It wasn’t too way back that Rivian and Ford have been anticipated to construct EVs collectively. Then, Rivian and Mercedes-Benz introduced plans to supply electrical vans. Though each fell via way back, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe lately spilled the tea on why the tie-ups actually failed.
The primary partnership started after Ford invested $500 million in Rivian in 2019. Ford stated it might use Rivian’s platform to develop its personal branded EVs, together with beneath Lincoln.
Scaringe stated on the time Rivian was excited to “use our know-how and to get extra electrical automobiles on the street.”
In April 2020, Ford stated it was transferring away from the Rivian partnership to focus by itself EV platform. A memo to staff said, “We decided that it might be higher to pivot from the Rivian skateboard platform and focus our improvement efforts.”
By the top of 2022, Ford bought off most of its stake in Rivian. In the meantime, Rivian and Mercedes-Benz signed a deal to construct electrical vans in 2020 utilizing platforms from every automaker.
That partnership ended after solely three months as Rivian determined to focus by itself progress. Though Rivian revealed common statements as to why the tie-ups fell via, Scaringe spilled the tea throughout a latest interview with The Verge, revealing the actual purpose.
Right here’s why the Rivian EV tie-ups actually fell via
After Volkswagen introduced it might make investments as much as $5 billion into Rivian final month, Scaringe was requested why this partnership is completely different.
Rivian’s CEO responded: “We’ve appeared on the concept of sharing our car platform via quite a lot of lenses. We checked out car platform sharing with Ford, car platform sharing with Mercedes, each very publicly.”
Scaringe added, “What’s, in each case, all the time the problem is getting the community architectures of Rivian’s platform and people different producers that we’ve talked to work collectively.”
“It’s a problem in each potential method,” Rivian’s chief defined. “It’s a problem to get the highest hat from a conventional firm that’s utilizing heaps and many provider supply ECUs to work with our platform — battery, drivetrain, chassis that has only a few ECUs. It’s a problem to get these two very completely different architectures to run down the identical manufacturing line.”
Nevertheless, by far the most important boundary, in response to Scaringe, “was all the time community structure.”
He went on to clarify that the VW partnership is targeted on “exactly the factor that has all the time been the problem.” Though the deal is predicated on community architectures, it additionally makes platform sharing a lot simpler.
Volkswagen hopes the Rivian tie-up may help revamp the model and entice patrons within the US. The automaker plans to double its US market share to round 10% by 2030.
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