The Rivian automotive service center at 4507 N. Selland Ave. in Fresno near is 16,180 square feet with a service area ranging from Turlock to Bakersfield and the central coast. Photo by Frank Lopez

The Rivian automotive service center at 4507 N. Selland Ave. in Fresno near Shaw and Marty avenues held a ribbon cutting Friday for the 16,180-square-foot facility’s renovation.

The building was previously occupied by Fresno solar company Sunrun and started operations in early June.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer visited the facility and got to test drive one of the Rivian electric vehicles, describing the ride as “very smooth even on the streets of Fresno.” 

Dyer said the center is serving 30-50 cars a week. The most popular models are the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV.

“You really don’t realize how many Rivian vehicles you have in your city until you open up a service center,” Dyer said. 

 

Along with getting their vehicles serviced, customers can also pick up their vehicle at the service center after ordering it online, he added. 

The local service center can perform all maintenance work for Rivian vehicles excluding body work. 

In 2023, the economic development team of the city, along with the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, presented the Rivian team with different site options and did everything they could to accelerate the process and provide economic incentives, Dyer said.

“We are a city on the move in terms of economic development,” Dyer said. 

Ara Sarkisyan, service manager in Fresno, said the demo and service center will serve existing Rivian owners while allowing more prospective customers to experience the electric vehicles. 

He said being in the Central Valley provides a strategic location to help service more customers in the state. 

“We are the only ones and plan on being the only one’s here in the Center Valley. We cover a very wide area — all the way up to Turlock and all the way down to Bakersfield and all the way to the coast,” Sarkisyan said. 

Prior to the opening of the Fresno location, Rivian customers had to get their vehicles serviced in either San Jose or Burbank. 

Sarkisyan said the service center has eight to 10 team members on site, and they are looking to hire a few more as sales ramp up. 

 

He said Fresno is an important part of growing Rivian’s presence in California. 

Sarkisyan said the Central Valley was a popular market for Rivian vehicles before the opening of the service center, and with the Fresno location, popularity is expected to increase. 

Rivian currently has 14 service centers in the state with plans to open seven more in the next year, and there are 23 Rivian Adventure Network charging stations powered by renewable energy. 

“We are very excited. We have a great team — from service advisors, to technicians to parts, to detail. We hit the ground running and it’s really exciting,” Sarkisyan said.

Rivian was founded in Rockledge, Florida, in 2009 as Mainstream Motors by Robert Scaringe. 

After some name changes, it was renamed Rivian Automotive in 2011 with a focus on autonomous and electric vehicles.

Operations were relocated to California in 2009. 

According to Rivian’s 2024 annual report, the company produced 49,476 vehicles and delivered 51,579 last year.