Most, if not all, auto companies run a plethora of tests on and with their cars before sending them off to buyers. Sadly, we don't get a chance to see what these verifications entail. We can definitely make some educated guesses, but we would never be completely right. Every manufacturer has their own thing going on and prefers keeping it a secret. What you're about to see is an exception!
Buying a brand-new all-electric Rivian must feel great. Not only are you getting a very capable vehicle, but you are also supporting an American company's mission to make the national auto park even more diversified and less of a burden on the environment.
Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are not perfect, but they are one of the many solutions needed to decarbonize our world and the fight against global warming. They come with a plethora of advantages. In Rivian's case, these novelties are very well put on display.
This customer, for example, bought an R1S – a three-row, zero-emission, and highly capable SUV. The Rivian can be ordered with two or four motors depending on the preferred spec. When writing, buyers can also choose between two high-voltage energy storage options – a 135-kWh or a 149-kWh battery.
Prices start at $84,000 and can quickly go over the $100,000 mark. The R1S doesn't qualify for the EV tax credit right now. It might be eligible next summer. In 2024, Rivian plans on adding a smaller and more affordable LFP battery pack. But we must wait because the rules regarding which vehicles qualify are changing.
What's certain, however, is that California-based Rivian wants to succeed. It has a plant in Normal, and it'll soon open another one in Georgia, where the R2-series vehicles are expected to enter manufacturing.
Another admittedly simpler proof that this startup is bent on becoming one of America's most important auto brands is that its employees are taking factory testing seriously. We don't often get to see how cars are being verified before embarking on their journey to meet their new owner. But thanks to Gear Guard Gary (Rivian's Tesla Sentry video surveillance system), we get a sneak peek at what that stage entails.
A buyer found a recording on their brand-new R1S and checked it out. They decided to upload it online so anyone can see what happens with a Rivian before they're deemed fit for delivery.
The nighttime footage shows that the company's employee puts the SUV through its paces and tests the acceleration, the lighting system, the steering, the air suspension, and the brakes.
It's not clear what triggered the recording to start and remain in storage. It could have been those pesky stop signs, but we can't say for sure. What we can be certain of is that Rivian is taking this verification process very seriously. It has happened before, but with the all-electric pickup truck!
If your new R1S or R1T comes with a few miles on the odo, now you know why. Someone made sure your vehicle was ready to start serving you well.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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