Caltrans has committed to buying nearly 1,000 Rivian electric vehicles under a single state contract, a purchase that has drawn scrutiny over whether California taxpayers got the best possible deal. The agency placed its orders in two rounds, and state officials have offered only partial answers about how the numbers add up.
According to ABC10, Caltrans spent more than $100 million in taxpayer dollars on nearly 1,000 Rivian electric vehicles. That figure sits somewhat higher than the tally reported by procurement-industry outlets: electrive.com put the combined commitment at 977 vehicles worth around $97.1 million. Both figures describe the same underlying purchase, but the exact gap between them has not been reconciled by either outlet.
The deal took shape in two separate orders. Caltrans first ordered 453 vehicles from Rivian in June 2025, a purchase the trade outlet evwire.com reports was comprised of 138 R1S SUVs and 315 R1T pickups worth $44.3 million. A second order followed for 524 more vehicles — 201 R1S SUVs and 323 R1T pickups — valued at approximately $52.7 million, per the same electrive.com report, pushing the state’s total commitment to 977 Rivians.
One Contract, Dozens of State Agencies
Both orders fall under a single standing agreement, California Department of General Services contract 1-25-23-01J, described by evwire.com as an Alternative Fuel Vehicles framework between Rivian and the department. A contract listing reviewed by withpavilion.com labels the agreement MANDATORY — 1-25-23-01J — Alternative Fuel Vehicles — Rivian, underscoring that it functions as a standing procurement vehicle rather than a one-off purchase…