Rivian COO Frank Klein Discusses Production Ramp from Dual-Motor Line

Normal, IL

By Rivian

April 14^th, 2023

The opening of our next-gen drive unit line in Normal unlocks new capacity and efficiencies across our manufacturing operation. Frank Klein, our Chief Operations Officer, tours the line and explains why we’re so excited to have a totally Rivian-designed and Rivian-manufactured drive unit.

Watch the video, then read his thoughts on production ramp, classic cars and why he takes his breaks on the production floor.

Say you’re explaining your job to someone in an elevator or a train or a bus, what would you say?

Frank: It better be a long elevator ride! As the COO at Rivian, my job is putting the visions into reality. What RJ and the team created, since founding the company in 2009 — going from an idea to a fascinating design, engineering the vehicles, testing and launching them — is mind-blowing. The Rivian products are by far the nicest and most advanced vehicles I have ever seen and driven. But a lot of people underestimate what it takes to build these products at scale. And this is exactly what I get to do with my team — scaling up, finding the right suppliers, coordinating with thousands of people, building a quality product every single time. And building hundreds of them every day.

What has it been like for you moving around the world during your career?

Frank: I am so blessed that I've had an opportunity to meet so many different people all over the world. I lived and worked in so many different countries in the last 32 years of my career — South America, North America, China, Russia, Hungary, Spain, France, Germany and Austria, just to name a few. I am always inspired to see how passionate people are delivering extraordinary results. And let’s be honest, meeting and working with so many different people is just a lot of fun.

What are some of your interests, the things you like to talk about at dinner? I know you're not talking about Rivian all the time.

Frank: Well, I probably talk about Rivian 16 hours a day. But life is not just about work. I always admire people who have and are able to share a passion.

My passion is vintage cars. When I was young, my first car I was able to afford was a 1968 VW Bug. That car required a lot of work and I really fell in love with it. And I learned a lot by fixing and driving it. I got to know every detail. And it sort of connects me with my father. He worked at a car company, Opel, in Rüsselsheim, Germany. So I share the same passion my father has.

The great thing about being passionate about something is you meet other people who are passionate about that, as well. You make these connections. That's really what it's all about. Of course, vintage cars are fascinating, but spending time with people who share the same passion is even more meaningful.

You are on the production floor a lot. I don't know if that's normal or abnormal for a COO, but it is something you clearly enjoy. Why is that?

Frank: Yes, I do. Again, in the end, it's all about working with people. It's the best thing about this job. I work with incredible people, passionate people on the shop floor — Team Members, Team Leaders, Group Leaders and Managers. People from all different organizations. And they’re all making it happen. I hate sitting in meeting rooms. I don't like looking at PowerPoint presentations. Of course, you have to do this. But, whenever I have a break, I can go to the shop floor and interact with the team. I get to see how they're feeling and how I can help. That’s something I love.