Rivian Automotive has quietly built itself a small cushion and kept production of both its R1T pickup and its R1S SUV in the short term, after stockpiling a reserve of electric-vehicle batteries ahead of last year’s U.S. election last November.
Rivian secured a supply of lithium iron phosphate cells for use in its EV batteries from China’s Gotion High-Tech Co. and also worked closely with Samsung SDI, to move large quantities of its battery inventory from South Korea to its facilities in the U.S.
These proactive moves have seemingly allowed Rivian, which relies on battery technology for every vehicle it currently produces in the U.S., to keep production of all-electric models running smoothly, at least for the time being.
