Rivian cut hundreds of employees this week, less than 2% of its workforce, in a push to narrow losses as the electric-vehicle maker ramps up production of its lower-cost R2 SUV following the vehicle’s launch on June 9.
The company confirmed the layoffs on Tuesday, June 16, concentrating the cuts in its service and customer operations teams, according to Bloomberg and other outlets. The move marks the latest in a series of workforce reductions as Rivian pursues profitability.
Rivian had conducted multiple rounds of layoffs throughout 2025. In September 2025, the company cut less than 1.5% of its workforce, and in October 2025 it laid off over 600 workers, or roughly 4.5% of its staff, citing softer demand following the expiration of federal EV tax credits. At the end of 2025, Rivian had approximately 15,200 employees, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The company faces significant financial headwinds. Rivian expects adjusted EBITDA losses of $1.8 billion to $2.1 billion for the full year 2026, according to CFO Dive reporting on the company’s March 2026 guidance. The R2 launch represents a critical moment for the automaker, as the vehicle is positioned as its mass-market entry at a lower price point than its existing R1 lineup, aiming to drive volume and help the company move toward profitability.
The timing of the layoffs—just days after beginning R2 deliveries—underscores the tension between scaling production and controlling costs. Rivian has signaled that operational efficiency improvements are central to its path forward, with the company having achieved positive gross profit in consecutive quarters through 2025, according to EveryTicker reporting on Q1 2025 results.
Sources
- Bloomberg — confirmed hundreds of job cuts concentrated in service and customer operations
- CNBC — reported layoffs on Tuesday as less than 2% of workforce, company pursuing narrower losses
- Wall Street Journal — reported workforce size at end of 2025 was approximately 15,200 employees
- Electrek — detailed layoffs as fourth round of cuts since 2024, context on October 2025 cuts
- CFO Dive — reported Rivian’s March 2026 guidance for adjusted EBITDA losses of $1.8B–$2.1B in 2026
- Reuters — confirmed October 2025 layoffs of over 600 workers (4.5% of workforce)
- EveryTicker — reported positive gross profit in Q1 2025 ($206 million)
