NORMAL, Ill. – Rivian Automotive says it will meet this year’s goals operating with two shifts instead of three at its plant in Normal.
The company announced last month that it’s on track to produce 57,000 electric vehicles in 2024, the same number it produced in Normal last year.
“With our continued improvements in efficiency, we can meet that goal on two shifts,” Rivian Corporate Communications Sr. Manager Kelli Felker said in an email to 25 News.
Felker added, all hourly employees will be offered jobs on one of the two available shifts.
The plant will start operating with two shifts on April 28, when workers come back after a planned shutdown, when Rivian implements new technologies to make production more efficient.
“The shift change will begin when we return from the April shutdown, during which we will transform our R1 production to integrate new engineering design changes that we expect will significantly reduce our cost,” Felker said.
Elimination of the third shift in Normal comes as Rivian plans to unveil the smaller and less-expensive R2 sport utility vehicle later this week.
The R2 will be built at Rivian’s new factory in Georgia beginning in 2026.
Rivian’s flat production goal for this year contributed to a dramatic drop in the company’s stock price, which hit an all-time low of $10.07 on Feb. 23.
Rivian’s stock price has dropped nearly 92% since EV maker’s initial public offering in November 2021.
Roughly 8,000 people work at Rivian’s plant in Normal.
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