Tesla saves Rivian - Mammoth Mountain Edition

[SoCal Rob]

The topic titles keep getting more creative

I know! I was hoping to see a picture of a CyberTruck pulling a Rivian out of a snow bank or similar: people helping one another.

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[SANZC02]

Seems so strange to me that so many people, especially on these forums, are so negative. Negativity breads negativity, life is so much simpler when we focus on the positive things in our lives. I challenge people to try it for a few weeks, might just change your life. ??


“It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”
― Germany Kent

 

[DB-EV]

First... you could have purchased an A2Z or Lectron adapter before you went to Mammoth and been charging at one of the two Tesla Supercharger locations. Second, the ability to charge at a Supercharger station is controlled by Tesla, not Rivian or Ford. The decision to open up superchargers to the masses has more to do with securing free money from the government for infrastructure grants, over truly just wanting to be the nice guys in the EV world. Last, the approved adapters are supplied by, once again, Tesla, who I'm sure are is super eager to get them out as fast as possible.

I'll be heading up in a couple weeks with a borrowed Lectron from Rivian employee neighbor. I hope everything works out for the both of us.

OK, I think that is hysterical and awesome that you are borrowing a Lectron from a RIVIAN employee. I have one on order from 3/19 - seemed like the review was slightly better than A2Z though A2Z is smaller.

Sorry for OP - I will say any of us early adopters could have seen this coming. I had to route my earlier trips to Vermont through upstate NY because NY actually invested in high speed chargers and to date Vermont has not (go figure). Now some RANs are open that make this much easier like Holyoke Mass. Some weeks I am going to the mountains weekly - it can be done with planning and patience (yes things happen).

Also as noted above, I now think all of this has gone from a medium term issue to a short term issue. Woohoo.

I have to say i am never buying ICE again and I know from 16,000 miles that the R1s does things that no electric vehicle can.

 

[Biturbowned]

Great post, thanks.

 

[jeeden]

OP, I don't think a Rivian is for you. I'm sure there's someone out there that would be happy to give it a good home and you can go get a Tesla and then have nothing to complain about.

I get that maybe not everyone wants to do as much planning and thought about road trips and charging but that's kind of the way it is for right now until more chargers come any Tesla chargers are available with our adapters.

It's possible you're just in a stressful moment right now inventing a bit but, your post kind of reminds me of people that show up at Disney world without any plans and any reservations for anything and are offended by all the lines and that they can't get seating at the hottest dining spots. It's just kind of the world we live in so make the best of it or waste your life being upset all the time.

 

[Rivdog]

I understand the frustration. If Rivian would just put a normal gas tank and an internal combustion engine in this dang truck, we’d have no range issues at all!

I went to the gas station and NONE of the pumps fit in the J1772 or the CCS port. Literally none.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Better title is "Poor planning almost cost me my vacation". Hell, since your wife was there too, maybe "my marriage"

 

[Redline]

When my wife saw the first promo videos for the R1S "Adventure" vehicle cruising up a mountain with ski racks and a truck full of happy passengers, she turned to me and said, "I'm sold."

Fast forward 5 years, I am looking at the R1S range 'snow mode' and the 93 miles left has to last through freezing temps tonight, tomorrow, and then the trip down the mountain to Bishop. Based on the range loss I've seen the past few nights in much warmer weather, I think it will be a pretty close call and I just don't feel comfortable putting my family in that situation.

So, in a blizzard, I jump in the Rivian with my 21" All Seasons and ask Alexa to navigate to the only public J-connector charger in town...a level 2 *Tesla* box at the Mammoth Recreation Center that offers *free* charging.

Rivian navigation decides to take me the long way around on Old Mammoth Rd instead of straight down Meridian ?

I actually tried to charge at this Tesla station earlier in the day, but an R1T was charging at the only box out of 3 that connects successfully.

As I make the turn into the lot, I see a Lucid charging at one of the J-connector boxes that failed me earlier in the day. The Lucid obscures the view to the one charger that worked a few days ago, so as I plow through a foot or two of snow, I am super relieved to see the working box is available.

Thanks, I guess, for the Adventure RJ, I'm super pumped to sit in this parking lot for the next 2 hours. A sincere thanks to Elon for saving the trip by offering a working charging station for a connector you don't even use AND for offering NACS to the rest of the industry (RJ, I was hoping the adapter would be available for this trip...but we all know, by now, the large gap between Rivian product/feature announcement and delivery is really the only thing this company consistently offers).

Do you feel better?

You've basically admitted to all of us you're a poor planner and someone who shouldn't have an EV.

 

[fyton2v]

If it makes anyone feel better, Tesla hasn’t completely solved this problem either. I’m in June Lake, CA in a long range AWD Model Y; zero public charging infrastructure here. Mammoth Lakes is pretty close though and those Superchargers are convenient.

Anyhow, was hoping to visit Death Valley on the way back to SoCal, but it looks like that leg of the journey is impossible as a day trip in the MY. I don’t think my 2022 LR Y can do more than 240 highway miles on a full charge, and that doesn’t appear to be enough range to see DV and make it to the next fast charger … any fast charger. If you’re staying overnight in DV there are a couple of destination charger options.

BTW, seeing more 1Ts and 1Ss up here than Teslas. People seem to have figured out the charging situation.

 

[scottie]

If only the device which you used to post allowed you to access other content on the Internet.

Wait, I bet it does!

Seriously, your post history is almost entirely negative about Rivian. I’m surprised that you purchased one while being almost universally negative about the company. Why not do something positive and post a picture of your Rivian in the mountains?

Experience has been mostly negative.

I will say the Moderate suspension setting has been a huge improvement over Soft and Stiff.

OP, I don't think a Rivian is for you. I'm sure there's someone out there that would be happy to give it a good home and you can go get a Tesla and then have nothing to complain about.

I get that maybe not everyone wants to do as much planning and thought about road trips and charging but that's kind of the way it is for right now until more chargers come any Tesla chargers are available with our adapters.

It's possible you're just in a stressful moment right now inventing a bit but, your post kind of reminds me of people that show up at Disney world without any plans and any reservations for anything and are offended by all the lines and that they can't get seating at the hottest dining spots. It's just kind of the world we live in so make the best of it or waste your life being upset all the time.

Here's a summary of my poor planning skills:
1) Spend the night in Bridgeport the night before Mammoth so we could top up at the EA charger
2) Snow mode up the mountain and arrive to our condo with 180 miles of range
3) Underground assigned parking spot is 50 feet from the nearest outlet, I brought the mobile charger but didn't bring a 50 foot extension cable, won't make that mistake next time.
4) Kept the Rivian in the underground spot for most of the trip bc the nearest lift is a 10 min walk and warmer temps preserves battery
5) Woke up early on Day 2 to charge for an hour at the Tesla station before the lifts opened.
[Why didn't I just leave the Rivian plugged in while I skied? I was thinking about other EV owners that might be in a tougher spot than me and at that time it seemed there was only one working J connector in town for public use. I guess a few of the people in the comments would just plug in and bail?!?]
6) Tried to charge on Day 4, but an R1T owner had plugged in and bailed
7) Called the Westin and Juniper Springs to ask about valet charging - no go bc it's Spring Break and they are maxed out
8) Original Post

It's amazing to me that the folks on this forum always blame the owner.

To those asking why I'm not positive/thankful - I am thankful for the Mammoth Recreation Center and Tesla -they saved the trip and I titled the thread with that positive message

 

[jeeden]

Experience has been mostly negative.

I will say the Moderate suspension setting has been a huge improvement over Soft and Stiff.


Here's a summary of my poor planning skills:
1) Spend the night in Bridgeport the night before Mammoth so we could top up at the EA charger
2) Snow mode up the mountain and arrive to our condo with 180 miles of range
3) Underground assigned parking spot is 50 feet from the nearest outlet, I brought the mobile charger but didn't bring a 50 foot extension cable, won't make that mistake next time.
4) Kept the Rivian in the underground spot for most of the trip bc the nearest lift is a 10 min walk and warmer temps preserves battery
5) Woke up early on Day 2 to charge for an hour at the Tesla station before the lifts opened.
[Why didn't I just leave the Rivian plugged in while I skied? I was thinking about other EV owners that might be in a tougher spot than me and at that time it seemed there was only one working J connector in town for public use. I guess a few of the people in the comments would just plug in and bail?!?]
6) Tried to charge on Day 4, but an R1T owner had plugged in and bailed
7) Called the Westin and Juniper Springs to ask about valet charging - no go bc it's Spring Break and they are maxed out
8) Original Post

It's amazing to me that the folks on this forum always blame the owner.

To those asking why I'm not positive/thankful - I am thankful for the Mammoth Recreation Center and Tesla -they saved the trip and I titled the thread with that positive message

Okay but it sounds like you feel you would be much happier in a Tesla so why don't you sell the Rivian and go get a model y?

 

[Redline]

Experience has been mostly negative.

I will say the Moderate suspension setting has been a huge improvement over Soft and Stiff.


Here's a summary of my poor planning skills:
1) Spend the night in Bridgeport the night before Mammoth so we could top up at the EA charger
2) Snow mode up the mountain and arrive to our condo with 180 miles of range
3) Underground assigned parking spot is 50 feet from the nearest outlet, I brought the mobile charger but didn't bring a 50 foot extension cable, won't make that mistake next time.
4) Kept the Rivian in the underground spot for most of the trip bc the nearest lift is a 10 min walk and warmer temps preserves battery
5) Woke up early on Day 2 to charge for an hour at the Tesla station before the lifts opened.
[Why didn't I just leave the Rivian plugged in while I skied? I was thinking about other EV owners that might be in a tougher spot than me and at that time it seemed there was only one working J connector in town for public use. I guess a few of the people in the comments would just plug in and bail?!?]
6) Tried to charge on Day 4, but an R1T owner had plugged in and bailed
7) Called the Westin and Juniper Springs to ask about valet charging - no go bc it's Spring Break and they are maxed out
8) Original Post

It's amazing to me that the folks on this forum always blame the owner.

To those asking why I'm not positive/thankful - I am thankful for the Mammoth Recreation Center and Tesla -they saved the trip and I titled the thread with that positive message

Comical

 

[Dark-Fx]

I went to the gas station and NONE of the pumps fit in the J1772 or the CCS port. Literally none.

Thanks for the idea for next year's april fools day.

 

[Rivdog]

Experience has been mostly negative.

I will say the Moderate suspension setting has been a huge improvement over Soft and Stiff.


Here's a summary of my poor planning skills:
1) Spend the night in Bridgeport the night before Mammoth so we could top up at the EA charger
2) Snow mode up the mountain and arrive to our condo with 180 miles of range
3) Underground assigned parking spot is 50 feet from the nearest outlet, I brought the mobile charger but didn't bring a 50 foot extension cable, won't make that mistake next time.
4) Kept the Rivian in the underground spot for most of the trip bc the nearest lift is a 10 min walk and warmer temps preserves battery
5) Woke up early on Day 2 to charge for an hour at the Tesla station before the lifts opened.
[Why didn't I just leave the Rivian plugged in while I skied? I was thinking about other EV owners that might be in a tougher spot than me and at that time it seemed there was only one working J connector in town for public use. I guess a few of the people in the comments would just plug in and bail?!?]
6) Tried to charge on Day 4, but an R1T owner had plugged in and bailed
7) Called the Westin and Juniper Springs to ask about valet charging - no go bc it's Spring Break and they are maxed out
8) Original Post

It's amazing to me that the folks on this forum always blame the owner.

To those asking why I'm not positive/thankful - I am thankful for the Mammoth Recreation Center and Tesla -they saved the trip and I titled the thread with that positive message

Just sell your Rivian and get a different vehicle. It’s not for you, and that’s fine.

 

[scottie]

Okay but it sounds like you feel you would be much happier in a Tesla so why don't you sell the Rivian and go get a model y?

I own a Model Y and I'm happy. We bought the Rivian for 'Adventure', once the Tesla adapter ships owning a Rivian will be a much better experience. Tesla saves Rivian.

The Tesla adapter is the primary reason I haven't sold the R1S.

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