Rivian (NASDAQ:RIVN) made its second small workforce reduction of the year, cutting around 150 employee, less than 1.5% of its total staff, as it prepares for the launch of its more affordable R2 SUV in 2026, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The latest reduction primarily targets Rivian’s commercial teams, which include sales and service roles.
“We have made some recent changes to the commercial team as part of an ongoing effort to improve operational efficiency for R2,” a Rivian spokesperson said, as per the report. The commercial team handles sales and servicing operations for the company.
The company previously cut about 140 employees from its manufacturing team in June 2025 as part of ongoing efficiency measures.
These actions align with Rivian’s need to reduce per-vehicle costs, streamline operations, and address mounting cost pressures in a competitive electric vehicle market.
Automakers also brace for the expiration of the $7,500 U.S. federal EV tax credit at the end of September, which is expected to impact production volumes and market demand.