Official Rivian Email: A Look Ahead to 2023. Rivian Membership cancelled and unbundled into subscription services

[DB-EV]

GUYS HELP ME.

I just got a guide call - I can take my build EXCEPT IT WILL BE FOREST EDGE AND 2k more and get likely by month end, OR stay with my current build in which case the 'best intel' is my current window of April to June but I get my Ocean Coast. WHAT SAY YOU?

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[srwaxalot]

Is that really bad behavior though? If they're doing it, that is because they're actively charging. They are simply unplugging briefly to avoid getting charged. But if it wasn't free at all, they would just let it sit and charge up to the desired level anyway, no?

What I hate is completely free chargers. We have a few around our house and there are people who work near those locations and just leave the car plugged in and sitting all day.

We have free charging in municipal buildings. Rules say you can be ticketed or towed if you leave a car plugged in after it is charged. I’ve seen multiple cars with tickets on them in different parking lot. Except the six cars that are always parked at the police station….

 

[Riviot]

GUYS HELP ME.

I just got a guide call - I can take my build EXCEPT IT WILL BE FOREST EDGE AND 2k more and get likely by month end, OR stay with my current build in which case the 'best intel' is my current window of April to June but I get my Ocean Coast. WHAT SAY YOU?

Also,
Do it.

 

[GHuff]

Meetings!
Cool. I'm so glad that Rivian is being efficient in how it spends customer outreach money. These are both convenient and meaningful to me. I can totally see how these are the differentiating factor on why people choose Rivian over the boatloads of competitors in the market also selling these commodity products.

I couldn't agree more on this. They keep emphasizing their community and the meetings and the meeting spaces they built. I think more emphases on just about any other deliverable (like RAN chargers, Camp Kitchen, Gear Shuttle, software updates, etc.) would be more appreciated by their customers than these silly community events and meeting spaces.

For something like this to make it in a rare email update is so frustrating and silly. This kind of fluff info belongs on social media where you post weekly. Not in a substantial and rare update about the 2023 year changes.

Plus, it is literally all just fluff info. Not a single hard data point here. No commitment to how many meetings, how many more spaces, how many events they held in 2022 and how many they plan to hold in 2023. It's nonsense.
"More ways to meet
We love meeting our community at events. In 2023, we’re planning to host more of these experiences in cities across the US and Canada. This year we’re also focused on building out additional spaces with several launches planned for the second half of 2023. These locations will showcase our products and team and help us grow deeper roots in cities like Austin, Brooklyn, Laguna Beach, San Francisco and more. "

This info does not belong in this email. I can't believe Tony thought community events was one of the top 4 2023 priorities he should inform customers about. What a joke.

 

[Riviot]

As an R1T owner:
Cutting us off from a free charging network only available in one state is a double slap in the face. The CAN (California Adventure Network) has been absolutely useless to the rest of us. I don't plan on spending 14 hours and 4 paid charges to see one of these things this year.

As a RIVN stockholder:

 

[HokieR1T]

Welp. At least I now know when all the RAN chargers in NC and VA that have been waiting for completion will finally go online! I'm looking forward to trying one out in May.

 

[stynes]

I don't get what the confusion and/or consternation is about this.

Before, they envisioned the Membership to be a bundled service, which would have been unique in the industry. As of now, that only included LTE connectivity and free RAN charging. The email says that they have decided to scrap the Membership idea and just have a la carte things that you can pay for. This is the same as every other brand, so they are just falling in line. You will have the option to pay for LTE connectivity, like you have the option to do in every other vehicle. You will also have to pay for charging, because duh.

You will need the LTE service to get live traffic, satellite view on maps, wifi hotspot and music streaming (video if/when that is added). That's the same as it is in any other car. I paid several hundred dollars per year for these things with Audi. Vehicle connectivity will not require LTE connectivity, as least for the base features that exist today. Same as any other vehicle. If the industry moves that direction though, you can expect Rivian to follow.

They say that they will explore other new services to offer for a price in the future, but no details yet. These would be new things that don't exist today, and no one is forced or obligated to buy them. These could be the things they've alluded to in the past, such as new drive modes, enhanced autonomous capabilities (far down the line if/when they are developed), and potentially things like the Enhanced Dual Motor software unlock after the fact, etc.

In essence, this communication is that they have decided to fall in line with the rest of the industry and give choice rather than an all or nothing Membership.

I think the confusion is that they DIDN'T say what you said. I think what you outlined is a reasonable guess at what they mean and where all this will land but that's not what they said in their email. Many details were missing and I think that's where often people's fears and frustrations kick in.

 

[KyleJJ06]

If they reduce my power and make me pay to get it back I will be pissed. That is a non starter.

Also don’t take away basic functions that don’t cost Rivian a dime such as heated and vented seats, white ambient lighting, etc…

LTE, RAN, roadside (non warranty) and off-road assistance, enhanced gear guard, further enhanced driver+, additional apps (CarPlay, Waze, games, etc…), dash cam, and additional power(don’t take away current) I could see coming at a cost.

 

[Dark-Fx]

R1 Shop
The R1 Shop continues to be the fastest way to take delivery if you are flexible with your choices. Early this year we plan to introduce the R1S into the R1 Shop and will reach out to more customers to browse available configurations, with deliveries happening anywhere between 1-8 weeks depending on your location. Of course, those preferring their specific build will be able to wait for their delivery window to arrive.

I think I already have access to R1S shop but it has been empty for two weeks here. Sad.

 

[RWerksman]

If they reduce my power and make me pay to get it back I will be pissed. That is a non starter.

Also don’t take away basic functions that don’t cost Rivian a dime such as heated and vented seats, white ambient lighting, etc…

LTE, RAN, roadside (non warranty) and off-road assistance, enhanced gear guard, further enhanced driver+, additional apps (CarPlay, Waze, games, etc…), dash cam, and additional power(don’t take away current) I could see coming at a cost.

Holy moly, if they reduced power and or made people pay for heated and cooled seats, there would be bedlam. Those have NEVER been mentioned as part of a subscription model prior. I, for one, would lose my damn mind if they tried to pull that.


Edit:

And this alone is part of the problem here. They've not itemized what is in or out of their, "membership" program. It, literally, could go anywhere from nothing of consequence to tremendously meaningful item such as power, comfort items like heated and cooled seats, and remote app access.

 

[Dark-Fx]

As an R1T owner:
Cutting us off from a free charging network only available in one state is a double slap in the face. The CAN (California Adventure Network) has been absolutely useless to the rest of us. I don't plan on spending 14 hours and 4 paid charges to see one of these things this year.

As a RIVN stockholder:

https://turo.com/us/en/truck-rental...ii-4Cp0f&startDate=01/07/2023&startTime=10:00

 

[Mathme]

If Rivian is smart, they will give full "membership" for like 120 days of ownership. This will show you all of the features available, then you can either pay for all, or go al la carte for the ones you do use.

I hope they add Car Play as an Al la carte. That'd be worth paying for....or even satellite radio

 

[RWerksman]

If Rivian is smart, they will give full "membership" for like 120 days of ownership. This will show you all of the features available, then you can either pay for all, or go al la carte for the ones you do use.

I hope they add Car Play as an Al la carte. That'd be worth paying for....or even satellite radio

Why stop there? Maybe they could include the electrochromatic roof, folding tailgate, Level 3 autonomous driving with Lidar.

 

[Riviot]

https://turo.com/us/en/truck-rental/united-states/topanga-ca/rivian/r1t/1826866?endDate=01/10/2023&endTime=10:00&searchId=ii-4Cp0f&startDate=01/07/2023&startTime=10:00

This dude is LITERALLY rubbing his hands together going ???.

I think Sam is my 2023 spirit animal.

 

[lmr]

The CAN (California Adventure Network) has been absolutely useless to the rest of us. I don't plan on spending 14 hours and 4 paid charges to see one of these things this year.

There is a RAN location that is almost completed in Aberdeen, WA, in case you are interested. Images for the site can be found here:

There is also one planned for Lynwood, WA that currently appears to be in permitting still: https://dbs.lynnwoodwa.gov/apps/selfservice/#/permit/feaa23ed-7787-4f3d-8009-afd0bf7fc4ca

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