Rivian will be the main sponsor for the SXSW Music Festival & Conference for the second year in a row, as the Irvine-headquartered EV maker seeks to increase brand awareness ahead of the R2 SUV launch.
The expiration of the federal EV tax credit on September 30 weighed on demand, with deliveries falling 18% in 2025 to 42,247 units.
The company invited the attendees to visit its “Electric Roadhouse,” a concept it launched last year at its Austin studio during the festival, “and get a chance to meet our newest vehicle, R2.”
Established in 1987, SXSW is “best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture.”
Celebrating its 40th year, the SXSW Music Festival will showcase over 300 new artists, including Gogol Bordello, Fuerza Regida, and emerging talents Deloyd Elze, DJ AG, Hannah Cohen, and Sassy 009. Lola Young is also among the list.
Rivian is hosting a contest for those interested in the festival, as announced on their social media pages. It will run between January 19 and February 13.
Texas Presence
Rivian has been rapidly expanding its Texas footprint.
The company now operates four service centers across the state — in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston — with three additional locations in development.
Two of the planned facilities will serve South Texas, while a third will expand capacity in the North Texas market.
In its most recent update last November, Rivian said it operated 35 spaces and 95 service locations in North America.
Meanwhile, Rivian‘s Adventure Network featured 131 charging stations across 28 states, with over 80% of these supporting non-Rivian vehicles.
The company has 29 additional stations in development, predominantly in Pacific states, including seven in California.
Texas has a station under construction in Waco, with another planned for Oklahoma City.
Forth Worth
The company recently opened a Service plus Demo Center at 275 University Drive in Fort Worth, converting a former Tesla location into a facility that combines vehicle servicing, showroom displays and test drives.
City of Fort Worth building permits show the $1.4 million renovation was completed in September.
Additionally, Rivian is investing $10 million in a new parts distribution center in Fort Worth, Texas, as it prepares to sharply increase its tangible addressable market with the more affordable R2 SUV.
According to construction filings reviewed by Fort Worth Projects, the 552,000-square-meter facility is scheduled to begin construction in April and completion in November.
The distribution hub represents Rivian‘s effort to strengthen its supply chain as the company prepares to start R2 production at the Illinois plant and begins construction of a second factory in Georgia.
That facility is intended to provide vehicle repairs, maintenance and deliveries for online and showroom orders.
R2 Production
The company is set to begin mass production of its upcoming SUV, which will introduce Rivian to a broader market as it is priced significantly lower compared to its debut R1 models.
The first validation builds have been completed, and the company is now road-testing them on a cross-country journey along Route 66.
Rivian‘s shares have been under pressure over the past weeks, as investors await updates on the R2 launch timeline and as excitement around autonomy-related news fades.
The stock lost over 26% of its value since a 2025 high of $22.69, reached on December 22.
The shares hit a one-month low of $15.86 earlier on Tuesday. As of press time, the EV maker was trading 2.8% lower at $16.20.
