The gap between what RJ Scaringe has actually shipped in the last eighteen months and how anyone is talking about him feels wider than it should be. Here's the case for why he might be the most underrated CEO in automotive right now.
Rivian has now put out an official statement confirming that an EF-1 tornado touched down at the Normal Plant Friday night, damaging Building 2 which houses R2 assembly. No injuries, and the company expects to resume operations in that building this week. Operations elsewhere on the campus continue as normal.
Rivian's 2026.07 software update quietly improved DC fast charging in a way owners can actually feel. I pulled my 2025 R1T Tri-Motor Max into an IONNA Rechargery in Orlando today and watched it hold above 200 kW from 14% all the way into the low 50s, going from 14 to 70% in 25 minutes flat. Rivian has since confirmed thermal adjustments were made, with more on the way.
Severe weather through Central Illinois last night reached Rivian's Normal plant, with early photos showing a section of roof caved in on Building 2, the newer addition tied to R2 assembly. The extent of the damage isn't clear yet, and we're holding off on speculation until Rivian or the town puts out something official.
Rivian just had its best commercial van quarter ever and it barely made a ripple. More than double the sales year over year, and the conversation is still almost entirely R2. The van is holding the floor while the new stuff finds its footing, and it's not getting nearly enough credit for it.
Rivian's R1 color palette has been quietly shrinking for two years, and the options disappearing aren't the boring ones. Compass Yellow, Limestone, El Cap Granite, and a too-brief run of Borealis are all gone, replaced by another shade of grey. Here's a look at what we've lost and where things stand today.
Rivian and Redwood Materials are deploying a 10 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system at the Normal, Illinois plant, powered by more than 100 second-life Rivian battery packs. It's the largest repurposed battery energy storage system at any U.S. auto manufacturer, and it's designed to cut energy costs by reducing how much grid power the factory needs during peak demand.
Rivian has added Half Moon Grey to the R1 lineup, a new color that debuted at last month's R2 Block Party event and is now available for the R1T and R1S. It replaces El Cap Granite, which was discontinued in February.
The R2 is actually happening. Omar, a Rivian employee, posted a photo on LinkedIn showing R2 bodies moving through the assembly line in Normal, Illinois, and our sources tell us select Rivian executives took delivery of real production R2s as early as last week and are already driving them around.
Rivian is building a massive new 40,000 square foot showroom, service center, and charging hub right off I-4 across from the Millenia Mall in Orlando. I stopped by the site today and construction hasn't gone vertical yet, but once it does this thing is going to move fast.
