SAN FRANCISCO, April 17 (Reuters) - Electric vehicle

maker Rivian said on Wednesday it cut about 1% of its

workforce - the second round of job cut this year - as it races

to reduce cost amid a broader slowdown in EV demand.

"This was a difficult decision, but a necessary one to

support our goal to be gross margin positive by the end of the

year," the maker of R1S SUVs and R1T pickup trucks said in an

email to Reuters.