Rivian delays $5B Georgia EV plant to accelerate R2 launch, resulting in $2.25B in savings
The EV maker will begin building its new R2 electric SUV at its Normal, Illinois facility to accelerate the launch. Meanwhile, Rivian (RIVN) is delaying construction at its new $5 billion EV plant in Georgia, where the R2 was initially expected to be produced. The delay is not expected to be significant.
Rivian to launch R2 at Normal EV plant, saving $2.25B
Rivian introduced its more affordable R2 electric SUV Thursday during a launch event at its new Laguna showroom.
The electric SUV takes the unique Rivian Adventure Vehicle design shown in the R1 series and puts it into a smaller, more affordable package.
Based on a new, more efficient platform, Rivian’s R2 will be available in single, dual, and tri-motor versions. All will have over 300 miles (483 km) of range.
At 4,715 mm long, 1,700 mm tall, and a wheelbase of 2,935, the R2 is smaller than the R1S (5,100 mm x L, 1,873 mm x H, 3,075 x wheelbase). It’s essentially the size of the Tesla Model Y.
Rivian’s R2 will start at $45,000. Rather than beginning production at its new Georgia EV plant, Rivian said it will launch the electric SUV at its Normal, Illinois, facility.
Rivian said the move will save around $2.25 billion, a significant amount of capital the EV maker can use to launch the R2. New upgrades to Rivian’s Normal EV plant will enable up to 215,000 vehicles to be built annually, up 43% from its previous annual capacity of 150,000.
As a result, Rivian plans to move R2 production to the first half of 2026. Rivian said its Georgia EV plant remains an “extremely important part of its strategy to scale production of R2 and R3.” Construction will begin later to focus on the launch of R2 in Normal.
Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe ended the R2 launch event with a Steve Jobs-like “one more moment,” unveiling the R2’s sister, the Rivian R3, and its high-performance tri-motor R3X electric crossover variant.
Electrek’s Take
Rivian’s CFO, Claire McDonough, said last month that the company remained confident that its cash and equivalents could fund operations through 2025.
By launching the new electric SUV in Normal, Rivian expects to have sufficient funding through the start of R2 production.
Announced in November, Rivian will introduce new plant upgrades during a planned shutdown this quarter that will meaningfully reduce material costs later this year. Rivian expects to achieve a “modest growth profit ” by the end of the year.
Because of the shutdown and plant revamp, Rivian expects vehicle deliveries to remain flat this year with around 57,000.
Rivian’s R2 and R3 will help it expand into new markets, including Europe, with smaller, more affordable models.
Rivian is not the only EV maker that backtracked on plans to build next-gen models at a new facility. Tesla did the same with its next-gen EVs and Gigafactory Mexico.
Tesla officially announced “Gigafactory Mexico” last March, where it planned to build cheaper, next-generation electric cars. However, an excerpt from CEO Elon Musk’s biography confirmed the next-gen EVs will be made in Texas rather than Mexico as the plant was falling behind its timeline.
Rivian’s move, like Tesla’s, could pay off. The companies can use what they learn from setting up production at established plants to allow for more efficient new facilities in the future.
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Global offshore wind targets are still strong enough to triple global capacity by 2030, despite the US’s offshore wind stagnation under Trump. A new analysis from energy think tank Ember and the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA) shows that the rest of the world is charging forward, underscoring confidence in offshore wind as a cornerstone of future clean energy systems.
Based on the latest NHTSA report, Tesla’s ‘Robotaxis’ keep crashing in Austin, Texas, despite ‘safety monitors’ preventing an unknown number of crashes.
Under an NHTSA Standing General Order SGO, automakers are required to report crashes involving their autonomous driving (ADS) and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) within five days of being notified of them.
For years, Tesla was only reporting ADAS crashes, since, despite the names of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, they are only considered level 2 driver assistance systems.
Since the launch of the Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, where Tesla moved the supervisor from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat, it has now reported its first few crashes under the ADS reporting.
In the first month of operation in July, Tesla reported three crashes with its ‘Robotaxi’ service in Austin.
This week, NHTSA has updated its crash report and revealed a 4th crash that happened in September:
| Report ID | Incident Date | Incident Time (24:00) | Make | Model | Model Year | Automation System Engaged? | Highest Injury Severity Alleged | Crash With | Roadway Type | Weather |
| 13781-11687 | SEP-2025 | 01:25 | TESLA | Model Y | 2026 | ADS | Property Damage. No Injured Reported | Other Fixed Object | Parking Lot | Partly Cloudy |
As we previously highlighted, when it comes to both ADS and ADAS crash reporting, Tesla abuses the redacting capacity and hides most information about its crashes, unlike most of its competitors.
Therefore, we don’t have much information about this new crash, but it reportedly occurred in a parking lot and involved a Tesla Robotaxi crashing into a “fixed object,” resulting in property damage.
What’s most interesting about this crash is that it comes as Tesla released the first bit of data about its Robotaxi program in Austin.
During its earnings call last week, Tesla confirmed that the Robotaxi fleet has traveled 250,000 miles since its launch in late June.
Therefore, Tesla Robotaxi currently crashes at a rate of about once every 62,500 miles. That’s with a safety monitor with a finger on a kill switch, ready to stop the vehicle at all times.
We have no data on how often Tesla’s safety monitors prevent crashes in its robotaxis.
For comparison, the NHTSA report lists 1,267 crashes involving Waymo vehicles. However, Waymo’s robotaxis have covered over 125 million fully driverless miles since inception. That’s a crash every 98,600 miles and without any onboard safety monitor.
Electrek’s Take
That’s the problem with comparing Tesla and Waymo.
At least we can now clearly see that Waymo’s incident rate is much lower than Tesla’s, but that’s with a safety monitor in Tesla robotaxis that prevents an untold number of crashes.
The actual difference could be 10x higher. We simply don’t know. Tesla has always refused to share any data regarding disengagement or intervention rates.
One thing is clear: Tesla is way behind Waymo in autonomous driving safety.
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The electric hot hatch is more than just a show car, Subaru says it offers capabilities only possible with a battery EV.
Subaru unveils new electric STI hot hatch
It’s been quiet on the STI front since Subaru dropped the gas-powered WRX STI in 2022. However, that may change very soon.
The WRX STI was axed due to stricter emissions regulations in Europe, leading many to believe it would be replaced with an electric version. Subaru even said it was looking into opportunities for a next-gen STI version, including an electrified model, but said it would not be built on the new WRX platform.
Now, we are getting our first look at the future of STI. Subaru unveiled two new STI vehicles at the Japan Mobility Show on Wednesday, one a battery-electric (BEV) model and the other a gas-powered model.
Subaru said the EV variant, dubbed the Performance-E STI concept, “represents the future of the Performance Scene, spearheading Subaru’s new generation.”
The electric hot hatch still features a design that “evokes the brand’s heritage,” but with a bit more flair. Unlike the gas version, the Performance-B STI, the EV debuts a new three-line LED headlight design and sportier silhouette.
According to Subaru, the electric STI is “not just a show car,” it can also be used as a daily driver. The aim was to create a performance car that “would inspire everyday life,” Subaru said, adding that “this packaging is only possible with a battery EV.”
The electric hot hatch is equipped with a cylindrical battery, which offers a lower center of gravity and opens up interior space.
Subaru said the setup results in a 15% lower center of gravity than on its previous vehicles. By optimizing downforce and air resistance, the company claims it will outperform the current Subaru Global Platform.
The electric hot hatch also features a new “next-generation suspension” that lowers the hood height by more than 5% while improving control and responsiveness.
Subaru didn’t reveal any other specifics, but said that it will incorporate “innovative technologies” to offer an intuitive, exhilarating driving experience.
Will we see the electric hot hatch actually come to life? Subaru didn’t confirm it was headed for production, but said it represents the future and spearheads a new generation. When and if we will see an electric Subaru STI remains up in the air for now.
Subaru isn’t the only one jumping into the electric hot hatch craze. Honda revealed the Super-ONE at the Japan Mobility Show today, a compact EV that’s packed with fun features.
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