholder and also the beneficiary of 100,000 electric delivery vans expected by 2030.
If Rivian decides to build its second factory in the UK, it will follow the footsteps of two other car manufacturers that announced plans to extend operations in the Kingdom. Recently, Nissan announced that will build its Leaf replacement at a new facility in Sunderland, while Stellantis will continue to do business in Ellesmere Port. It is also true that Rivian might prefer an EU country, preferably one with lower wages to make ends meet.
Rivian is expected to start deliveries of its R1T electric pickup in January 2022, with the seven-seat R1S SUV following at a later time. Rivian will probably be the first producer with an electric pick-up to market, beating Tesla Cybertruck and Ford F-150 Lightning to the punch.
The Rivian R1T is a four-electric-motor affair with a 0-60 mph (97 kph) time of three seconds and a maximum range over 300 miles Just don’t take it towing, as in this case the range will severely drop. Prices start at $67,500, with longer-range (and more expensive) variants in the pipeline.
Google News