Electric-truck maker Rivian, which is building its vehicles in Normal, Illinois, said it will open a showroom at 932 W. Randolph St. in Fulton Market.
The California-based company said it's planning to open 10 such showrooms in the country, as it prepares to deliver its first vehicles to customers later this year.
“As we prepare to deliver our first vehicles this summer, we’re working to establish physical locations where people can experience Rivian in person. With a high concentration of Rivian pre-order customers, Chicago is a key location for us, and Fulton Market is a vibrant neighborhood and a great fit. Our vehicles are Illinois-built and we’re looking forward to sharing them with this community," said Tony Caravano, senior director of customer experience at Rivian, in an e-mailed statement.
"We envision our spaces as gathering places for both fans and customers — a place for families to spend time and learn about electric vehicles and our products," the company said, without specifying when the Chicago dealership would open.
Last month, Rivian said it raised $2.65 billion in a round led by T. Rowe Price. The new funding reportedly values Rivian at more than $27 billion.
Rivian will build its electric pickup truck in a 2.6-million-square-foot manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, that it bought from Mitsubishi for $16 million in 2017, where the company said it now has 700 people working. The company also has development centers in Plymouth, Michigan; San Jose, California; Irvine, California; and Surrey, England. Rivian company has two launch products — the R1T truck and the R1S sport utility vehicle — and the company says both will deliver up to 400 miles of range from an electric charge.
