Rivian Executes Second Workforce Reduction of the Year Ahead of R2 SUV Launch

Rivian is cutting its workforce by about 150 employees, marking its second small round of layoffs in just a few months as it gears up for the important launch of its budget-friendly R2 SUV set for next year.

The company confirmed to TechCrunch that these recent layoffs have primarily affected its “commercial” team, which handles sales and service operations. Those impacted will be eligible for rehire and are encouraged to apply for other open roles. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the layoffs earlier today.

This round of layoffs follows a previous cut of roughly 1% of the total workforce, which TechCrunch covered in late June. That earlier round focused on Rivian’s manufacturing team.

Rivian has been making consistent adjustments to its workforce over the last two years. In early 2024, the company eliminated about 10% of its staff and conducted another small reduction in April 2024. At the start of this year, Rivian had approximately 15,000 employees worldwide.