Tesla Cybercab Assembly Manager Joins Rivian

Jody Kerns departs his role at Gigafactory Texas to lead R2 production for the competing automaker.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Electric Vehicles

Tesla Cybercab Assembly Manager Joins Rivian

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Jody Kerns, previously the Senior Manager of Cybercab General Assembly at Tesla, resigned his position in October 2026 to become the Director of General Assembly for the R2 at Rivian. His departure follows the commencement of commercial Cybercab operations in Austin earlier this year.

Why it matters

The transition of key assembly leadership from Tesla to Rivian marks a significant shift in talent between two major American electric vehicle manufacturers. It highlights Rivian's ongoing efforts to scale production of its R2 model while Tesla continues to manage its specialized robotaxi fleet.

Rivian recently raised $1.5 billion in funding and maintained its 2026 delivery guidance of 65,000 to 70,000 vehicles. This follows a third-quarter production total of 19,751 units for the company.

The players

Jody Kerns

He is an automotive manufacturing executive who previously served as a manager at Tesla and Volkswagen of America.

Tesla

This American electric vehicle and clean energy company manufactures the Cybercab and operates the Gigafactory Texas facility.

Rivian

This automaker produces electric adventure vehicles and recently began deliveries of its new R2 model.

Michael So

He is a former Tesla executive who served as the Head of Cybercab NPI until his departure from the company in May 2026.

The details

Kerns previously spent 14 years at Volkswagen of America, where he managed 1,200 employees before joining Tesla in January 2024. At Rivian, he will oversee assembly operations for the R2 model, which began deliveries in June 2026.

January 2024: Jody Kerns joined Tesla as an end-of-line manager.
February 2026: Tesla rolled its first Cybercab off the assembly line.
June 9, 2026: Rivian R2 deliveries officially began.
September 3, 2026: Commercial Cybercab operations started in Austin.
October 2026: Jody Kerns announced his resignation from Tesla.

Roadmap

This move highlights the intensive competition for manufacturing leadership as companies race to scale automated and consumer-focused electric vehicle platforms. It mirrors a broader industry effort to navigate federal regulatory requirements, such as the NHTSA Special Order regarding vehicles without steering wheels or brake pedals.

Prospective buyers of the Rivian R2 may see improved production consistency as the company integrates experienced assembly leadership to meet its 2026 delivery goals. Conversely, Tesla customers in Austin may monitor whether changes in leadership affect the ongoing operation of the existing 1,000-vehicle Robotaxi fleet.

The takeaway

The movement of veteran manufacturing managers between top EV makers underscores how critical production scaling has become for the success of new vehicle platforms. Consumers should continue to watch production figures as a primary metric for determining the availability of new electric vehicle models.