Mercedes-Benz and Rivian’s partnership is over for now. The 2 automakers introduced at the moment that they’re pausing plans to construct electrical vans collectively in Europe. The pair initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding in September that might have resulted in a van being constructed for every model.
In keeping with Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, the automaker believes it’s greatest to deal with its present shopper and industrial enterprise operations. These signify “essentially the most enticing near-term alternatives to maximise worth” for the corporate.
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Mathias Geisen, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, stated he understood and revered Rivian’s resolution. Nonetheless, the pause wouldn’t delay Mercedes’ plans. The tempo of the corporate’s electrification technique “stays unchanged,” in keeping with Geisen, with the automaker nonetheless dedicated to its new EV manufacturing plant in Poland and its first devoted electrical van manufacturing facility.
Whereas the 2 have paused the partnership, the door isn’t fully closed between the 2. “Exploring strategic alternatives with the crew at Rivian sooner or later stays an choice,” Geisen added.
The 2 had hoped that the partnership would have helped cut back the price of electrical vans for industrial car homeowners, sharing funding and prices between the pair. The preliminary plan known as for the devoted manufacturing facility to provide a van primarily based on Mercedes’ VAN.EA platform and one other driving on Rivian’s second-generation Rivian Gentle Van (RLV) structure.
This isn’t Rivian’s first tie-up to finish with out producing any automobiles. Ford and Rivian break up late final 12 months, ending plans for the 2 to make automobiles collectively. Ford then bought eight million shares of Rivian inventory in mid-2022, inflicting Rivian’s inventory to tumble as one other entity offloaded between 13 million to fifteen million shares as properly.
Even with out the partnership, Rivian isn’t with out a van. The automaker is producing its aptly named Electrical Supply Van for Amazon, with over 1,000 in its fleet delivering packages in additional than 100 US cities at the moment. Amazon ordered 100,000 vans from the corporate, desiring to have 10,000 delivered by the top of 2022, which Rivian won’t obtain. Rivian additionally produces the R1T truck and the R1S SUV.
