Lovefrom, the inventive agency based by former Apple chief designer Jony Ive, performed a job within the improvement of Rivian’s first electrical bike, in response to a number of sources who spoke to TechCrunch.
For about 18 months, a handful of LoveFrom workers labored alongside Rivian’s design group and engineers inside a skunkworks program led by Specialised’s former chief product and know-how officer Chris Yu. LoveFrom’s work on the micromobility undertaking led to fall 2024, in response to the sources.
LoveFrom and Rivian declined to remark.
Rivian’s skunkworks program, which finally grew to a group of about 70 individuals hailing from Apple, Google, Specialised, Tesla, REI Co-Op, spun out earlier this yr with a brand new identify and $105 million in funding from Eclipse Ventures.
The micromobility startup, referred to as Additionally, has but to indicate off its first car designs. In interviews with TechCrunch, Rivian founder and CEO RJ Scaringe (who’s on Additionally’s board) and Yu had been cagey about what the brand new firm’s first car would appear to be.
“There’s a seat, and there’s two wheels, there’s a display screen, and there’s a number of computer systems and a battery,” Scaringe mentioned in March. He has additionally mentioned it is going to be “bike-like,” an outline confirmed by sources.
However each Scaringe and Yu spoke of a a lot larger imaginative and prescient for Additionally, one the place it might theoretically sort out nearly any possible micromobility kind issue. The brand new firm is meant to disclose its first designs at an occasion later this yr. An Additionally spokesperson declined to remark about its bike or any connection to LoveFrom.
When the electrical “bike” is revealed, it’s potential that Ive’s fingerprints will likely be throughout it.
Ive is best-known for being the design power behind the iPhone and myriad different Apple merchandise, and most just lately, his work with Sam Altman and OpenAI. However his collaboration with Rivian isn’t his first foray into the transportation trade.
The mum or dad firm of Ferrari introduced in 2021 that Ive’s agency would assist develop the Italian supercar producer’s next-generation automobiles. Ive was additionally concerned with Apple’s secretive automobile undertaking. He was reportedly one of many fundamental proponents for centering Apple’s long-running automobile undertaking round autonomy, whereas different individuals inside the corporate pushed for a extra conventional electrical automobile. Apple deserted that undertaking early final yr.
Sources informed TechCrunch that Ive’s LoveFrom has acted as a advisor for Rivian prior to now, together with on the corporate’s redesigned infotainment system and retail, amongst different areas, in response to two former staff with data of the connection. However its involvement in what would develop into Additionally was a extra structured and devoted effort, one other supply acquainted with the connection mentioned.
The skunkworks program started taking form in early 2022 with a directive to discover whether or not Rivian’s EV know-how might be condensed down into one thing smaller and extra reasonably priced than its electrical vans, vehicles, and SUVs.
Initially, the small group labored with Rivian designers to develop a product that might scale to various kinds of automobiles. A key design problem was how you can make the bike-like product modular whereas nonetheless sustaining the elevated aesthetics Rivian has develop into identified for.
By the point LoveFrom obtained concerned within the undertaking in early 2023, plenty of work had been accomplished, in response to sources who mentioned they helped refine the prototypes.
The connection was described as a “fairly tight” collaboration between the skunkworks group, LoveFrom’s workers, and the commercial designers primarily based out of Rivian’s headquarters in Irvine. This group checked out every part together with the person interface and UX for the bike.
The commercial design group at LoveFrom, which has plenty of expertise with considerate and intelligent packaging, was significantly concerned, in response to one supply, who famous the group introduced an interdisciplinary and worldwide perspective to the undertaking.
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