Rivian R1T

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.

A member of Rivian forums recently got the chance to have an informative call with his “Rivian Guide” this week, where he asked a ton of questions, all of which were answered to some degree. This included everything from R1T and R1S delivery updates, a possible Rivian store, and more details about Apple Carplay compatibility. Here’s everything we know so far.

Rivian says that its R1T electric pickup is basically ready for production and it is now waiting for government approval to start deliveries.

A report out of the UK has revealed that US EV automaker Rivian has been in secret talks with the British government about a potential factory outside of the US. This pending Rivian plant could eventually happen, thanks to a proposed support package from the government, although European countries nearby still have proposals on the table.

Rivian has confirmed that it is delaying its first deliveries of the R1T electric pickup truck, which were supposed to start this month, to September.

Rivian has released a closer look at its insanely engineered $5,000 camp kitchen that fits inside its R1T electric pickup truck.

One lucky person has a neighbor that works at Rivian. Better still, their Rivian neighbor was generous enough to allow them to go for a spin in an R1T and capture some footage from their phone of the interior, including the upcoming EVs User Interface (UI) and other controls.

If you blink, you might miss it, though, as the videographer must have been so giddy with excitement experiencing the Rivian R1T that they couldn’t hold the camera still.

Rivian is preparing its buyers for the first deliveries of its R1T electric pickup truck, which the automaker has now confirmed will be delayed to July.

Thanks to some excellent sleuthing by someone on a Rivian forum through the NHTSA database, we now have a Rosetta Stone in deciphering VIN coding on upcoming R1Ts. Furthermore, the motor options listed in the VIN document hint at the possibility of a more affordable, dual-motor Rivian R1T on the horizon.

The Rivian R1T electric pickup truck is still a few months away from customer deliveries, but it looks like Blue Origin already has its own fleet of Rivian R1Ts.

In a Tweet over the weekend, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe shared images of his family camping in an R1T. From the images, you can clearly see a yellow rooftop tent donning both the Rivian and Yakima logos. The photos confirm at least one Rivian accessory in a partnership with the leading rack manufacturer, Yakima.

Rivian’s R1T, the upcoming electric pickup truck, was spotted driving on public roads in Suwon, South Korea.

While we don’t know why it’s there, the area is nearby both Samsung SDI and LG Chem R&D centers, two battery suppliers that work with several EV manufacturers.

Recent job posts on Rivian’s career page reveal the automaker is searching for manufacturing engineers to develop solid-state batteries. The five positions currently listed are all for Rivian’s Palo Alto facility in California. Solid-state batteries have been touted for their potential of higher capacity compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries EV automakers currently use. That includes Rivian.