Rivian Steps Up to Provide EV for Olympic Hockey Medalist After Crash Totals Her Vehicle

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has committed to providing a new vehicle to Kelly Pannek, a medalist from the U.S. women's hockey team at the recent Winter Olympics, after a crash that totaled her car. The initiative was sparked by hip-hop artist Flavor Flav, known from Public Enemy, who shared the athlete's plight on X while organizing a Las Vegas event to celebrate U.S. women medalists from the Olympics and Paralympics. In his post, Flavor Flav noted, "This one is for a REAL need and imma hopeful that an auto company gonna step up. KELLY PANNEK from the women's hockey team got hits by someone who totaled her car," urging brands to assist as she required reliable transportation. Several companies expressed interest, but Rivian quickly followed through, replying, "You already skate in style, now it's time to ride in it, Kelly Pannek. Let's get you behind the wheel of a Rivian." Pannek competes professionally with the Minnesota Frost in the Professional Women's Hockey League.

This act aligns with Rivian's growing involvement in supporting athletes. Just last month, the Irvine-based company announced a sponsorship deal with Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, another Milano Cortina Winter Olympics participant. Rivian praised Shiffrin in a blog post for her record-breaking achievements, including World Cup wins, Crystal Globes, and Olympic medals, calling her the most decorated Alpine skier in history. Shiffrin expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating she was "beyond excited" to align with a brand focused on adventure, efficiency, and curiosity—qualities she shares. Rivian recently marked Shiffrin's Olympic gold with a congratulatory X post, highlighting her talent and determination.

The company has a history of athlete collaborations, including a partnership last year with world-champion mountain biker Kate Courtney and ongoing sustainability projects with the Honnold Foundation, founded by climber Alex Honnold. As outlined in Rivian's latest Shareholder Letter, the firm is prioritizing infrastructure expansion and brand awareness ahead of launching an affordable mid-size SUV, the R2, in the second quarter of 2026. Mid-2024 data from the company's Investor Day showed domestic brand awareness at 40%, with no updates since.

Despite topping Consumer Reports' Owner Satisfaction ratings for the third straight year in 2023, Rivian was rated the least reliable brand by customers in 2025. To address such feedback, Rivian reorganized its customer experience teams last October as part of a broader go-to-market restructuring, with CEO RJ Scaringe temporarily leading marketing. Earlier this year, the company opted not to hire a new Chief Marketing Officer, instead integrating those duties under the Chief Customer Officer role filled by Greg Revelle.