Rivian's Chief Operating Officer Left The Company In December

EV maker says Rod Copes "began a phased retirement from Rivian several months ago."

Assembly team members inserting a windshield on a Rivian R1T on the Validation Production line at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL.

Dan Mihalascu

By: Dan Mihalascu

Jan 12, 2022 at 5:45am ET

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Rivian’s chief operating officer Rod Copes stepped down last month as the EV startup was ramping up production for the R1T electric pickup and R1S electric SUV.

The COO retired from the company after holding the position for almost two years, with his LinkedIn profile indicating he had been appointed COO in March 2020. At the time of writing, his profile reads "retired from Rivian." Prior to joining Rivian, he was the president of Royal Enfield North America for almost six years.

According to Rivian, Copes's departure is not as sudden as it may seem at first sight. In a short statement seen by Automotive News, the company said that Copes “began a phased retirement from Rivian several months ago, affording the team continuity as we moved toward production ramp.”

The EV maker added that his duties have been distributed across the leadership team. The COO’s departure comes at a critical time when the company faces challenges in the production ramp-up of its R1T and R1S EVs.

Gallery: Rivian Manufacturing Plant In Normal, IL

Assembly team members inserting a windshield on a Rivian R1T on the Validation Production line at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL.

An Amazon delivery van body shell is examined at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL. An employee performs a quality inspection on the General Assembly line at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL. An employee performing top coat observation in the Paint Shop at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL. Employees performing a paint inspection in the Paint Shop at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL. A Rivian R1T body frame enters the e-coat process in the Paint Shop at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL. Employees hand polish and inspect a Rivian R1T body shell before a primer coat is applied in the Paint Shop at Rivian's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL.

Last month, Rivian announced that it would fall “a few hundred vehicles short” of its target to build 1,200 vehicles in 2021. The company confirmed the estimate in a January 10 regulatory filing that said Rivian produced 1,015 vehicles by the end of 2021 and delivered 920.

Rivian stock dropped on production issues and continued to fall after Amazon, a major investor and customer, said it would buy Ram ProMaster electric delivery vans from Stellantis. Shares continued to drop after news of Copes’s departure broke out on January 10, with the stock being 21% down this year through Monday’s close.

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The EV maker recently shared plans to use part of the $13.7 billion it had raised through its IPO to build a second factory in Georgia that would double its production capacity and build battery cells.

Rivian also filed a new trademark for bicycles and electric bikes as well as their corresponding structural parts. This likely indicates that the company is keeping a close eye on e-bikes as it seeks to diversify its portfolio with a cheaper product to mass-produce than electric trucks but still consistent with its adventure-seeking customer base.