Rivian Secures One of Its Biggest Public Sector Deals Yet in California

California’s push toward fleet electrification just got a major boost. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has reportedly ordered more than 600 Rivian R1 vehicles to deploy across the state, one of the largest public-sector Rivian purchases to date.

According to early reports, the order includes a mix of R1T pickups and R1S SUVs that will be used for state operations and regional field work. Several sources indicate that roughly 450 units have already been confirmed, with additional deliveries planned to surpass 600.

Funding for the purchase is believed to come from California’s state budget, which allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to replace aging gas-powered fleet vehicles with zero-emission alternatives. That means the order is likely being financed, at least in part, with taxpayer dollars, part of a broader state commitment to transition all light-duty fleet vehicles to electric by 2035.

For Rivian, this is a significant endorsement from one of the largest state agencies in the U.S. Not only does it mark a milestone for Rivian’s commercial adoption beyond its Amazon van program, it also showcases the R1 platform’s appeal as a rugged, versatile solution for government fleets that need capability, range, and off-road confidence.