Rivian’s Chief Executive Officer, RJ Scaringe, says electric vehicles should not be associated with any political party — a view that stands out at a time when EVs have become an ideological flashpoint in Washington.
Speaking on The Verge’s Decoder podcast on Monday, Scaringe said that EVs “have become political,” but insisted that “they shouldn’t be.”
His remarks come as President Donald Trump’s administration moves to reverse several of the policies that previously supported the electric vehicle industry. Earlier this year, the Trump administration removed the federal EV tax credit and signed a resolution blocking California’s plan to phase out new gas-powered car sales — decisions that analysts say have slowed industry momentum and forced automakers to rethink their electrification timelines.
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“Rivian employs almost 16,000 people domestically and has one of the strongest technology teams, I think, in the United States,” Scaringe said. “We spend a lot of time with the administration on that, and there’s a lot of support and enthusiasm for what we’re creating and building in that regard.”
The national focus on reshoring and domestic manufacturing — central to the Trump administration’s economic agenda — has boosted investment in gas-powered vehicle production, as automakers recalibrate their priorities. In June, General Motors announced a $4 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing plants, including expansions for internal combustion engine vehicles to “meet continued strong demand.”
That marks a sharp contrast from just a few years ago, when major automakers, including GM and Ford, had pledged to phase out combustion engines entirely by the 2030s. Scaringe lamented what he called a “reprioritization of capital towards internal combustion,” warning in August that the shift was “very bad for my kids and their kids, and very bad for the U.S. auto industry.”
While Trump’s policies have broadly applied across the EV sector, he has publicly praised select companies, most notably Tesla, which he has described as a model of American innovation. The president has even purchased one of Tesla’s vehicles himself, calling CEO Elon Musk “a great American success story.”
That endorsement, however, has not extended to the broader EV market. Trump has repeatedly criticized federal subsidies for electric vehicles, arguing they disproportionately benefit wealthy consumers and foreign manufacturers.
Rivian’s Neutral Ground
Scaringe is intent on keeping Rivian above the political fray. Drawing on a line from Michael Jordan’s iconic Nike campaign, he said: “Republicans buy sneakers, too.”
“We have a lot of Republicans who buy our vehicles and love them. We have a lot of Democrats who buy our vehicles and love them. We have people who are in the middle, and we have Independents,” Scaringe said, emphasizing that Rivian’s customer base spans the political spectrum.
He described Rivian’s mission as building a brand that is “as broad as possible,” with a “welcome mat” that invites all Americans — regardless of political affiliation — to embrace sustainable transportation.
“We try very hard not to make what we’re doing political,” Scaringe said. “At the end of the day, our vehicles are about performance, adventure, and innovation — not politics.”
Scaringe’s comments underline a broader tension in the U.S. auto industry as manufacturers navigate the intersection of industrial policy, climate goals, and consumer sentiment. The Trump administration’s rollback of EV incentives has prompted warnings from environmental groups that the U.S. risks falling behind Europe and China, where electric mobility remains a cornerstone of long-term economic and environmental strategy.
Despite the policy uncertainty, Rivian continues to expand its production capabilities and is positioning itself as one of the few independent challengers to Tesla. Scaringe thus appears to be betting that Rivian’s success will hinge less on policy and more on innovation and market appeal.