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.
