by Rivian is pushing again its maximum highly-priced, furthest-using configurations of its electric powered pickup truck and SUV, caution R1S and R1T reservation-holders that they may face every other 12 months’s wait in the event that they stay with their authentic choice. Deliveries of the 2 EVs are actually underway, albeit in small numbers, however Rivian has extra than 70,000 preorders to paintings thru.
The preliminary R1T Launch Edition – Rivian’s first, well-designated configuration of its electric powered pickup – started deliveries first, with the primary R1S Launch Edition SUV being claimed via way of means of the automaker’s CEO, RJ Scaringe, himself. While the numbers of EVs shipped are nevertheless low, and Rivian has been prioritizing personnel in an effort to higher paintings thru lingering software program kinks, the promise became a widespread ramp-up in 2022.
Today, in an e mail to reservation holders that became reposted to Reddit, Scaringe set out a few new expectancies similarly to losing a few more details. As of December 15, the CEO wrote, “we had about 71,000 preorders for the R1T and R1S withinside the US and Canada.” Of that, “the huge majority” opted for the Adventure Package trim, with Rivian’s Large % battery.
That battery is rated for 314 miles of using via way of means of the EPA for the R1T, at the same time as the R1S SUV is rated for 316 miles in total.
Rivian additionally has a Max % battery, which costs $10,000 extra however guarantees 400+ miles of range. However that configuration – aleven though to be had for reservation-holders to select – wasn’t anticipated to enter manufacturing till later in 2022. Now, Scaringe says, that timeline has been driven again further.
“In order to serve the most important variety of preorder holders, we can be prioritizing constructing the Adventure Package with Large % battery in the course of the following 12 months,” he wrote in his e mail. “Explore Package preorders and automobiles with a Max % battery configuration will observe in 2023. In placing our shipping timing, we optimized our construct collection across the construct aggregate that might assist us ramping as quick as viable and consequently have the most important viable tremendous weather impact.”
Unexpectedly, Scaringe additionally showed a few reservation details. Of the kind of 71,000 preorders, most effective round 20% are for the Max % battery.
Rivian may be attaining out to the ones customers – who, the CEO acknowledges, ought to have placed down reservations as some distance again as 2018 – in January, with the provide of converting their preorder to the R1T or R1S Adventure Package with Large % battery. That way, they could take shipping someday in 2022. If they choose now no longer to switch, however, that might imply ready till the subsequent 12 months earlier than they get their new EV.
It’s now no longer simply folks that desired the larger battery that is probably annoyed today. The Adventure Package is Rivian’s extra highly-priced trim, with the R1T beginning at $73,000 earlier than incentives for that configuration. The Explore Package, meanwhile, begins offevolved at $67,500, however folks that have been hoping to shop the $5,500 now can even should wait longer to get their EV.
There’s extra than stretched endurance at risk, too. All eyes are on simply how the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better framework may evolve the incentives round electric powered automobiles, and alter the current $7,500 federal tax credit score that the R1T and R1S enjoy. Though the plan is to growth that figure, the precise quantity might additionally be depending on elements like wherein the EV became produced and the character of the workforce.
