Rivian taps ex-Porsche and Apple vet to lead R2, R3 EV platform development
Rivian (RIVN) is adding an industry vet to its team with the launch of its next-gen electric models coming up. With experience at Apple and Porsche, Jonas Reinke joins Rivian to help launch its new EV platforms, including R2 and R3.
Attracting industry talent ahead of R2 launch
As Rivian looks to expand into new markets, the EV maker is adding industry talent from top-tier companies.
Rivian hired former Mercedes-Benz exec Arnehelm Mittelbach in November as its first plant manager for its new Georgia facility, where R2 will be built.
Mittelbach brings over 20 years of experience from Mercedes, serving as plant manager in East London and South Africa. He was also president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vans in Charleston, SC, in addition to several roles in Germany.
Less than two weeks later, Rivian brought on former Stellantis North America exec Carlo Materazzo.
Before joining Rivian, Materazzo was VP of manufacturing at Stellantis North America. Rivian’s COO, Frank Klein, described Materazzo’s experience in auto manufacturing as “second to none.”
Rivian adds ex-Apple, Porsche vet for R2 development
Rivian announced it had hired Reinke as VP of product development on Monday. Reinke joins Rivian after serving as Apple’s head of product, mobility and auto services for the past four years.
Before that, he spent over a decade with Porsche, holding several product and digital innovation development positions.
After climbing his way to product management lead for Porsche’s digital in-car experience, Reinke jumped to principal product manager before becoming product and innovation manager at Porsche Digital in Silicon Valley.
Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe said Reinke’s experience will help “launch new platforms like the R2 and R3.” He will also help improve the existing R1T and R1S electric models.
Scaringe explains the new hire will help “tackle the next wave of product launches.” Rivian’s leader said R2 will be Rivian’s version of the Tesla Model 3.
Rivian’s R2 will start at around $40K to $50K. The first model based on the new platform is expected to be a mid-size electric SUV and will be revealed later this year. However, it isn’t planned to launch until 2026.
The upcoming EV will be built at Rivian’s new $5B Georgia manufacturing plant. Rivian is expected to break ground on the new facility any day, with an official groundbreaking ceremony planned in early 2024. Once the first stage is complete, Rivian aims to build 200,000 EVs annually. By 2030, the EV maker looks to double it.
Electrek’s Take
After outpacing rival EV startups last year in deliveries and production, Rivian looks to keep the momentum going with its next wave of EVs.
Rivian’s R2 will help the brand expand and attract new buyers. The EV maker expects to slash production costs drastically with new tech and methods to improve efficiency.
With industry talent from top-tier companies, Rivian aims to avoid running into hurdles like it did with the flagship R1 models last year.
Rivian delivered over 50K EVs last year, more than double the 24,337 handed over in 2022. The growth comes despite Rivian’s R1T and R1S costing upwards of $80,000. A more affordable model will likely help Rivian expand, like the Model 3 did for Tesla.
Source: Rivian
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Environment
Baidu- and Geely-backed JiYue brand unveils ROBO X EV that goes 0-100 km/h in under 1.9 sec
JiYue, a Chinese EV brand focused on delivering all-electric “robocars” to the masses, has unveiled its latest model, and it’s quite a deviation from its previous EVs—but in the best way. Earlier today, JiYue launched the ROBO X supercar, designed for high-speed racing. By high speed, we mean 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 1.9 seconds. My mouth is watering.
JiYue has only existed since 2021, when parent tech company Baidu announced it was expanding from software development into physical EV production, joining forces with multinational automotive manufacturer Geely.
The new “robotic EV” marque initially launched as JIDU with $300 million in startup capital before garnering an additional $400 million in Series A funding, led by Baidu, in January 2022.
In August 2023, Geely took on a larger role in JIDU alongside a greater financial stake as the brand reimagined itself as JiYue, inheriting the JIDU logo and its flagship model, the 01 ROBOCAR.
In December 2023, Baidu and Geely unveiled a second model called the JiYue 07. It was born from JIDU’s ROBO-02 concept, which debuted in 2023 and was designed to compete against the Tesla Model 3 in China.
The 07 finally launched in China earlier this year with 545 miles of range. With an all-electric SUV and sedan on the market, JiYue has unveiled an exciting new entry in the form of a performance supercar called the ROBO X. Check it out:
JiYue’s new ROBO X EV is available for pre-order now
JiYue showcased its new ROBO X hypercar in front of the crowd at the 2024 Guangzhou Auto Show earlier today. Similar to previous models but with a unique spin, JiYue described the ROBO X as an AI smart-driving supercar that, for the first time, blends artificial intelligence and autonomous driving into a high-performance, race-ready EV.
When we say “high performance,” we mean a quad motor liquid-cooled drive system that can propel the ROBO X from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 1.9 seconds. JiYue called the new ROBO X a “performance beast” with “the perfect balance of excellent aerodynamic performance and high downforce.” JiYue CEO Joe Xia was even bolder in his statements about the ROBO X:
For the next 20 years, the design of supercars will bear the shadow of Robo X. This is the best design in the history of Chinese automobiles today, and it is a landmark presence.
Fighter-style airflow ducts bolster the EV’s aerodynamics, efficiency, and overall posture. Per JiYue, the two-seater ROBO X is expected to deliver a maximum range of over 650 km (404 miles).
The new supercar features falcon-wing doors, a carbon fiber integrated frame, and a professional racing HALO safety system offering 360° of support. The interior features an AI smart cockpit with SIMO real-time feedback to give drivers an immersive racing experience.
Furthermore, JiYue said the vehicle will utilize parent company Baidu’s Apollo self-driving technology, which could make it the first electric supercar to apply pure-vision ADAS technology that enables track-level autonomous driving.
Following today’s unveiling of the ROBO X, JiYue has officially opened up pre-orders in China for RMB 49,999 ($6,915). That said, reservation holders will need to be patient as JiYue shared that it doesn’t expect to begin mass production of the ROBO X until 2027.
What do you think? Will people be talking about the ROBO X for the next 20 years?
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes the launch of the Lectric XPedition 2.0, Yamaha e-bikes pulling out of North America, LiveWire unveils an electric scooter concept, PNY readying its cargo e-scooters for pilot testing, Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
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Crude oil futures were on pace Friday for loss for the week, as a supply gut and a strong dollar depresses the market.
U.S. crude oil is down more than 2% this week, while Brent has shed nearly 2%.
Here are Friday’s energy prices:
- West Texas Intermediate December contract: $68.56 per barrel, down 14 cents, or 0.2%. Year to date, U.S. crude oil has shed about 4%.
- Brent January contract: $72.36 per barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.28%. Year to date, the global benchmark has lost nearly 6%.
- RBOB Gasoline December contract: $1.99 per gallon, up 0.46%. Year to date, gasoline has fallen more than 1%.
- Natural Gas December contract: $2.70 per thousand cubic feet, down 2.98%. Year to date, gas has gained more than 4%.
The International Energy Agency has forecast a surplus of more than 1 million barrels per day in 2025 on robust production in the U.S. OPEC revised down its demand forecast for the fourth consecutive month as demand in China remains soft.
A strong dollar also hangs over the market, as the greenback has surged in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory.
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