Rivian Recalls Nearly All Vehicles Over Safety Issue

Electric vehicle start-up Rivian has recalled some 13,000 vehicles – nearly all it has delivered to customers – after discovering a loose fastener.

A fastener “may not have been sufficiently torqued” and could loosen fully in “rare circumstances”, chief executive RJ Scaringe said.

If the fastener connecting the front upper control arm and the steering knuckle were to come lose drivers could lose control of the vehicle, Rivian said.

However, it said no injuries have resulted from the issue.

‘Potential risks’

Rivian said it has produced 14,317 of its R1T electric pickup trucks and R1S sport utility vehicles this year and has said it is on track to produce 25,000 EVs this year.

In a letter sent to customers Scaringe warned buyers “not to minimise the potential risks involved”.

“I want to reiterate that this is extremely rare, but it does reinforce why we are acting with such urgency and caution,” he wrote.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our drivers and we will always operate with this level of action.”

Setback

A Rivian spokesperson said, “The safety of our customers will always be our top priority, and we are committed to fixing this issue on any affected vehicles as quickly as possible.”

The adjustments are to be made for free at Rivian service centres.

The issue has been discovered in only seven vehicles so far, Rivian said.

The recall is a setback for Rivian, which has experienced parts shortages and production problems as it seeks to ramp up its business.

Investor pressure

The company listed in New York last November for $105 billion (£95bn), before having produced its first vehicle.

Its shares have fallen 66 percent in value since then amidst production and supply chain problems that cause it to slash its annual production forecast from 50,000 to 25,000 in March.

The company said in June it would cut 6 percent of its staff.