More than 2,000 people took to off-roading along the Magnificent Mile in downtown Chicago over the weekend, as EV maker Rivian converted Pioneer Court into a temporary wilderness course.
Tribune Tower, the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue served as an unlikely setting as expert drivers gave passengers a Rivian Electric Joyride over makeshift dirt mounds and steep grades. The course, which required nearly a week to assemble, featured an 18-foot dirt mound at a 33-degree incline, with a 35-degree embankment on one side, putting the EVs — and passengers’ trust in their drivers — to the test.
“The Electric Joyride allowed us to showcase the capabilities of our all-electric R1S SUV and R1T truck by building an off-road course in the middle of Chicago,” said Rivian spokesperson Kelli Felker. “All EVs are fast on the road, but our vehicles shine both on- and off-road, which sets us apart from the rest.”
No test drives ventured into the true obstacle course — the actual pothole-ridden, traffic-choked streets of Chicago — but Rivian used the faux Baja terrain to demonstrate how the quad-motor R1S SUV or R1T truck performs in rugged backcountry.
Everyone completed the circuit without incident, highlighting the EVs’ off-road prowess while reminding thousands of riders and prospective buyers that the domestically made vehicles are assembled about two hours south of Chicago in downstate Normal.
The off-road display first appeared in March at the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The leftover dirt from the Chicago installation was scheduled to be removed and hauled away Monday, Felker said.
Meanwhile, the state announced the inaugural tenant at Rivian’s new $120 million Normal supplier park last week.
French firm OPmobility will set up across the street from Rivian’s EV plant to assemble bumpers for the smaller R2 SUV, which is slated to start rolling off the line in the first half of 2026. OPmobility was enticed to open its first Illinois facility through the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles In Illinois (REV Illinois) program. The 2021 law provides up to a 75% credit on state income tax for EV manufacturers that meet agreed investment and job-creation benchmarks.
OPmobility has pledged to create 81 full-time positions and make an undisclosed capital outlay at its Normal site to qualify for a $3.67 million tax credit, according to the agreement posted online by the state.
Rivian began producing its full-size electric R1T pickup, the R1S SUV and commercial delivery vans in September 2021 at a former Mitsubishi auto plant on the outskirts of Normal. In March 2024, Rivian announced the R2 will also be manufactured in Illinois, putting plans for a $5 billion Georgia plant on hold.
Supported by $827 million in state incentives, Rivian is enlarging its 4.3 million-square-foot Normal assembly complex by another 1.1 million square feet and adding more than 550 assembly jobs over five years to build the midsize R2 SUV.
In May, Rivian said it is constructing a separate $120 million supplier park near its Normal plant. The 1.2 million-square-foot development is expected to create about 100 jobs for the growing production operation of the California-based EV maker, which builds its entire lineup in the college town roughly 130 miles south of Chicago.
While not part of the new supplier park, Adient, a global leader in automotive seating, announced in July plans to invest more than $8 million to convert an existing 85,000-square-foot warehouse next to the Rivian plant to produce front and rear seats for the EVs. That investment was similarly encouraged by state tax credits.
See also: Subaru Plans Seven New Models Including Performance EV Revival
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