EV start-up Rivian beats Tesla, GM, Ford as first automaker to produce electric pickup

Rivian R1T electric powered truck

Supply: Rivian

EV commence-up Rivian is the to start with automaker to carry an electrical pickup to the client current market, beating Tesla, Standard Motors and some others in what’s expected to be a hotly contested section in the many years ahead.

Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe on Tuesday tweeted that the company’s initial R1T pickup for a buyer drove off the assembly line in the early morning at its plant in Typical, Illinois.

“Just after months of developing pre-generation motor vehicles, this early morning our initially buyer auto drove off our manufacturing line in Normal!  Our team’s collective attempts have produced this second achievable,” he reported. “Are unable to wait around to get these into the hands of our clients!”

Pics tweeted by Scaringe demonstrate employees cheering with many R1Ts on the assembly line.

A Rivian spokeswoman confirmed that the motor vehicles staying manufactured are saleable. She declined to examine the firm’s ideas for ramping-up generation, which includes how quite a few vehicles ended up generated Tuesday, and who will be the to start with shoppers to acquire the cars.

The starting of manufacturing, which has been delayed many periods, will come months following the Amazon- and Ford Motor-backed organization filed a confidential draft registration kind for an IPO.

Rivian is anticipated to be the initial of a handful of automakers to produce an electric powered pickup by following calendar year. GM is projected to be next this slide with the GMC Hummer EV pickup, followed potentially next 12 months by EV start-up Lordstown Motors, Ford and then Tesla, which not long ago pushed back again deliveries of its Cybertruck from this year to late 2022.