Rivian is trimming its workforce in a big way. The electric vehicle manufacturer has now eliminated more than 700 positions across two separate rounds of layoffs, as the company tries to get leaner ahead of its critical R2 SUV launch while navigating a cooling EV market.
Two rounds, mounting pressure
The first wave hit in June 2025. Rivian cut approximately 140 salaried employees from its manufacturing team, roughly 1% of its nearly 15,000-person workforce. The company framed these reductions as surgical, targeting roles that contributed to “process inefficiencies.”
The R2 SUV, Rivian’s more affordable entry aimed at a broader consumer base, is slated to arrive in 2026.
Then came October 2025, and the cuts got significantly deeper. Rivian displaced more than 600 workers in a second round, representing about 4% to 4.5% of its total workforce. CEO RJ Scaringe pointed to the need to consolidate operations during internal communications about these changes.
