Rivian makes its second small workforce cut of the year ahead of R2 SUV launch

In a strategic move as it prepares for the significant launch of its R2 SUV next year, Rivian has announced a reduction of approximately 150 employees. This marks the company's second workforce adjustment in recent months, following a similar cut earlier this year. The layoffs primarily impact the commercial team, which is responsible for sales and service operations. Rivian has reassured affected employees that they are eligible for rehire and encouraged to apply for other available positions within the company. This information was confirmed by Rivian to TechCrunch, following an initial report by The Wall Street Journal. This latest round of cuts comes on the heels of a reduction of about 1% of its total workforce reported in late June, which primarily targeted the manufacturing sector. Over the past two years, Rivian has made several adjustments to its staffing levels, including a significant layoff of around 10% of its workforce at the beginning of 2024, followed by smaller reductions in April. At the start of this year, Rivian employed roughly 15,000 people globally, illustrating the scale at which the company is operating as it navigates the challenges of ramping up production and preparing for new vehicle releases.