OSHA opened an investigation after contractor Kevin Lancaster, 61, died at a Rivian warehouse in Illinois in March 2026. Local authorities said he suffered fatal crush injuries after being pinned between a trailer and loading dock. Rivian said it was cooperating with police; OSHA said its probe could take up to six months.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into the death of a worker at a Rivian warehouse in Illinois this week, the federal agency told TechCrunch on Friday. The agency said the probe could take up to six months.
Reports in December 2024 said Rivian and the UAW had a confidential agreement for Rivian to remain neutral in organizing efforts at its Illinois factory, but only after meeting unspecified criteria that include profitability. The reports linked the pact to a potential federal loan of up to $6.6 billion. Separately, Rivian settled an NLRB complaint over an alleged firing; agency investigations into other UAW allegations were ongoing.
The United Auto Workers have reached an agreement with Rivian Automotive Inc. that would make it easier to unionize the company’s workforce — contingent on the electric-vehicle maker reaching profitability.
In January, the National Labor Relations Board issued a complaint accusing Rivian of illegally firing an employee in Virginia because they engaged in collective action about workplace issues; Rivian later settled that case. The agency, which enforces employees’ right to organize at work, is currently investigating UAW allegations of illegal threats, retaliation, and surveillance by Rivian management in Illinois, agency spokesperson Kayla Blado said.
Under Rivian and the UAW’s confidential pact, the automaker would adopt a neutral stance toward efforts to organize workers at its Illinois factory where its vehicles are made, according to people familiar with the matter. The neutrality commitment will only take effect once the company reaches certain criteria including profitability metrics, said the people, who didn’t elaborate on what those metrics were and spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the ...
NHTSA is investigating rear toe-link failures on Rivian R1 vehicles after two owners reported losing control. The agency said as many as 115,000 vehicles could be affected and noted Rivian had updated service procedures in March 2025 and recalled nearly 20,000 vehicles in January 2026. Rivian said its data show the joints operate as intended.
The federal safety regulator’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) said on Thursday that both vehicles had been previously serviced, one of which had been in a collision before the work was done. According to the ODI, Rivian first realized in March 2025 that the rear toe link — a critical part of the suspension that helps keep the wheel straight — had a “sensitivity to service procedures,” causing the company to update how it handled the part during service and repairs.
Three named owners sued Rivian, alleging it falsely marketed first-generation R1T and R1S vehicles as capable of hands-free, eyes-off driving and knew they could not deliver that capability. The complaint seeks a jury trial and alleges fraud, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. Rivian declined to comment, citing pending litigation; no outcome is reported.
The lawsuit alleges Rivian falsely promised, over a five-year period and through a coordinated nationwide marketing campaign, that it would make its hands-free driver-assistance system — known as Driver+ — standard in every vehicle it builds. Among the appearances cited in the suit: Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe’s appearance at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022, where he reportedly made representations about the company’s autonomous driving ambitions.
In September 2024, Rivian’s foundation listed 41 grants totaling just over $10 million, including $2 million for The Nature Conservancy and $1 million for ORCA. Rivian said its foundation was meeting distribution requirements and that Forever by Rivian was being wound down, with equity transfer in progress. The original 1% equity pledge’s estimated value had fallen from $643 million to $98 million.
Rivian has revealed the first $10 million worth of grants from the Rivian Foundation, three years after the EV maker vowed the philanthropy would receive 1% of its equity to make the “natural world” a “stakeholder in our success.”
Rivian initially formed a 501(c)(4) political advocacy organization called Forever by Rivian to accomplish its goal of directing one percent of the company’s equity to environmental causes and transferred 8 million Rivian shares, worth $643 million at the time, and $20 million in cash to Forever by Rivian. However, shortly after Forever by Rivian was formed, a company spokesperson stated that the company decided instead to create a 501(c)(3) charitable grantmaking foundation, calling it the “most impactful and most transparent approach.” The company decided to wind down Forever by Rivian’s operations and transfer its assets to the Rivian Foundation, which was formed in 2023. $25 million in cash was transferred from Forever by Rivian to the Rivian Foundation. 2
Investors alleged Rivian and CEO RJ Scaringe misled them before the 2021 IPO by failing to disclose that R1 vehicles were underpriced and price increases were likely. Rivian denied wrongdoing. The company agreed to a $250 million settlement, funded by insurance and cash; a federal judge gave it final approval in May 2026, resolving the claims without an admission of fault.
Rivian Automotive Inc.'s $250 million investor accord garnered a federal judge’s final blessing, resolving allegations the electric-vehicle maker hid inevitable price hikes surrounding its initial public offering.
New class action lawsuits on behalf of Rivian shareholders who purchased shares surrounding the EV startup's blockbuster IPO claim the company artificially inflated its share price and misled investors about the price increases it would have to make, potentially jeopardizing customer orders and ultimately hurting its stock price.
Electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class action lawsuit which alleges it violated federal securities law by making material misstatements related to vehicle pricing following its initial public offering in 2021, the company said in a Thursday press release. Under the terms of the settlement, the EV maker will pay the amount through a combination of directors' and officers' liability insurance, which will total $67 million, as well as cash on hand of $183 million, according to the release.
By Lauren Berg ( October 23, 2025, 11:27 PM EDT) -- Rivian Automotive Inc. investors asked a California federal judge Thursday to greenlight a $250 million settlement resolving their claims that the company underpriced its electric vehicles and misrepresented its profitability ahead of a blockbuster 2021 initial public offering, just one day before a summary judgment hearing. . . .
Electric-vehicle maker Rivian Automotive Inc. and its investors have gotten the final green light for their $250 million deal to end claims the company hurt shareholders by underpricing its vehicles and misrepresenting its profitability ahead of its 2021 initial public offering.
In a release tied to its 2025 impact report, Rivian said the R2 Performance produces half the lifetime greenhouse-gas pollution of its 2022 R1 vehicles, reaching a 2030 goal four years early. The company also reported 58% lower lifetime pollution than a comparable gas vehicle; these are Rivian’s claims.
Rivian revealed it has reached a major climate milestone ahead of schedule, with its new R2 SUV cutting lifetime carbon pollution in half compared to the company's original R1 lineup.
Natasha Hill sued Rivian Automotive LLC in October 2023, alleging she was fired in retaliation for complaints about sexual harassment. Her complaint says a coworker shared an explicit video of her and that multiple colleagues then made sexually charged comments. The reported account does not provide Rivian’s response or the case outcome.
Rivian Automotive LLC was hit with a civil rights action by a former employee who says she was fired in retaliation for her complaints about workplace sexual harassment.
A former employee’s proposed class action, filed in Washington state, alleges Rivian failed to provide legally required meal and rest breaks, shorted workers’ pay and failed to reimburse business expenses. The suit alleges violations of Washington state and Seattle employment laws; the supplied account does not describe Rivian’s response or an outcome.
By Ben Adlin ( October 2, 2026, 8:42 PM EDT) -- Electric vehicle maker Rivian broke multiple employment laws in Washington state and Seattle by failing to provide mandated meal and rest breaks, shorting workers on pay and failing to reimburse business expenses, according to a former employee's proposed class action filed Tuesday. . . .
In its first environmental and social impact report, Rivian said it aims to launch by 2030 a product with half the lifecycle carbon footprint of its 2022 R1 vehicles. The company also set targets for recycled materials and renewable power, including 100% renewable energy at its facilities by 2030; these are stated goals, not reported results.
Rivian released its first-ever environmental and social impact report, in which the company commits to building a new generation of electric vehicles that are even less polluting than its current generation.
Rivian has been at the forefront of the debate over EVs and climate change, criticizing its competitors as being “far off track” on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a way that can meet targets set by the Paris agreement. The company authored a report, along with Polestar, arguing that EVs alone wouldn’t be enough to limit global temperature increases. The auto industry would need to play a stronger role in increasing renewable energy in power grids and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its entire supply chain.
Rivian announced on April 30, 2026, that an Energy Department loan of up to $4.5 billion would support initial construction of its Georgia factory. The company says the facility is planned for annual capacity of 300,000 EVs, with production expected to begin in late 2028; those are plans, not completed outcomes.
“We’re very excited to partner with the U.S. Department of Energy to grow our manufacturing footprint in Georgia,” enthused Rivian Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe in a press statement announcing the $4.5 billion loan, giving credit where credit is due.
In its January 12, 2024 report, Rivian said it plans to increase the number of people from “underrepresented groups” in leadership and across the company by 50% by 2028.
And even as Republicans, led by Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, attack corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, Rivian says it will increase the number of “underrepresented groups” in its leadership ranks and across the company by 50 percent by 2028.
The Human Rights Campaign scorecard lists Rivian with 5/5 points for workforce protections and 50/50 for inclusive benefits.
A lobbying filing identifies tariffs affecting the automotive industry as an issue and lists the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and Commerce Department. It names Corey Ershow as a lobbyist; the supplied excerpt does not state a specific position or requested policy outcome.
A Bloomberg News report described 16 serious violations at Rivian’s Normal, Illinois, factory during 2023 and 2024. TechCrunch later reported that Rivian had received just one violation at the plant since that report. OSHA had previously told Bloomberg the company improved its safety team and cooperated with the agency.
The safety of Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois, became a source of scrutiny in 2024 after a Bloomberg News report detailed 16 “serious” violations levied on the company across that year and the one prior.
The UAW had recruited Rivian’s Normal plant employees to organize and helped workers file safety complaints with OSHA. In a September statement about plant safety, UAW president Shawn Fain urged governments not to subsidize Rivian unless it improved working conditions. The supplied account does not establish the reported union deal.
Rivian has been a longtime target for the UAW, which has recruited employees for a committee to organize its plant in Normal. The union has also helped staff file safety complaints with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In a September statement about safety issues at the plant, Fain urged governments not to subsidize the company unless it improved its working conditions.
OSHA’s record says that on or about October 20, 2022, five employees at Rivian’s Weld Destruct Tent faced electric-shock hazards because access to electrical panels, disconnects and circuit breakers was obstructed. OSHA issued one citation on February 10, 2023, with an initial $8,349 penalty; an informal settlement reduced it to $7,500 on March 3.
29 CFR 1910.303(g)(1)(i)(A): For electric equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground, and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized, the depth of the working space in the direction of access to live parts (as measured from the live parts where they were exposed or from the enclosure front or opening where they were enclosed) was less than indicated in Table S-1 of Subpart S of Part 1910: On or about October 20, 2022, employees working in the Weld Destruct Tent were exposed to electric shock hazards and the employer had not ensured electric panels, disconnects, and circuit breakers were unobstructed.
In January 2025, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said automakers should not slow EV investment, arguing that doing so risks falling behind in the 2030s. He expected the IRA’s EV purchase and battery credits to be cut, but said policy changes would be a short-term challenge. Rivian also lobbied on U.S. manufacturing investment and tax incentives.
“I say this all the time to friends of mine who run big car companies: ‘Don’t stop investing. You’re going to find yourself in the 2030s, upside down,’” Scaringe told InsideEVs. “Rivian, Tesla, the Chinese—we have a full-throttle focus on EV. And if you’re doing that as your 10% job as an [automaker], you’re going to be in rough shape in 10 years.”
Nobody is quite sure which policies will get the axe under Trump, and which are safe. Automakers are lobbying for certain incentives to remain in place, since they’ve already committed billions of dollars to building EV and battery facilities in the U.S. The fact that many of those new factories and jobs are sprouting up in Republican-led states could act as a shield too. Rivian, for its part, is building its second plant in Georgia.
The startup automaker is planning for the $7,500 incentive for EV purchases (known as 30D) to go away, and Scaringe thinks the tax credit that subsidizes battery manufacturing in the U.S. (45X, if you’re curious) may also end. Both programs were created by the Inflation Reduction Act, which funneled unprecedented sums toward clean-energy initiatives. “What’s absolutely crystal-clear is that the basics of the IRA are going to be taken away,” he said.
Issues affecting automotive and automotive supply chain in the US, including consumer tax incentives, commercial tax incentives, and emissions standards. Connected Vehicles Security Act -- S4429. Issues affecting autonomous vehicles, including SELF DRIVE Act
Tesla sued Rivian Automotive and Rivian Automotive, LLC in July 2020, alleging that Rivian recruited former Tesla employees and instructed them to provide confidential information. Tesla later amended its complaint to allege theft of proprietary battery technology. Rivian denied wrongdoing and called the suit speculation; the court declined to dismiss in March 2021.
In a lawsuit filed in July 2020, Tesla alleged that Rivian stole trade secrets from them by actively recruiting former Tesla employees and instructing them to provide specific sensitive and confidential information. In addition to suing Rivian Automotive, Inc. and Rivian Automative, LLC , Tesla named four former employees who had since left for Rivian in the suit, as well as 1-20 unidentified individuals who Tesla “anticipates will be added as named defendants at a later date,” according to the original claim.
Rivian said on June 16, 2026, that it was laying off hundreds of employees—less than 2% of its workforce—as it sought to narrow losses. A spokesperson said the cuts affected some service and customer teams and described them as a restructuring to support profitable scaling. Rivian had cut more than 600 jobs the previous October.
Rivian said Tuesday it was laying off hundreds of workers, or less than 2% of its workforce, as the EV maker aims to narrow losses.
A former Rivian sales and marketing vice president sued the company in November 2021, alleging she was fired after reporting gender discrimination to a human-resources executive. Her complaint also raised concerns about vehicle pricing, manufacturing quality and delivery targets. The account does not report Rivian’s response or the case’s outcome.
Former sales executive at electric-truck startup, which is seeking a valuation of more than $60 billion, says her concerns were ignored and she faced gender discrimination
A former sales and marketing vice president at Rivian Automotive Inc. has sued the electric-vehicle startup, alleging that she was fired last month after telling a human-resources executive that she had been subjected to gender discrimination.
At TechCrunch Disrupt, CEO RJ Scaringe said Rivian may eventually support agents from companies such as Anthropic in its cars, but gave no implementation date. He said vehicle-level controls such as braking and steering would not be handed to agents, and Rivian would proceed carefully around safety-critical systems.
“You wouldn’t want an agent to determine, ‘hey, it’s time to apply the brakes, or time to steer the vehicle.’ So anything that’s vehicle-level controls are not being handed to an agent,” he said.
OpenSecrets lists $590,000 in direct federal lobbying by Rivian Automotive for 2024, with automotive, manufacturing, natural resources, taxes and trade among the reported issue areas. It also reports $64,867 in contributions for the 2024 election cycle, 93.33% to Democrats; the page says party breakdowns exclude independent expenditures and electioneering communications.
On the Decoder podcast, CEO RJ Scaringe said Rivian wants to depoliticize electric vehicles and avoid making its work political. He said the company aims to welcome customers across political beliefs, noting that Republicans, Democrats and independents buy Rivians.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said that the company tries "not to make what we're doing political."
OSHA said that on November 10 and December 21, 2022, Rivian failed to ensure a third-party specialty contractor’s workers used an available pressure regulator when cleaning metal shavings with compressed air. The citation said pressure exceeded 30 psi. Issued February 13, 2023, it had a $6,000 penalty after an informal settlement on March 3, 2023.
29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.: On November 10, 2022, and December 21, 2022, the employer failed to ensure that workers from a third-party specialty contractor utilized a compressed air gun with the available pressure regulator, to ensure that compressed air was not used at pressures above 30p.s.i. to clean metal shavings.