Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian plans to open a new sales location on Northgate Boulevard, filling a portion of a Fry’s Electronics store that shuttered five years ago, Councilmember Lisa Kaplan’s office announced Monday.
The 60,000-square-foot site, just off the Northgate Boulevard exit of Interstate 80, will offer sales, test drives, service and delivery, a Rivian spokesperson said in an email.
The Irvine-based company and other newer automakers have fought for years to continue selling cars directly to customers, circumventing the traditional model of franchised dealerships. Leaders have argued that direct sales are more lucrative, and give Rivian more control over how its cars are sold and maintained…