Rivian hires industry vet as it gears up to break ground on its next-gen EV plant
EV startup Rivian announced that Arnhelm Mittelbach has joined the team as its first Georgia plant manager. Mittlebach joins Rivian with over 20 years of experience at Mercedes-Benz as the EV maker prepares to break ground on its second EV plant.
Rivian will begin construction on its second manufacturing plant early next year in Georgia. The plant will be home to its next-gen R2 products.
The R2 products will be cheaper than its current electric models as it looks to expand its market. Rivian’s current R1T electric truck and R1S both start at over $70,000.
CEO RJ Scaringe said in June the R2 lineup will start at around $40,000 to $45,000. The R2 lineup will be unveiled next year.
The first production phase is also expected to begin next year, with around 200,000 annual capacity once complete. Rivian plans for a second phase, adding up to 400,000 annual EV capacity by the end of the decade.
Rivian is taking what it has learned from ramping the R1 series to simplify manufacturing with the R2 lineup. Although Scaringe said the R2 lineup will have “a very, very different vehicle architecture” than the R1, the company says it will “still be very much a Rivian.”
Rivian hires ex-Mercedes exec as Georgia plant manager
Rivian announced Mittelbach began his role as Georgia plant manager on November 1. The former Mercedes-Benz executive will report directly to COO Frank Klein.
Mittelbach brings over 20 years of experience with Mercedes-Benz. He previously served as plant manager in East London, South Africa, and president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vans in Charleston, SC. He also held several manufacturing roles in Germany.
Klein said he is “thrilled” over the hiring, adding, “He brings tremendous experience in ramping up new factories and launching new products.”
Rivian launched an apprenticeship program last week to support the development of trained staff at its future site in Stanton Springs North, Georgia.
Scaringe said the program will help “establish a pipeline of talent that will help us hit the ground running once the facility is operational.” The EV maker plans to employ around 7,500 people at the site by 2030.
Rivian recently hit another major milestone. Its Normal, Illinois, plant is now charging every new electric vehicle with 100% clean energy. Customers will soon begin receiving cars that have had their first charge entirely from wind and solar energy.
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Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
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