The Rivian R1T electric pickup truck, manufactured in Normal, is now being referred to as the coolest product made in Illinois, as the winner of the Illinois Manufacturers Association’s (IMA) annual Makers Madness competition.
Every year the IMA hosts the online competition to highlight a wide variety of unique and important products manufactured in the Land of Lincoln.
After several years of showing off prototype pickups, Rivian’s R1T truck went on sale to the public in September 2021. So far the company has produced a little more than 3,500 units. For those interested, the cost of an R1T starts at just over $67,000.
Last year’s winner was the Termico Traffic Signal Heater, a device used to prevent or reduce the buildup of snow on traffic lights. The heaters are manufactured by Termico in Elk Grove Village.