--- title: "This Week in EVs: Rivian R2 Ships, Ford Restructures, and IONNA Cuts Prices" description: "Rivian ships the R2, Ford restructures its EV division, and IONNA cuts charging prices. See what's moving the used EV market this week." category: ev-news published_at: 2026-05-21T02:08:11.016Z canonical: https://selltoplug.com/ev-news/this-week-in-evs-rivian-r2-ships-ford-restructures-and-ionna-cuts-prices license: "All rights reserved by Plug Motors" --- # This Week in EVs: Rivian R2 Ships, Ford Restructures, and IONNA Cuts Prices The week of May 12 brought production milestones, executive departures, and a charging price war that matters for anyone buying or selling a used EV. Rivian's volume play reached customers, Ford reshuffled its electric strategy, and the charging network built by seven automakers undercut the competition to win holiday drivers. Here's what happened. ## Rivian R2 Enters Customer Production [Rivian began customer production of the R2 midsize SUV](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ksPVUYS3Y) at its Normal, Illinois plant this week, marking the company's first volume model below the R1 series. The start came shortly after tornado damage to the facility's roof didn't delay the launch timeline. The R2 sits in the segment where most used EV transactions happen midsize crossovers priced for broader reach and its arrival adds another data point to residual forecasting for Rivian's lineup. ## Tesla Starts Cybercab Mass Production [Tesla has begun mass production of its dedicated robotaxi](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ksPVUYS3Y) at Giga Texas, Elon Musk confirmed on the company's latest earnings call. The vehicle, widely called the Cybercab, is central to Tesla's autonomy and ride-hailing strategy. For the used market, the Cybercab doesn't compete directly with consumer models, but its production signals Tesla's long-term bet on fleet utilization over individual ownership a shift that could reshape how Model 3 and Model Y residuals behave as the company pivots resources. ## Mercedes Unveils Electric C-Class on MB.EA Platform [Mercedes officially showed an all-electric C-Class sedan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ksPVUYS3Y) built on its next-generation MB.EA architecture, sitting above the existing electric CLA. The move brings one of Mercedes' core nameplates onto a dedicated EV platform and signals the brand's gradual transition of its volume segments. For used buyers, the new C-Class confirms Mercedes is treating electric as the primary powertrain for its mid-tier lineup, which should stabilize depreciation curves as the brand commits platform investment to EVs. ## Ford Restructures EV Operations and Doug Field Departs [Ford announced a major reorganization of its EV division](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x-56K91vek), consolidating EV, digital, and design functions into a single product-creation and industrialization organization. Doug Field, a key executive who previously worked at Tesla and Apple, is leaving Ford as part of the changes. The restructuring reflects Ford's effort to cut costs and streamline development after slower-than-expected EV adoption. For the used market, Ford's consolidation doesn't change existing inventory, but it does signal the company is recalibrating its electric roadmap which matters for long-term parts availability and software support. ## Lucid Appoints New CEO and Secures $1 Billion in Funding [Lucid Motors appointed Silvio Napoli as CEO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x-56K91vek) and secured over $1 billion in new funding to support expansion and its long-term autonomous and robotaxi ambitions. The capital injection aims to stabilize operations amid ongoing cash burn and position Lucid for next-phase products. For used Lucid buyers, the funding and leadership change reduce near-term bankruptcy risk, which directly affects warranty confidence and service network stability two factors that weigh heavily on residual values for low-volume luxury EVs. ## Slate Auto Raises $650 Million Series C [EV startup Slate Auto announced a $650 million Series C round](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x-56K91vek) led by TWG Global and investor Thomas Tull, bringing total funding to about $1.4 billion. The raise underscores continued investor appetite for EV-related startups with perceived differentiated tech or business models, even as broader EV capital markets are more selective. Slate's funding doesn't directly touch the used market yet, but it signals where new supply will come from in two to three years and that future supply determines today's residuals. ## IONNA Slashes DC Fast-Charging Prices for Memorial Day [IONNA, the multi-automaker fast-charging joint venture, is cutting its DC fast-charging prices roughly in half](https://insideevs.com) for the U.S. Memorial Day weekend. The temporary promotion could make IONNA's chargers among the cheapest high-power DCFC options in the U.S. for that period and serves as an early customer-acquisition lever as the network ramps up. For used EV buyers, IONNA's pricing signals that charging costs are becoming a competitive battleground which matters because lower public charging costs reduce total cost of ownership and improve the value proposition of used EVs without home charging access. ## What We're Watching Next Week - **Q1 2026 depreciation data from Cox Automotive** the first full-quarter read on how used EV values moved after the federal tax credit changes took effect in January. - **NEVI site count updates** the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program passed 100 sites this month, and weekly additions are accelerating as states clear permitting backlogs. - **Rivian R2 delivery pace** early customer deliveries will set the tone for how quickly Rivian can ramp volume production and whether the R2 hits its pricing and margin targets.