VERY DISAPPOINTED!!! No 400+ battery until Jan. 2022?!?!?!

[ajdelange]

I am sure they have their reasons and I am sure they have done some sort of surveying of the potential customer base (all assuming that this is a choice they have and not one they are forced to make because of a problem they haven't solved yet). But I have to think that many will say "If I have to wait till 2022 for a 400 mile truck in any case I might as well just grab the Tesla and get an extra 100 miles".

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[Lil'O Annie]

I believe it is a business decision, likely due to battery supply constraint. More vehicles with smaller batteries means more profit & better factory utilization & throughput.

I would be upset too if I wanted the 180kW, but you can't fault companies trying to do things in the smartest way for them, especially startups.

I am upset, and I think it is a really bad PR screw up. The reasons you mention would have been obvious long ago, I think, since all we can do is speculate, they just kept it quiet to "look like" the RT1 had really high range at the launch. They should have been more up front about this change instead of saying all along that the big battery options would be produced first. Everywhere we go is long-range and that "once promised" 180kW battery at launch was very important. It's fine for them to have their "business reasons" but they should have told us about this long ago--I think they've known about this for a long time.

 

[jjwolf120]

Since you will now be able to get the R1s with the 180 pack and 7 seats, it seems likely that the delay is a redesign of the 180kw pack along with probable improvements in energy density of the batteries. What we really need now are actual range numbers on the 135kw pack, so we can make a decision between the two options.

I wouldn't be to quick to switch out for a cybertruck just yet unless you are really early in the queue. The ramp will be slow and won't start until at least December 2021. I expect they won't start deliveries until early 2022.

 

[azbill]

It does say in a couple places that longest range R1S will be available at a later date.



Somewhere on the new website said 200kW. This is likely a software limitation until they get more thermal and/or BMS data.

It is NOT a software update, if the system is hardware limited to 400V, then 200KW is the maximum. It requires an 800V system to get more than that, and that requires the hardware switch from 400 to 800V. Has nothing to do with BMS or thermal data.

 

[skyote]

It is NOT a software update, if the system is hardware limited to 400V, then 200KW is the maximum. It requires an 800V system to get more than that, and that requires the hardware switch from 400 to 800V. Has nothing to do with BMS or thermal data.

Rivian has a patent for switching to 800V for charging & has mentioned 300kW somewhat recently.

The "sustained" & "over" as stated on the website are probably significant.

It actually says "sustained at over 200 kW". Peak charging may be higher

 

[Babbuino]

Could this be an option??? I remember reading about this patent around 2019...
https://www.thedrive.com/news/37583...e-bed-mounted-battery-pack-for-extended-range

 

[electruck]

Could this be an option??? I remember reading about this patent around 2019...
https://www.thedrive.com/news/37583...e-bed-mounted-battery-pack-for-extended-range

You got a forklift to go with that battery?

 

[Babbuino]

You got a forklift to go with that battery?

Its only "several hundred lbs", don't be such a baby

 

[electruck]

Its only "several hundred lbs", don't be such a baby

Popping a can of spinach now....

 

[thrill]

Its only "several hundred lbs", don't be such a baby

Well, if they still had a liftgate, it'd be no problem.

 

[trickflow]

I am sure they have their reasons and I am sure they have done some sort of surveying of the potential customer base (all assuming that this is a choice they have and not one they are forced to make because of a problem they haven't solved yet). But I have to think that many will say "If I have to wait till 2022 for a 400 mile truck in any case I might as well just grab the Tesla and get an extra 100 miles".

And keep in mind that if we are talking about cost, the CT is about $70k, which is basically the cost of the launch edition 300 mile truck, so for about the same cost you are getting 200 more miles range. And for an adventure vehicle, range is at the top of the priority list. I think this is going to hurt them a little as they kept touting this was great for adventures off the pavement.

 

[Babbuino]

And keep in mind that if we are talking about cost, the CT is about $70k, which is basically the cost of the launch edition 300 mile truck, so for about the same cost you are getting 200 more miles range. And for an adventure vehicle, range is at the top of the priority list. I think this is going to hurt them a little as they kept touting this was great for adventures off the pavement.

You pay extra for the "luxury" added in the LE. At the same time, the 300 mile range CT dual motor 4.5sec for 50K vs the 300 mile range for 60K after tax credit doesn't sound so bad. The R1T does come with standard driving assist, but I don't expect it to be better than Tesla in the beginning.
The full IWD from the Rivian will in theory give you better on and off road performance.
Each person has their own boxes to check out, and that's why competition is good.

 

[electruck]

Perhaps we assumed too much but we've all had full expectations that the 180 kWh battery would at least be an option at launch. Other changes might be expected and forgivable but not offering the biggest battery out of the gate is a major fail - especially in the eyes of the earliest reservation holders. If they told us it was held up because they were making some significant technology improvement it might be more palatable. Or, for the R1S, if only the 7 seater were held up so that they could make changes allowing that to be paired with the 180 kWh battery. But so far they are just being plain dodgey about when to expect a 180 kWh R1S. Perhaps the configurator will provide a little more insight for the 5 seat version even if info on the 7 seater won't be available for a while - but I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

[trickflow]

Perhaps we assumed too much but we've all had full expectations that the 180 kWh battery would at least be an option at launch. Other changes might be expected and forgivable but not offering the biggest battery out of the gate is a major fail - especially in the eyes of the earliest reservation holders. If they told us it was held up because they were making some significant technology improvement it might be more palatable. Or, for the R1S, if only the 7 seater were held up so that they could make changes allowing that to be paired with the 180 kWh battery. But so far they are just being plain dodgey about when to expect a 180 kWh R1S. Perhaps the configurator will provide a little more insight for the 5 seat version even if info on the 7 seater won't be available for a while - but I'm not going to hold my breath.

They said so in their press release:
Rivian’s energy-dense battery module and pack were developed with the most demanding journeys in mind — incorporating tough underbody protection and an advanced cooling system to give occupants the confidence to go further, regardless of terrain or temperature. Adaptive control algorithms learn driver behavior, optimizing user-specific battery management for maximizing battery life, reliability and second-life reusability. Three battery sizes are planned, with the 180 kWh and 135 kWh available at launch and a 105 kWh being made available within six months.

https://media.rivian.com/rivian-lau...dventure-vehiclestm-with-debut-of-r1t-pickup/

 

[electruck]

They said so in their press release:
Rivian’s energy-dense battery module and pack were developed with the most demanding journeys in mind — incorporating tough underbody protection and an advanced cooling system to give occupants the confidence to go further, regardless of terrain or temperature. Adaptive control algorithms learn driver behavior, optimizing user-specific battery management for maximizing battery life, reliability and second-life reusability. Three battery sizes are planned, with the 180 kWh and 135 kWh available at launch and a 105 kWh being made available within six months.

https://media.rivian.com/rivian-lau...dventure-vehiclestm-with-debut-of-r1t-pickup/

We've been in this fantasy land for so long that it's getting hard to keep track of what was stated and what was imagined....

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