 The initial investment will be a billion dollars, followed by four billion more if a joint venture between the two companies gets off the ground. Rivian's based in Irvine, California. Its SUVs and pickups are made in Normal, Illinois. Ford was an early investor in Rivian, but eventually pulled out. Volkswagen doesn't have a significant SUV or pickup business, so it doesn't compete with Rivian for those models. Ginny Kosola, Fox News.