Rivian R1T and R1S electric pickup trucks and SUVs delayed until 2021 due to Corona virus.

Rivian's long-awaited R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV won't hit the market until late 2020 as previously planned due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Rivian spokeswoman Amy Mast told the Chicago Tribune in an email Monday that the electric vehicle with a 400-mile range, first unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, will arrive in 2021.

Rivian was in the process of reorganizing the former Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois, but was forced to send employees home on March 18 after a permanent stay-away order was issued due to the pandemic. On April 1, a video was released showing Rivian's Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vehicle. Outlander Sport, showing how the factory, which was last used to produce the Outlander Sport model, is being remodeled.

The company has taken steps to minimize disruption. For example, several contractors may still be involved in the plant remodeling. However, most of Rivian's 300 employees are at home. Mr. Mast told the Chicago Tribune that all Livian employees, including hourly workers, are being paid full wages during the temporary shutdown.

Last week, rival Lucid Motors announced that it had postponed the public introduction of its Air sedan, but may begin production as planned; the Air is scheduled to enter production in late 2020 at a new plant in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Rivian is one of the most successful electric vehicle startups. The company has successfully raised billions of dollars in funding from Amazon, Cox Automotive, and Ford and has received orders for future vehicles from Amazon and Ford. Livian will build delivery vehicles for Amazon and SUVs for Ford's Lincoln division.