autoevolution
 

Rivian's Membership Bundle Is Gone, Owners To Pay Only for What They Want

Rivian sent out an email to its customers on Friday in which it let them know that the Membership is no longer a complete package. A company official said the one-year trial has ended. Now, there’s another strategy that’s gradually being implemented. Here’s the deal.
Rivian R1T 10 photos
Photo: Rivian
Rivian's Up-and-Running Service Centers and the Ones Under DevelopmentRivian shares more details about the upcoming Dual-Motor configurationsRivian shares more details about the upcoming Dual-Motor configurationsRivian shares more details about the upcoming Dual-Motor configurationsRivian shares more details about the upcoming Dual-Motor configurationsRivian R1TRivian R1TRivian R1T and R1S InteriorRivian's Dedicated Membership Page
Rivian buyers received an email signed by the company’s Head of Customer Engagement Tony Caravano. This was how the EV maker told everyone that the Membership pack is now gone after a one-year trial that nobody knew was ongoing. But Rivian did let everyone know the program was in a beta stage, meaning it wasn’t something definitive. Still, this took a couple of Rivian fans and customers by surprise.

Per the signed electronic message, the Membership will be transformed into an unpacked offering. This will take out all the grouped benefits from the program and will allow customers to buy exactly what they like. The measure applies from January 16th, 2023, but Rivian will allow existing users to charge for free on the Adventure Network until the last day of April 2023. Also, LTE connectivity (in-car internet) will be covered by the company until the current year’s end.

Besides free charging on the Rivian Adventure Network (RAN) and at other stalls included in the company’s Waypoints, the Membership bundle also included Off-Roadside Assistance with Adventure Extraction. This meant Rivian was going to get you unstuck while on the trail with the help of a recovery vehicle, free of charge. Similarly, running out of juice and recharging remotely was covered through a service that could help you in such a dire situation.

Right now, the Membership page on Rivian’s website has been taken down by the company presumably for adding the updates that will be available from January 16th. But the internet never forgets. Using previously-stored public snapshots of its website, we are reminded of the fact that the Membership bundle was supposed to grow by adding more benefits such as multiple drive modes and better vehicle capabilities which can easily become major improvements for the R1T and R1S. This has been recently proven through the addition of the Snow Mode – a much-requested feature by drivers.

All this might indicate that Rivian plans on turning its Membership from a one-fits-all subscription service into an online store. The new platform might include various performance-oriented upgrades for the brand’s vehicles and add in-cabin entertainment like Netflix. Such a decision would align the Irvine-based manufacturer with what other key players are doing. Apart from Tesla, BMW and Mercedes-Benz plan to offer their customers various ways to upgrade their EVs via monthly or yearly subscriptions.

Rivian customers will have to consider soon if they want to pay to have access to the RAN and think about what other services are going to be useful in the long run. The R1T’s maker didn’t specify if the new unpacked Membership will include monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscriptions.

But the same message told customers that the EV manufacturer will expand its Service Center locations. Currently, there are 34 places under various development stages in the U.S. while Rivian buyers in Canada have only one service center open in Vancouver and an unfinished one in Calgary.

Rivian’s Caravano also told buyers that they should expect an expansion of the RAN. The charging network is currently “targeting high-traffic corridors that connect major metropolitan areas to adventurous destinations” for new stalls. But keep in mind that it might take a couple of months.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Florin Amariei
Florin Amariei profile photo

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

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories