When will Rivian release new design for wireless charging pad?

[iBang]

We all know, including critics, the current Rivian wireless charging pad doesn't work consistently (very finicky). I knew that when I was picking up my R1T back in May. At that time the guide who was showing me the truck around told me that Rivian is coming up with new design and they will replace the pad for free. Is this true and has anybody heard about this?

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[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Who knows. They’ve only said they’ve been working on it and will be offering retrofit. It happens when it does. Until then take everything you hear with grain of salt—because no business decision is fully firm.

 

[KubotaTed]

I decided to buy the MagSafe upgrade insert from Soonish. 15 min install and works well.

 

[runwithscissors]

I decided to buy the MagSafe upgrade insert from Soonish. 15 min install and works well.

I would do that too but a bunch of us are on Android and I'm not going to hack together a case that works with MagSafe. Like people mentioned in the past, whoever designed/approved the wireless charging pad should walk the plank.

 

[KubotaTed]

I would do that too but a bunch of us are on Android and I'm not going to hack together a case that works with MagSafe. Like people mentioned in the past, whoever designed/approved the wireless charging pad should walk the plank.

Indeed. The design is pretty bad (and bulky for what it does - or rather doesn’t do)

 

[oskeei]

I would do that too but a bunch of us are on Android and I'm not going to hack together a case that works with MagSafe. Like people mentioned in the past, whoever designed/approved the wireless charging pad should walk the plank.

Not hard to adopt a case ro work with magsafe.

Have a s23U and have this magsafe case.

https://www.urbanarmorgear.com/products/monarch-pro-series-galaxy-s23-ultra-case/

 

[Roger.Joys]

Not being an Android owner, I am very happy with how well my s00nish after market charging pad works and looks. I opted to use Apple OEM pucks to get the maxiumum charge wattage too.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I would do that too but a bunch of us are on Android and I'm not going to hack together a case that works with MagSafe. Like people mentioned in the past, whoever designed/approved the wireless charging pad should walk the plank.

Amazon has mag safe cases for the Pixel 7pro for 20ish dollars.

 

[evhelphub]

Rivian's Brian Gase mentioned changes were coming with the 2024 model year, but he did not state what those were specifically. My money is that the updated design starts shipping in January.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I'd rather they got the tonneau situation sorted out first. The aftermarket for that is much harder to address than the charger.

 

[PappaBolt]

Who knows. They’ve only said they’ve been working on it and will be offering retrofit. It happens when it does. Until then take everything you hear with grain of salt—because no business decision is fully firm.

If it takes as long as the fix for the tonneau or the availability of a compact spare then I wouldn’t get my hopes up. It’s getting embarrassing.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

If it takes as long as the fix for the tonneau or the availability of a compact spare then I wouldn’t get my hopes up. It’s getting embarrassing.

No one is perfect. You’ve never made mistakes yourself?

 

[PappaBolt]

No one is perfect. You’ve never made mistakes yourself?

Absolutely. But I try not to repeat them, and accept/learn from customer feedback. Why do they get a pass for taking so long with this?

 

[SoCal Rob]

Absolutely. But I try not to repeat them, and accept/learn from customer feedback. Why do they get a pass for taking so long with this?

We all have our own priorities. From my perspective, they get a pass for now because I have a totally free work-around: If I actually need to charge my phone while in the car, which is pretty rare since I charge every night, I use a cable which I keep tucked under the overhang of the armrest and can be pulled forward to connect when needed. When finished with charging I just push the cable in so the connector is hidden again. Wired charging is also faster while generating less waste heat for me plus, as an added bonus, I can place my phone more vertically, though tilted right/left, in the slot at the front of the charging pad. This also means the sun isn’t shining on the display heating it up further.

I’m not saying that it shouldn’t be fixed, but that for me it is near the bottom of my wish list of fixes and improvements.

 

[PappaBolt]

We all have our own priorities. From my perspective, they get a pass for now because I have a totally free work-around: If I actually need to charge my phone while in the car, which is pretty rare since I charge every night, I use a cable which I keep tucked under the overhang of the armrest and can be pulled forward to connect when needed. When finished with charging I just push the cable in so the connector is hidden again. Wired charging is also faster while generating less waste heat for me plus, as an added bonus, I can place my phone more vertically, though tilted right/left, in the slot at the front of the charging pad. This also means the sun isn’t shining on the display heating it up further.

I’m not saying that it shouldn’t be fixed, but that for me it is near the bottom of my wish list of fixes and improvements.

I can respect that if there is a viable work around while waiting. For R1S owners waiting for a compact spare there are no good (subjective) work arounds. The options are:

1. Do nothing and live with the fix-a-flat goop. Doesn’t work for larger holes or sidewall.
2. Buy a full sized spare from a 3rd party (Rivian won’t sell me one), and jam it vertically in the well (strapped in for safety) or rig up an external hitch mount.
3. Find someone to bring you a spare (or tow you to one).

They don’t get a pass after waiting a full year for availability. I don’t mean to hijack the wireless thread. I’ll stop commenting here.

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