DETROIT — Upstart car ventures often begin with one question, according to Rivian Automotive CEO RJ Scaringe: "Let's look at everything we've done for 120 years — how do we do it differently?"
Rivian, a 10-year-old venture operating in suburban Detroit, plans to reveal its first products, an all-electric SUV and a pickup, at next month's AutoMobility LA. But Scaringe hasn't arrived at this moment by throwing out all of the rules. He has built Rivian around his fascination with leading automotive production processes gleaned from academia and an executive dream team.
"When I first met him, our first discussions were about production processes," said John Shook, Rivian board member and chairman of the Lean Enterprise Institute, one of the industry's leading think tanks on efficient vehicle and parts manufacturing. "He's not only enthusiastic about the product but also how to make things."
Scaringe, who grew up restoring classic Porsches, is betting that a deeply researched go-to-market plan, a team of industry experts and an operating philosophy rooted in Toyota's practices will give Rivian an edge in the market.