Rivian Cuts Hundreds Of Jobs Days After R2 Deliveries Begin

Rivian said it has laid off several hundred employees — fewer than one in 50 of its staff — just a week after it started handing over R2 SUVs to customers, marking at least the fourth downsizing since early 2024.

The company confirmed the move after a report by The Wall Street Journal. Rivian described the action as a reorganization intended to improve operational efficiency, saying the roles eliminated were concentrated in service and customer-facing groups, including sales and marketing.

The timing underscores ongoing financial pressures at the electric truck maker. Rivian has posted roughly $30 billion in cumulative losses and had targeted a first annual profit in 2027, a goal it recently pushed back as it pours cash into developing self-driving systems. That delay was disclosed to investors alongside news that Uber plans to put up to $1.25 billion into the company and may buy as many as 50,000 R2s for use in a robotaxi fleet.

But Rivian has not yet produced a full autonomous driving product. Its current driver-assist technology still requires human supervision, with the driver's attention expected to remain on the road.

An analyst at a Detroit research firm said the layoffs look aimed at trimming overhead to free up dollars for product engineering and pilot programs. "They're reallocating resources to prioritize development and large strategic partners," the analyst said, noting risks for customer service capacity as deliveries accelerate.

Local dealers and owners are watching closely. Some service centers could face short-term strain, even as Rivian insists the adjustments are meant to position the company to scale more sustainably as R2 deliveries ramp up.