Rivian made progress ramping up EV production in Q2

Rivian built 13,992 vehicles and delivered 12,640 vehicles in the second quarter of 2023, the automaker reported Monday.

These new Q2 numbers are up significantly versus the 9,395 vehicles made and 7,946 delivered in the first quarter. And they show that Rivian isn’t falling much farther behind on deliveries.

A Rivian press release said these numbers “remain in line with the company’s expectations,” and that Rivian is on track to deliver 50,000 vehicles this year, in line with previously released annual guidance.

Rivian EDV700

The Q2 numbers include the R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV for the retail market, along with the EDV lineup of electric delivery vans, and doesn’t break out production and delivery volumes by model line. All vehicles are currently manufactured in Normal, Illinois, and will continue to be until a planned second factory in Georgia comes online.

Both Rivian and Lucid cut their production estimates last year. The two EV hopefuls have been learning the same lesson Tesla did with the long ramp up of Model 3 production, namely that making cars is hard.

2023 Rivian R1S

Some factors may now be working in Rivian’s favor, though. The start of Rivian’s own Enduro modular motor units has likely helped boost production numbers. The R1S and R1T remain eligible for $3,750 under the revised EV tax credit, and that might also play a role in keeping delivery numbers up. Rivian last year dropped the most affordable versions of these trucks.

The truckmaker has also confirmed the 390-mile R1S Max Pack for fall deliveries. But as CEO RJ Scaringe recently explained, we won’t see off-road parlor tricks like the Tank Turn mode the company teased a few years ago.