Rivian sent out emails telling some reservation holders that they needed to update their configuration. The Irvine-based EV maker is once again streamlining production. But it's also trying to put more people in dual-motor pickup trucks and SUVs. Here's what's going on.
We have previously reported that the young manufacturer is preparing a series of changes for the quad-motor R1S and R1T. Now, we're seeing what could be the start of multiple strategy shifts.
For starters, Rivian emailed many reservation holders and prospective customers that they should update their configurations. Doing that results in a new delivery estimate that can be much more precise.
But there are still some variables in play. For example, where the buyer is located continues to have a lot of weight delivery-wise. Some people living closer to a service center snatched an R1T or an R1S despite the delivery estimate saying end of 2023 or early 2024.
The company announced that the Compass Yellow body color is now discontinued without explaining why. Even though it was previously said that the prevalence of a certain shade wouldn't affect the viability of the other options, things have now changed. This color is being called quits on.
Were we to guess, we would say this is happening because there's not enough demand for it. As such, Rivian may have been unable to secure all the raw materials at a competitive price.
But there's a silver lining here - owners of Compass Yellow Rivians might see a slight bump in secondary market value. It might also become a thing to gloat about at your local Cars&Coffee event.
Similarly, the vegan leather dashboard trim joins Compass Yellow in saying goodbye. Wood remains the only choice.
Photo: Rivian
Another item Rivian decided to cancel is the 20-inch all-terrain bright wheels. Again, this could also be based on low demand and the company trying to maximize the use of its resources.
Some early R1T and R1S customers have also been invited to switch from a quad-motor and large pack configuration to a performance dual-motor (665 hp) and large pack selection with the promise that they could take delivery of their vehicle of choice by the end of this year.
Since earlier this year, Rivian has been making its own motors, dubbed Enduro units. It was a smart move. That's how it dropped production costs of the two zero-tailpipe emission vehicles by around 25%, and also helped its EDVs have a more suitable powertrain.
However, the quad-motor units are equipped with Bosch motors, and the company admitted several times that for off-roading, four power units are better than two.
But the catch is that customers who secured a pre-hike price ($67,500 for R1T, $70,000 for R1S) get only a $500 discount to downgrade and take delivery of their vehicles this year.
Still, this could make sense for some prospective owners who worry about insuring an 835-hp R1S or R1T or simply want their EV delivered faster.
All this is happening after Rivian brought former Waymo and Hyundai CEO John Krafick on board. Known for having an eye for optimized production costs, he might be the one behind all these updates.
Rivian has also updated delivery windows for those waiting for the Max Pack battery - they might drive their all-electric pickup trucks and SUVs starting in the first quarter of 2024. This change affects both quad- and dual-motor units. The larger battery was supposed to start reaching reservation holders this month.
The smallest battery pack is scheduled for delivery in July 2024.
All in all, these updates might help the company reach profitability faster, and it might even allow it to accelerate the R2-series development.
Progress at our plant is enabling us to deliver more Performance Dual-Motor vehicles in 2023. Today we were able to invite some of our earliest preorder holders to take delivery sooner by switching to our new, in-house developed drive system.??????? pic.twitter.com/iKjb1zLqwI
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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