It is rumored that the former North American CEO of Porsche will join Rivian, the specific position is unknown
Car circle on July 16, according to foreign media reports, a person familiar with the matter revealed to the media that Kjell Gruner, former CEO of Porsche North America, will join the electric vehicle startup Rivian, and the specific position is not disclosed.
Last week, less than three years into office, Gruner himself filed for his resignation from Porsche. During his tenure, he led Porsche's U.S. business through the pandemic and put the brand on track to set sales records this year, with dealers expecting Porsche to sell 80,000 vehicles in the U.S. next year, up nearly 15 percent from 2022.
Prior to becoming CEO of Porsche North America, Gruner also served as Vice President of Marketing for parent company Porsche since 2010 and, prior to that, Director of Strategy at Mercedes-Benz Cars.
While Gruner is unlikely to replace Rivian founder and head RJ Scaringe, poaching an executive from an iconic brand like Porsche would give Rivian prestige. The company currently sells R1T pure electric pickup trucks and R1S zero-emission SUVs, both of which start at more than $70,000 and are at the high end of the market.
Ivan Drury, director of analytics at Edmunds, said having an experienced automotive veteran familiar with selling high-end products would do wonders for the brand.
In a post announcing his departure from Porsche, Gruner said that while he had a great team, brand and products during his time at Porsche, there are times when there is a new mountain to climb, referring to the possibility of embarking on a career path that is tougher than ever.
If the rumor is true, Gruner's work at the new company, Rivian, could be very busy, as the California-based electric car maker spends billions of dollars to launch a new R2 car platform and lay the groundwork for a second assembly plant near Atlanta. In the first quarter of this year, Rivian had a net loss of $1.35 billion and revenue of $661 million.
Reviewer: Lemon