Jony Ive’s LoveFrom helped design Rivian’s first electric bike

The creative agency LoveFrom, established by renowned designer Jony Ive, has contributed to the design of Rivian’s inaugural electric bike, as reported by various sources to TechCrunch. Over the span of 18 months, a select group of LoveFrom employees collaborated closely with Rivian’s design team and engineers on a unique project led by Chris Yu, the former chief product and technology officer at Specialized. This partnership, which operated under Rivian's skunkworks initiative, wrapped up in the fall of 2024. Both LoveFrom and Rivian have opted not to comment on the collaboration. Initially, Rivian's skunkworks program expanded to include around 70 professionals from companies like Apple, Google, and Tesla, and secured $105 million in funding from Eclipse Ventures earlier this year. This venture, now known as Also, is yet to unveil its first vehicle designs. Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe, who sits on Also’s board, and Yu were reticent when discussing the specifics of the new company’s debut vehicle. Scaringe offered a vague description: “There’s a seat, and there’s two wheels, there’s a screen, and there’s a few computers and a battery.” He further emphasized that it would have a “bike-like” appearance, a detail corroborated by other sources. Both leaders expressed a broader ambition for Also, hinting at the potential to explore various micromobility solutions. The first designs from Also are expected to be showcased at an upcoming event later this year. An Also representative declined to provide comments on the bike or its ties to LoveFrom. When the electric bike is finally revealed, it may well reflect the distinctive design ethos that Ive is known for. Jony Ive's legacy includes iconic creations like the iPhone, and he has also recently collaborated with Sam Altman and OpenAI. His venture into transportation design is not new; in 2021, the parent company of Ferrari announced a partnership with LoveFrom to develop next-generation vehicles. Previously, Ive was involved in Apple’s ambitious but ultimately shelved car project, where he advocated for a focus on autonomy rather than traditional electric vehicle designs. Sources indicate that LoveFrom has previously provided consulting services to Rivian, assisting with various areas including the redesign of its infotainment system. However, the collaboration on what has now become Also was a more intensive and focused endeavor. The inception of the skunkworks program in early 2022 aimed to explore the feasibility of miniaturizing Rivian's electric vehicle technology into a more compact and affordable format. The team initially aimed to create a product adaptable to various vehicle types, grappling with the challenge of keeping the bike-like design modular while retaining Rivian's signature aesthetic. By the time LoveFrom joined the project in early 2023, significant progress had already been made, with sources noting that they contributed to refining prototypes. This partnership was characterized as a close-knit collaboration involving the skunkworks team, LoveFrom’s designers, and the industrial design experts at Rivian’s headquarters in Irvine, focusing on user interface and experience for the electric bike.