Rivian's New Startup, "Also", Targets Lightweight EVs and Micromobility
Electric micromobility—the area of transportation concerning things like e-bikes and e-scooters from brands like Lime and Bird—is still in its infancy. Up until now, the industry has been plagued by fads (Segway, anyone?), financial pitfalls, and reliability concerns around theft and overall organization. Apparently, Rivian thinks it can change that and has spun out its self-incubated "Also" startup, which will produce light electric vehicles (LEVs) and other personal transportation.
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Formerly a small team working inside of Rivian, the new micromobility business now stands technically alone. Also was started around three and a half years ago as a bit of an exploratory journey to see if Rivian could leverage its existing strengths to develop affordable (and profitable) personal transportation. As it turns out, Rivian concluded that it can provide a "greatly enhanced product relative to currently available offerings," leading to the decision for Rivian to have Also, Inc. stand alone. While Rivian maintains a "substantial minority ownership stake," venture capital fund Eclipse Ventures has ponied up an additional $105 million. Also's site claims the new company's flagship product will arrive in the first half of next year, but doesn't mention any other markets by name except the US and Europe.
What that "flagship" looks like, exactly, is anyone's guess. Also says that it's "building an exciting range of electric vehicles that are efficient, sustainable, and delightful to use." Another key detail to note is that they're using a completely proprietary platform, encompassing everything from software to motors. There's little doubt Also's leaned heavily on its Rivian origin for a lot of this, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In an interview with InsideEVs, Chris Yu, Also's president, hints that the brand will rely on a "skateboard" approach and will feature two-, three-, and four-wheel machinations. Everything will be made in-house, just like with Rivian's vehicles.
You won't see any cars wearing an Also badge—the brand stops "just south of a homologated car," says Yu—because that would really be missing the point. Also, which Yu refers to as a former "skunkworks program," is another resource in Rivian's tool belt that will help it continue to survive and thrive. When you add this to Rivian's excellent roadmap (the R2 and R3 electric SUVs), its very public Amazon partnership, and joint ventures with Mercedes-Benz to power European market vans, those whispers questioning the brand's longevity might as well be the ravings of a lunatic.
Electrification in micromobility has long legs and is only in the beginning stages of relevancy. Heck, the term "micromobility" itself has only been around for ten years or so. As cities get denser, cars get pricier, and inflation marches on, more and more people will start considering alternatives to vehicle ownership. Rivian, and by extension, Also, have the experience and messaging down; all they need now is a product that actually excites people.
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