A vicious EF-1 tornado slammed into Rivian’s Normal, Illinois plant on April 17, ripping away chunks of roof and wall from Building 2—the nerve center for its upcoming R2 SUV. No injuries. But the timing? Brutal. Photos circulating on forums and Reddit show twisted metal beams dangling over flooded floors. Exposed wiring. Puddles everywhere. This hit came amid a broader storm outbreak across the Midwest, with winds clocked at 103 mph right at the facility, per National Weather Service surveys cited on Rivian Forums . Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe fired off an email to staff Sunday night. “Thank you to our team members on site who sought safe shelter and followed our emergency management protocols when the tornado alarms sounded. I am proud of how everyone came together, not just to follow safety protocols, but to support one another and lead the cleanup and repair efforts with such care and determination,” he wrote, as first reported by TechCrunch .…