How Rivian made itself the top contender to become the next Tesla

Rivian is preparing to release its first vehicle, the R1T electric pickup truck.Rivian

• Rivian is preparing to roll out its first two vehicles, the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV.
• Experts consider it the most promising contender among today's EV startups.
• It has raised $11 billion and landed an electric-van order from Amazon.

A new generation of electric-vehicle startups is preparing to give US consumers their first new automotive brands to choose from since Tesla debuted in 2008. The first one to debut could be Rivian, which plans to start delivering its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV in the coming months.

The startup has arguably generated more excitement than its rivals by raising more money than any of them, landing an investment and delivery-van order from Amazon, and focusing on the lucrative SUV and pickup-truck markets. Whether Rivian can live up to the hype remains to be seen, but the company has put itself in a strong position to take on the many challenges that come with starting an automaker.

Read on to learn more about the company's CEO, why investors and experts think Rivian's the top contender among today's generation of EV startups, and what you can do to position yourself to land a job there.