Photo by Nilay Patel / The Verge
Last week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe confirmed what many of us already knew: the buzzy automaker was exploring the possibility of making its own electric bikes.
If it follows through — and there’s no reason to assume it won’t; an electric mountain bike would fit in nicely with the company’s specific brand of outdoor adventure vehicles — Rivian will face a challenge that many other automakers have also faced, which is how to build a successful micromobility business.
I think there’s no question that Rivian could build a really cool-looking e-bike. The company has certainly made a mark for itself by designing beautifully made and incredibly fun to drive products. But I do think it’s questionable as to whether people would want an e-bike…