Rivian’s manufacturing boss is leaving to lead Jeep, Dodge’s EV offensive

Rivian (RIVN) is losing its vice president of manufacturing, Tim Fallon, to Jeep, Dodge owner Stellantis (STLA) to spearhead its upcoming EV offensive in the US.

Rivian loses EV manufacturing boss to Jeep, Ram

For the past two years and seven months, Fallon has helped Rivian scale the output of not one but three electric vehicles.

Before that, Fallon worked for Nissan for 16 years in various plant manager roles, including vice president at its Canton Assembly Plant in Mississippi.

Fallon is now pursuing a new opportunity, according to an internal email sent to employees from CEO RJ Scaringe, viewed by Bloomberg. A Rivian spokesperson confirmed the departure, saying, “We’ve had different leaders as we approach different levels of scaling our business.”

“We’re positioning the organization structure for the future,” the spokesperson added. Fallon is the latest of a string of high-level leaders who have left the company recently.

Fallon will join Stellantis as head of manufacturing in North America, effective September 2. The transition comes as Stellantis prepares for its EV offensive in the US.

Meanwhile, Carlo Materazzo will lead Rivian’s manufacturing in the interim. Rivian brought on Materazzo, a former Stellantis exec, last November.

Stellantis preps for new EV launches in the US

Stellantis is launching the first Jeep, Dodge, and Ram electric vehicles in the US in the coming months.

Jeep unveiled the all-electric Wagoneer S this summer. The electric luxury SUV is redesigned with a new illuminated grille and other design upgrades for the modern age.

Powered by the STLA Large platform, Jeep’s EV gets over 300 miles range and up to 600 horsepower. It can also fast charge(20% to 80%) in 23 minutes.

The interior is loaded with Jeep’s latest tech, including a “best-in-class” display setup with 45″ of screen space.

Ahead of its official launch later this year, Jeep is putting the electric SUV through the paces in New Zealand for cold weather testing.

The Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition starts at $71,995 and is expected to hit US dealerships this fall. In 2025, it will roll out globally. Jeep’s electric SUV is expected to rival the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in the US.

Another Stellantis brand, Dodge, revealed prices for its first EV earlier this month. The Dodge Charger Daytona EV will start at $59,595. The 670 hp Scat Pack model will start at $73,190.

The electric Charger Daytona looks, drives, and feels like a Dodge, CEO Matt McAlear said. Dodge claims the Scat Pack model maintains its throne as the “World’s quickest and most powerful muscle car” with a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.3 seconds. The first Charger EV models are also expected to hit US dealerships by the end of 2024.

Ram’s first electric pickup, the RAM 1500 REV, is also planned to begin rolling out in the fourth quarter of 2024.

While Stellantis is gearing up for a new EV offensive in the US, Rivian has its own ambitions. After major upgrades at its Normal manufacturing plant in April, Rivian expects drastic improvements in efficiency and output.

Rivian produced just 9,612 vehicles in the second quarter due to the shutdown. However, it remains on track to hit its 57,000 production goal in 2024.

The EV maker also gained approval for a massive plant expansion in Normal this week as it prepares for its smaller, more affordable R2.