Images via Rivian, 25 News Now
Vehicle fires happen all the time, but they usually don’t break out in car manufacturing facility parking lots. That’s why people are so interested in the fire at Rivian’s one and only factory in Normal, Illinois.
Someone stole an historic military truck from a national forest.
It broke out sometime before 10 pm on August 24 with firefighters called just before 9:45, says 25 News Now. By midnight the blaze was confirmed as extinguished, although we’re unsure if it has reignited, a common occurrence with battery fires.
Rivian hasn’t revealed how many vehicles were damaged in the fire nor what models they were. It’s assumed they were completed EVs awaiting shipment, but that also hasn’t been confirmed.
No cause for the fire has been determined, yet. An ongoing investigation might reveal what sparked it, providing some much-needed answers and hopefully future prevention. Naturally, speculation online about the cause has run rampant.
Rivian says production at its Normal factory, the only one it has at the moment, continued without disruption. In a statement, the automaker also said it wasn’t aware of any injuries from the blaze.
This all comes after Rivian has suffered some setbacks and had to adapt to changing conditions. Its planned second factory in Georgia has been put on hold, with some questioning if it will ever happen. The facility in Illinois had to be shut down for three weeks to retool, an effort to simplify the manufacturing process and cut costs.
A parts shortage caused Rivian to suspend production of Amazon delivery vans. However, the company says it will make up for lost production and stay on schedule for the online retail gian
Plus, there are signs the EV market’s softening may continue. Rivian is busy getting ready to launch its R2 model lineup, which is smaller and more affordable, within two years. Many feel the future viability of the company depends on that move.
Images via Rivian, 25 News Now
