Rivian cuts dozens on manufacturing team ahead of R2 launch

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rivian rj scaringe-r2Image Credits:Kirsten Korosec

9:58 AM PDT · June 26, 2025

Rivian has laid off around 140 employees, or roughly 1% of its workforce, as it prepares for the launch of its more affordable R2 SUV in 2026, TechCrunch has learned.

The cuts were mostly made to Rivian’s manufacturing team and have been ongoing since Wednesday, according to multiple former employees who were granted anonymity to speak about the layoffs. Some employees were told that the company was eliminating roles that created “process inefficiencies.”

Rivian confirmed the cuts in an email to TechCrunch. “We have made the difficult decision to reduce a small number of our salaried manufacturing employees as part of an ongoing effort to improve operational efficiency for R2,” a spokesperson wrote. The company said affected employees are being encouraged to apply to other open positions inside the company.

Rivian began the year with more than 14,800 workers in North America and Europe, according to its annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company has made multiple cuts over the last few years, including a 10% reduction in early 2024, and another layoff of around 1% of staff in April 2024.

Sean O’Kane is a reporter who has spent a decade covering the rapidly-evolving business and technology of the transportation industry, including Tesla and the many startups chasing Elon Musk. Most recently, he was a reporter at Bloomberg News where he helped break stories about some of the most notorious EV SPAC flops. He previously worked at The Verge, where he also covered consumer technology, hosted many short- and long-form videos, performed product and editorial photography, and once nearly passed out in a Red Bull Air Race plane.

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