Rivian, the American electric vehicle (EV) automaker, has been making headlines recently as it continues to expand its business model and production of its EVs and electric delivery vans under a massive contract with Amazon. While Rivian has been well-received by US customers, European consumers have been eagerly waiting for the chance to experience a genuine off-road EV.
There has been speculation for some time that Rivian would enter new markets in Europe as early as 2023. However, the company has since shot down such ideas. That is, until recently, when a new job posting on the Rivian website offered a glimmer of hope for European customers.
The job posting is for a Service Center Manager in Berlin, Germany, which would be Rivian’s first footprint in the European Union. The ideal candidate for this position would be an experienced professional with a deep understanding of service processes, great leadership skills, and a customer-first approach. Although many of the responsibilities listed pertain to electric delivery vans for Amazon, it’s still unclear whether the manager will also engage with passenger EVs like the R1T and R1S.
However, a source with knowledge of the matter has suggested that the Berlin Service Center won’t initially support Rivian’s consumer EVs, which is likely to disappoint European consumers who were hoping to get their hands on an R1T. Nonetheless, the fact that Rivian is looking to hire new positions overseas suggests that the company’s expansion into Europe is all but imminent.
For now, Rivian has enough on its plate in the US, with two flagship EVs already tackling both roads and trails from the company’s current production footprint in Normal, Illinois. With a second, massive facility under construction in Georgia, Rivian is continuing to expand its business model while simultaneously working to ramp up production.
Despite the disappointment for European consumers who were hoping to experience the performance and intuitive design of Rivian’s EVs, an expansion into Europe feels all but guaranteed. It’s just a matter of time before Rivian makes its way across the pond and into new markets.
