Rivian, the company best known for its adventure-focused electric truck and SUV, is reportedly working to develop an electric bike.
As reported by Bloomberg, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe made a companywide announcement on Friday that its next venture would be into the world of electric bikes. According to the report, a “small group of engineers” is already working on it, so Friday’s announcement appears to be more of a heads-up than an actual kick-off.
RJ Scaringe disclosed the e-bike effort Friday at a companywide meeting, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing private information. A small group of engineers is actively working on it, he said.
At this time, precisely what Rivian is working on in the electric bike space is unclear. The company could design an electric bicycle for the road and the offroad, or the company could develop an electric motorcycle for the road. Actually, that could be for the offroad as well. Knowing the purpose of the R1T and R1S and the company’s target market, however, it seems more likely that Rivian would build an electric bicycle made to be taken on the trail.
Some companies already make these types of bikes, and they are growing in popularity with the outdoor and biking community. However, Rivian is sure to be focused on integrating such a bicycle into its vehicles which will result in unique benefits reserved for those who own both an R1T/R1S and its electric bike.
A number of other automakers have also attempted electric bikes in the past, but none have really caught on. Due to its target market, however, Rivian might be in a unique position to win out with its next venture.
The news comes about a week after the company announced layoffs that will affect about six percent of its workforce. It also comes a few months after the company issued a recall on nearly every vehicle it has ever made.
