A tornado struck the Rivian factory in Normal, Illinois, on Saturday, causing damage to the section where the R2 SUV is assembled. The National Weather Service classified the storm as an EF-1 tornado, with winds reaching up to 110 mph. No injuries were reported among workers or visitors at the facility.
Local emergency services confirmed the tornado touched down around 3:30 PM, uprooting trees and tearing metal sheets off roofs. The Rivian plant, which employs about 8,000 people, temporarily halted operations as crews assessed the damage. The company stated that the affected area was not yet in full production mode for the R2, meaning the disruption would not delay the SUV’s planned launch.
Rivian had previously announced that the R2 would begin production in late 2026. The factory’s body shop and paint shop sustained the most visible damage, with broken windows and dented panels. Officials from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency coordinated with Rivian to ensure safety before allowing workers back inside.
State Senator Sara Feigenholtz, whose district includes Normal, toured the site Sunday and described the damage as significant but manageable. She noted that power outages affected nearby neighborhoods, though they were restored within hours. The McLean County sheriff’s office reported minor structural damage to homes but no major incidents.
Rivian has not yet detailed repair costs or timelines for resuming full operations. The company’s stock price dipped slightly in after-hours trading but recovered by Monday morning. Analysts from Wedbush Securities suggested the incident could add short-term pressure on supply chains but was unlikely to impact Rivian’s long-term growth plans.
Source: techcrunch.com