Rivian CEO says buying an ICE vehicle is like ‘building a horse barn,’ R2 will help pull buyers
EV maker Rivian is having a big year as production and deliveries gain momentum. However, the company is looking toward the future with its next generation of products. In a recent interview, CEO RJ Scaringe compared buying an ICE vehicle in this day’s age to “building a horse barn in 1910.” He said Rivian’s R2 products would help pull indecisive buyers.
Rivian is on a hot streak lately as the EV maker begins to gain better visibility and control over its supply chain.
The EV startup topped expectations in the second quarter, delivering 12,640 EVs while confirming it’s on track to hit its 50,000 annual production guidance.
Despite a slow start to the year, Rivian warned it would happen as it retooled its electric delivery van (EDV) assembly line to add capacity for its in-house Enduro drive units and LFP batteries.
The first dual-motor R1T models with the Enduro drive units rolled off the assembly line at its Normal, Illinois, plant in May. Rivian says the new addition will help streamline production while lowering costs to assist its ramp-up.
Rivian also unveiled its performance dual-motor version earlier this month, giving customers three R1 powertrain options to choose from.
In an interview with Heatmap this week, Scaringe said the objective of its R1 models “was to serve as a handshake to the world.”
He added, “And we did that at a premium price with a flagship set of products, the R1T and R1S” electric models.
However, with a starting price over $70K, the R1 series is out of reach for many customers. A problem Scaringe said will be solved with Rivian’s next-generation R2 products.
Rivian R2 products will help pull indecisive buyers
Rivian’s CEO and founder says that although the accelerating rate of EV adoption has taken him by surprise, the company is seeing a fundamental shift in consumers’ mindsets.
The performance and drivability of an EV, Scaringe says, makes it “so much more desirable than an alternative.” He added, “Buying a non-EV just feels very old,” not only for the environmental responsibility but also because ICE cars are just plain boring.
With legacy automakers finally leaning into their EV strategies, there’s a fundamental shift underway in the industry.
Scaringe said the trend is “one directional,” despite varying policies, because consumers have made the switch. “I don’t think we’re going to see consumers have any reignited interest in combustion-powered vehicles,” he claimed. Although it won’t happen overnight, “the reality is consumers have made it clear that shift is going to come.”
Over the next several years, new EV models are coming out from nearly every automaker that will fit everyone’s taste. In the meantime, charging infrastructure continues rolling out at a record pace, making it easier and more accessible than ever.
As the transition unfolds, buyers won’t want to go back to ICE vehicles. It will be old technology. Scaringe describes it perfectly when he said:
I think the reality of buying a combustion powered vehicle, in light of the policy that’s coming, is sort of like building a horse barn in 1910. Like, imagine buying a Chevy Suburban in 2030. Like, what are you going to do with that, right? In 10 years? Yeah, like gas stations will be slowly disappearing. It’s just weird.
Your vehicle is often your second largest asset, and “you’re buying this thing that absolutely has no future in our society.”
Scaringe says Rivian’s next-generation R2 products will help drive demand and “pull a lot more customers across that jump” with a $40K to $45K starting price.
Rivian’s R2 series is due out at the beginning of 2026 and will be produced at its second plant in Atlanta.
Scaringe said R2 will simplify manufacturing with fewer parts while leveraging what it has learned with the R1 ramp. It will be “a very, very different vehicle architecture than what we did in R1.”
The leader said some of the R1 team members who are already moving to or have already moved to R2 are praising the simplicity. For example, he said the team is talking about stuff like, “Hey, that was a real big challenge when we had to attach the C pillar trim on this part because the clips do this, this and this. Let’s rethink that. Heck, let’s get rid of all the clips.”
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Following approval from Transport Canada, EV startup Workhorse will be bringing the W56 and W750 model electric delivery vans to commercial truck dealers in Canada as early as this spring.
Workhorse first showed its W56 medium-duty electric truck at Indiana’s Work Truck Week in 2023, and has sold the trucks to logistics and delivery companies like FedEx and Pride Group – which ordered more than six thousand of the electric vans in 2021, and continues to expand its fleet.
“This is a major step forward for Workhorse,” says Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer in a press statement. “Pre-clearance from Transport Canada opens up a large new market for our products throughout Canada, including with fleets that operate across borders in North America.”
As part of the approval process, Workhorse completed its registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G clearance program. Transport Canada confirmed the vans’ compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for both vehicles – but it remains to be seen if and how the latest tariff-driven trade war between the Trump Administration’s US and Canada will impact Workhorse’s plans to expand throughout North America.
Despite that uncertainty, Workhorse execs remain upbeat. “We’re excited that our electric step vans can now reach Canadian roads and highways, providing reliable, zero-emission solutions that customers can depend on,” added Anderson.
Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no other way to say it: the Trump/Musk co-presidency is disrupting a lot of companies’ plans – and that’s especially true across North American borders. But in all this chaos and turmoil there undoubtedly lies opportunity, and it will be interesting to see who ends up on top.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Workhorse, via Electric Autonomy Canada.
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![Liebherr developing giant, 140-ton Segway-style autonomous haulers [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/operational-area-earth-moving-copy.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The new Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton hauler is unlike any heavy haul truck currently on the market – primarily because the giant, self-propelled, single-axle autonomous bucket doesn’t look anything like any truck you’ve ever seen.
Liebherr says its latest heavy equipment concept was born from a desire to rethink truck design with a focus only on core functions. The resulting S1 Vision is primarily just a single axle with two powerful electric motors sending power to a pair of massive airless tires designed carry loads up to 131 tonnes (just over 140 tons).
The design enables rapid maintenance, as important components easily accessible for quick servicing. Wear parts can be replaced efficiently, and the electric drive significantly reduces maintenance work. This helps to minimise downtimes and increases operational efficiency.
LIEBHERR
Because of its versatility, durability, and ability to perform zero-turn maneuvers that other equipment simply can’t, the Liebherr S1 Vision can be adapted for various applications, including earthmoving, mining, and even agriculture. There’s also a nonzero chance of this technology finding applications supporting other on-site equipment through charging or fuel delivery.
The S1 accomplishes that trick safely with the help of an automatic load leveling system that ensures maximum stability, even on bumpy or rough terrain. The company says this technology significantly reduces the risk of tipping while providing smooth and secure operation across various environments.
Liebherr will show the S1 Vision at this year’s bauma equipment exhibition in Munich, Germany. The design has already been nominated for the bauma Innovation Award in the Mechanical Engineering category – and my money’s on it winning.
Electrek’s Take
This is such goofy, stupid fun that if it was wheelbarrow-sized I’d have three of them. I can’t imagine the insanity of watching one of these things roll across a job site with 100 tons of granite in the bucket – and will have nightmares about the kind of damage it could do if it flipped out like a poorly made Chinese hoverboard clone whipping a toddler across a living room … which, in fairness, would probably get a billion views on Instagram or TikTok or whatever.
I can’t wait.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
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The HD arm of Hyundai has just released the first official images of the new, battery-electric HX19e mini excavator – the first ever production electric excavator from the global South Korean manufacturer.
The HX19e will be the first all-electric asset to enter series production at Hyundai Construction Equipment, with manufacturing set to begin this April.
The new HX19e will be offered with either a 32 kWh or 40 kWh li-ion battery pack – which, according to Hyundai, is nearly double the capacity offered by its nearest competitor (pretty sure that’s not correct –Ed.). The 40kWh battery allows for up to 6 hours and 40 minutes of continuous operation between charges, with a break time top-up on delivering full shift usability.
Those batteries send power to a 13 kW (17.5 hp) electric motor that drives an open-center hydraulic system. Hyundai claims the system delivers job site performance that is at least equal to, if not better than, that of its diesel-powered HX19A mini excavator.
To that end, the Hyundai XH19e offers the same 16 kN bucket breakout force and a slightly higher 9.4 kN (just over 2100 lb-ft) dipper arm breakout force. The maximum digging depth is 7.6 feet, and the maximum digging reach is 12.9 feet. Hyundai will offer the new electric excavator with just four selectable options:
- enclosed cab vs. open canopy
- 32 or 40 kWh battery capacity
All HX19es will ship with a high standard specification that includes safety valves on the main boom, dipper arm, and dozer blade hydraulic cylinders, as well as two-way auxiliary hydraulic piping allows the machine to be used with a range of commercially available implements. The hydraulics needed to operate a quick coupler, LED booms lights, rotating beacons, an MP3 radio with USB connectivity, and an operator’s seat with mechanical suspension are also standard.
Like its counterparts at Volvo CE, the new Hyundai excavator uses automotive-style charging ports to take advantage of existing infrastructure at fleet depots and public charging stations. More detailed specifications, dimensions, and pricing should be announced by bauma.
Electrek’s Take
The ability to operate indoors, underground, or in environments like zoos and hospitals were keeping noise levels down is of critical importance to the success of an operation makes electric equipment assets like these coming from Hyundai a must-have for fleet operators and construction crews that hope to remain competitive in the face of ever-increasing noise regulations. The fact that these are cleaner, safer, and cheaper to operate is just icing on that cake.
SOURCE | IMAGES: HD Hyundai; via Construction Index, Equipment World.
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