Nearly two years after Rivian first arrived in Normal, community members will finally be able to see the company’s first electric vehicles in person.
Rivian is planning a community event from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 13 in Uptown Normal. Rivian’s battery-powered R1T pickup and R1S sport utility vehicle will be on display.
The EV maker is also recruiting employees for its Normal manufacturing plant, which now has around 130 employees. Rivian has said it plans to hire as many as 1,000 workers by 2024.
Several jobs in Normal are now posted on Rivian’s websites, including maintenance technician, battery manufacturing engineer, facilities engineer, packaging engineer, and quality assurance engineer. Rivian plans to begin making its first vehicles in Normal next year.
“Normal’s experienced workforce, existing plant infrastructure, and beautiful location made the city a natural home for us,” Rivian said in a statement Thursday. “We’re excited to build our electric adventure vehicles in collaboration with this community.”
Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe will be in Normal for the Oct. 13 event. The company will also have a temporary storefront displaying Rivian history and plant photos at One Uptown Circle.
Parking will be available at the public parking garage at Uptown Station; EV charging is available there. Attendees using public transportation should use the Uptown Station bus stop. Cyclists will find bike racks in the parking structure at Uptown Station.
