Naming a spinoff company from EV maker Rivian

Background & Challenge

Founded by engineer RJ Scaringe in 2009, Rivian Automotive focuses on electric vehicles that accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation while transforming the user experience for work, travel, and adventure. Recognizing that 7 billion people are projected to live in urban centers by 2050, road transportation is the leading contributor to global CO2 emissions, and the vast majority of car trips are less than 15 miles, Rivian began exploring how its tech and expertise could be adapted to small vehicles. Lightweight, “last mile” transportation would be much more affordable and practical for city dwellers worldwide. 

As work advanced, it became clear the micromobility program was a bigger project than could naturally remain within Rivian. It tapped former Apple, Google, Tesla, and Uber employees and set up HQ in Palo Alto for the spinoff. Leadership then turned to Catchword to develop a great name, fast. 

Naming the Brand

Also is a flexible name based on the brand’s founding motivation: more ways to connect, more ways to get from here to there. Rivian founder and CEO R.J. Scaringe explained, “For the world to truly transition to sustainable and accessible transportation, we ALSO need a range of small electric form factors.” But the name goes even further than that. Also reframes the entire sustainable transportation sector with both a question (“How else can we make transport better?”) and an imperative (“Make vehicles that do this and also this and also this.”). The name is short—easily fitting a range of vehicles and accessories—and an unexpected, memorable use of an internationally understood word. 

Outcome

As a stealth spinoff of an automotive innovator, Also’s spring 2025 launch and announcement of an early 2026 flagship product was greeted with major media coverage and hoopla from automotive and micromobility fans. Also will initially focus on the U.S. and Europe before expanding globally across consumer and commercial markets. We fully expect Also’s range of electric vehicles to begin slashing carbon emissions right out of the gate and ultimately to change transportation as we know it.