Rivian R1T

After teasing a new “Camp Mode” feature earlier this week, Rivian has rolled out its latest software update to include the new function along with a bunch of cool features to try out during the long holiday weekend. Check it out footage from Rivian below.

We were lucky to receive an update from Rivian today on the new R1 series Ocean Coast interiors. The EV startup is excited to announce a few critical design updates, but there’s a catch.

The automaker also increased the price of the quad motor option from $6,000 to $8,000 and removed its Explore Package trim.

On its Q2 earnings call yesterday, Rivian gave us a glimpse into what we can expect from its newest R2 platform. Rivian is burning through cash as its ramps production of its flagship R1T EV truck model.

Electric pickup truck maker, Rivian (RIVN), released its highly anticipated Q2 earnings yesterday, confirming a $1.7 billion loss as the EV maker races the competition towards profitability.

Rivian plans to install a 2.8 megawatt wind turbine on the east side of its Normal, Illinois, manufacturing plant. The wind turbine will provide clean energy to charge new R1 vehicles for the first time.

Rivian gave us a loaner R1T for four days last week to drive around and enjoy. We took it from the Brooklyn delivery center through New York City, into the Adirondacks, and back through the mud, suburbs, and traffic.

For background, we’re already gushing over the R1T from our first drive of it, naming it Electrek’s vehicle of the year 2021, but now we’ve gotten some alone time with it and have seen some of the software updates that have moved into production vehicles – and we’ve got a whole new appreciation.

Rivian has issued its first recall on its first vehicle, the R1T electric pickup truck. A problem with the passenger seat airbag is affecting just over 500 trucks that need to be recalled.

Even though a small recall in comparison, recalls have often been the thing that breaks automotive startups.

A Rivian R1T electric pickup has been spotted impressively pulling a semi truck that appeared to have gotten itself stuck on the side of the road.

American EV automaker Rivian has shared production totals for Q1 of 2022 less than a month after sharing revised production goals for the year. Despite a slow ramp-up of EV production, Rivian stated that it remains on track to achieve its 2022 output numbers.

As new, larger, and more powerful EVs make their way into consumer driveways, their deliveries still remain quite small in number compared to the other electric vehicle types. That being said, the demand for electric trucks has exploded with many manufacturer models reserved into the next couple years. As a result, some early customers of these EV trucks are taking advantage of this demand and reselling them for a profit, some more than double what they paid.

When the Rivian rolled up to our house for delivery last week, it was the first Rivian I had seen in the wild. WOW, I was pleasantly surprised by its striking and imposing look. Like the Lucid Air I saw in Santa Clara, the Rivian R1T just looks like it’s from the future. 

Just two days ago, Rivian announced it would be either increasing the price of reservation holder vehicles $12,000+ or making reservation holders wait until 2024 at the earliest and giving them a smaller battery with a slower drivetrain and only two motors. Not the type of note Rivian reservation holders were hoping to see before their delivery.

The backlash from reservation holders, some from as far back as 2018, was alarming. In polls we and others took, a significant majority of reservation holders dropped their reservations. Most of the rest were waiting to see what Rivian did. Just two days later, we have an answer…

Rivian today announced several significant price increases for its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV that have resulted in the cost of many reservation holders’ configurations rising by more than $12,000. The price increases come as Rivian is trying to ramp production and make its electric vehicle profitable while adding lower component tiers that will arrive as early as 2024.

(Update: Rivian has backtracked on the price hikes)

American automaker Rivian reportedly halted its production lines in Illinois to fix some issues and streamline its manufacturing processes. After a difficult start to R1T production amidst COVID-19 and supply chain shortages, Rivian looks to hit higher output targets, aiming for 200 deliverable EVs a week.

This pickup truck has everything – faster than most sports cars, a roomy interior with lots of storage and extras, and it can go off-road where no other production vehicle can go. It’s the first time electrification has hit the off-road pickup in a meaningful way, and it proves why electric is king both on-road and off.

As Rivian’s flagship EV continues to be delivered to its first customers around the US, Electrek got another opportunity to experience the R1T close up and tinker with all of its unique features. Additionally, I got a chance to test drive the Rivian R1T for the first time on both an airport tarmac and some rocky SoCal terrain.

Fresh off the heels of delivering its flagship R1T electric pickup to first customers, Rivian has shared details of its first hub, centered in Venice, California. Rather than existing as solely a retail space, Rivian hopes this first of several hub locations will offer a space for public gatherings and encourages its community to visit and connect. If you happen to order a $70,000 EV while you’re there… well that’s a welcomed option as well.

Images discovered by a member of Rivian Forums show Rivian has filed a patent with the US Patent and Trademark office for a sliding door on a dual-guide-rail. Interestingly enough, the images in the patent show the door on a minivan-style vehicle. Before speculation runs rampant, we want to point out that this patent is one of hundreds filed by the automaker and likely does not allude to a future Rivian minivan. However, it does present a growing niche Rivian would be well suited to fill.

A Tweet by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe shared a pivotal moment for the nascent EV automaker as its first R1T pickup destined for a customer rolled off the production line today. Images show a large group of Rivian’s staff at its Normal, IL facility cheering on the flagship EV completing assembly ahead of customer deliveries this month.

Rivian has released the EPA range rating for their upcoming R1T and R1S electric truck and SUV. For vehicles with the “large pack” configuration, the R1T pickup truck will have a range of 314 miles and 70mpg and the R1S SUV will have a near-identical 316 miles of range and get 69mpge.

In a recent tweet from Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, its upcoming flagship R1T pickup can be seen driving through a “lazy river”-like pool of water, submerged up near its hood. The company and its CEO continue to hype the EV as its initial Launch Edition sits on the precipice of deliveries in September.