2023 Rivian R1S Has Got Its Face Covered in Bandages, Ends Up on Salvage Car Market

Rivian unveiled the R1S SUV and the R1T pickup truck last year. The model instantly entered production, and deliveries started soon after, unlike that electric pickup truck whose name starts with a 'T' and ends with 'truck,' which was unveiled in November 2019 and entered production in the summer of 2023.

Furthermore, customers do not need to wait for years to get their hands on their new Rivian. Those who want to drive home an R1S or an R1T will only have to wait, according to the manufacturer, one to two weeks for a model that is available in the inventory or up to four months if customers choose to reserve a custom build.

But it also depends on the location of the customer, as there are places across America (not to mention Canada), where people were told they would have to wait for years to get their SUV or pickup truck.

The one who crashed this 2023 Rivian R1S must be one of the lucky ones who got a 2023 model in 2023. But the owner must be the human interpretation of misfortune. Or recklessness. Or both.

They crashed the brand-new Rivian not long after having it delivered. The model has only covered 396 miles (637 kilometers) and will need some serious plastic surgery and mechanical makeover to be able to add some miles to those few that it currently has.

The front end of the R1S is badly damaged. The hood is crumpled upwards, not much is left of the headlights, and the light bar uniting them has vanished. The bumper and hood are held together with duct tape, so the “injured” Rivian looks as if it’s covered in bandages.

The front fenders do not align with the doors anymore, so they might also need to be replaced. Meanwhile, the front window on the passenger’s side must have been smashed to pieces on impact. There is a plastic foil keeping the elements outside of the cabin.

Most likely, we are dealing with a Quad-Motor SUV, as Rivian has only recently started delivering the Dual-Motor R1S. That means it rolled off the assembly line with four motors, each engaging a wheel and generating together a total of 835 horsepower (847 PS) and 908 lb-ft (1,231 Nm) of torque.

Those figures might have been way too much for the owner who crashed it just miles after it drove through the factory gate at Normal, Illinois. Back when it was… normal, the vehicle could run from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in 3.0 seconds and hit a top speed of 111 mph (179 kph).

Three different battery packs are available for the R1S, with the range-topping Max Pack sporting a capacity of 180 kWh for a range of 400 miles (644 kilometers), number that make it the longest-running seven-seat electric SUV. But that one is only available for the Dual Motor variant.

Meanwhile, the Quad Motor has to deal with 135 kWh, which stores enough energy to drive the SUV for up to an EPA-estimated 328-mile (528 kilometers) range before it needs to be plugged in again.

The listing on copart.com says that the car, before the crash, was estimated at $96,972. The price confirms the quad-motor all-wheel drive configuration. For the moment, bidding only hit $300. So, there is still a long way until it goes offline and into someone’s driveway.

That must be someone who is willing to give it another lease on life. The listing also says that it runs and drives. Only the front end is damaged and that is where the frunk, with a capacity of 11 cubic feet (314 liters), is located.

The R1S shares 91 percent of the components with the R1T pickup truck. So that should help find parts to fix this 2023 SUV ASAP. Unless the buyer finds selling components of it more profitable, which is very unlikely for a brand-new vehicle with only 396 miles on the clock.

The model is painted in LA Silver, which is included in the price and rides on high-gloss black 20-inch All-Terrain wheels with 3-Peak Mountain Snowlake tires, certified for winter use and only available with the Off-Road Package, which adds $3,600 to the price.

The photos of the interior reveal that the SUV come with the Black Mountains and Dark Ash Wood combination, which includes perforated vegan leather seats and patterned stitching with Compass Yellow details. The option is also included in the price. With all the extra option boxes checked by the owner, the vehicle must have been purchased for around $100,000.