据悉，当地消防人员于周六晚上9:45左右被叫到工厂，周日午夜时分大火被扑灭。On Sunday, Rivian announced that a fire broke out in the parking lot of the company's manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, damaging multiple electric vehicles. The company spokesperson told the media that there have been no reports of casualties and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The fire occurred in a parking lot on the north side of the factory, and the assembly plant was not affected.
According to Financial Associated Press on August 26th, Rivian Automotive, a formidable rival of Tesla and a US-based startup, announced on Sunday that a fire broke out in the parking lot of their manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, damaging multiple electric vehicles.
The company spokesperson told the media that there have been no reports of casualties and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
It is reported that local firefighters were called to the factory at around 9:45 p.m. on Saturday and the fire was extinguished by midnight on Sunday.
In a statement provided to the media, the Normal Fire Department stated that the fire occurred in a parking lot on the north side of the 4 million square foot factory, and the assembly plant was not affected.
Rivian has not disclosed the number or types of vehicles affected.
Rivian is known for its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck. The company is expanding the Normal plant to produce the smaller and more affordable R2 SUV, which is expected to be launched in 2026.
The R2 SUV is seen as crucial to Rivian's success. Although the model has not been released yet, it has already attracted a considerable number of fans. Tim Fallon, the Vice President of Manufacturing at Rivian, recently stated that pre-orders for the R2 have "far exceeded 100,000 vehicles" and continue to rise.
Rivian produces all vehicles at its Normal factory, which was closed for three weeks this year for a major overhaul aimed at streamlining the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
The automaker also plans to establish a second assembly plant in Georgia.
Due to a shortage of parts, Rivian temporarily suspended production of commercial delivery vehicles used by retail giant Amazon last week. This production halt is the latest setback in a series of supply chain challenges faced by Rivian.