Still getting strange looks

[Rivian-E]

When I first bought my R1S 8 months ago, I honestly thought I’d probably sparingly use my frunk. It has actually been one of my favorite features of an EV (not unique to Rivian per se).

I do notice that I still (almost every time) get weird looks when I open the front and start packing in groceries or luggage. I’ve even had people stop going down the road (I have street parking) and ask if everything is ok and if I need help.

I guess I kinda forget that most people have very little reason to open their hood and it usually means something’s wrong.

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[Atomic]

Definitely a conversation starter. I had a gentleman hurriedly approach me from across the Costco parking lot (I know, guys, I'm sorry, but Lola does see dirt frequently). He was just flabbergasted I was loading groceries into the frunk. We had a great conversation about the Riv and its tech (my wife says I can blab for hours about Rivian) and he may have been convinced by the time he left. It was a wild experience.

 

[Redmond Chad]

It likely depends on when you live...we had that sort of experience several times in the early days, but I think the last time my wife or I got funny looks or such a question was probably around 2017. There are a lot of EVs around here.

My first time TRYING to get attention by raising the hood was in 2009. I had a 2003 RAV4-EV, and I took it to a community fair - they had a street closed off, and gave me permission to park it on the street so I could tell people about it. At the time, nobody (at least outside of California) knew that EVs existed.

The RAV4 had 18" tall "EV" stickers on the side, but nobody knew what it meant, and I had no experience or display tools. Nobody stopped to ask about it; everyone just walked past me. It didn't have a frunk, but it didn't have an engine either, so I popped the hood, thinking people might wonder what was under there.

Sure enough, two people stopped - to ask if I needed a jump start. Just what OP experienced.

(Less on topic, but: it got much easier to get people to stop and talk once I bought a bright yellow Tesla Roadster. When I could talk my wife into it, we'd have the RAV4 and Roadster together. People would walk around the RAV4 to look at the Roadster and talk about it. The talk usually got to where they'd say they needed something cheaper and/or larger, at which point I'd point at the RAV4. Suddenly they were very interested in the car they had just ignored!)

 

[Aardvark]

It likely depends on when you live...we had that sort of experience several times in the early days, but I think the last time my wife or I got funny looks or such a question was probably around 2017. There are a lot of EVs around here.

My first time TRYING to get attention by raising the hood was in 2009. I had a RAV4-EV, and I took it to a community fair - they had a street closed off, and gave me permission to park it on the street so I could tell people about it. At the time, nobody (at least outside of California) knew that EVs existed.

The RAV4 had 18" "EV" stickers on the side, but nobody knew what it meant, and I had no experience or display tools. Nobody stopped to ask about it; everyone just walked past me. It didn't have a frunk, but it didn't have an engine either, so I popped the hood, thinking people might wonder what was under there.

Sure enough, two people stopped - to ask if I needed a jump start. Just what OP experienced.

(Less on topic, but: it got much easier to get people to stop and talk once I bought a bright yellow Tesla Roadster. When I could talk my wife into it, we'd have the RAV4 and Roadster together. People would walk around the RAV4 to look at the Roadster and talk about it. The talk usually got to where they'd say they needed something cheaper and/or larger, at which point I'd point at the RAV4. Suddenly they were very interested in the car they had just ignored!)

A tip of my fedora for you being one of the true EV pioneers.
I thought we were doing well with our early 2012 Leaf, but we were driving in the shadows of you RAV4 EV trailblazers who rose from the ashes of the GM EV1 debacle in 1999.
Well done.

 

[VSG]

I was camping last year at a state park. It was just turning dark, and I opened the frunk of my R1T to get out my lantern.

The camp host was making his rounds, walking his dog, when he saw me raise the hood and hurried over to see if he could help. Real nice guy, and props for wanting to be helpful, but no I don't need a jump start and I'm not having engine trouble. I said "this is my trunk". He looked puzzled and said "oh, it's dark, I thought you had your hood up". I said "Yes, I have my hood up. This is an EV." He left, still puzzled.

I expect encounters like this will happen less often as more people learn that EVs come in all shapes and sizes, but it's fun while it lasts.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

A couple weeks ago I was at a brewery and bought some beer to take home with me. I had a cooler in the frunk with the plan to take some back. I went to put the beer in the frunk, and the older couple parked next to me noticed me open my hood. All of a sudden the woman in the passeger seat started laughing. The man was just about to ask me if I needed a jump, as he saw me open my hood. Once they realized that it was a storage area the woman started laughing.

I've had that happen a few times, and we put our groceries in there so we used to get lots of looks for that as well.

 

[Laserboy1054]

A while back, I was charging my R1T at a charger in a Walmart parking lot. It was quite busy, with multiple people waiting for a shot at the juice. Down the row from me, some guy (plugged in and charging) popped his hood (I forget what model vehicle he had) and started messing with something. For about ten seconds, I was outraged and was _almost_ going to tell him off for making repairs of unknown duration while people were waiting for the spot. Of course the guy was just pulling something out of his frunk or rearranging stuff. But the association of an open hood with a sign of trouble goes really deep! I can't believe how close I came to acting like a complete jerk because of that. I'm going to try to keep that in mind if I'm ever on the receiving end and have a good laugh instead of getting angry in return.

I've been driving a diesel VW (on my third, and likely final, one) for 26 years. Every diesel car driver I know has had at least one panicked good Samaratan rush over to "save" them from putting the "wrong" fuel in their tank! (In one case, an attendant slapped the "emergency cutoff" button--that's gotta be a bear to reset!) Just part of the price we pay for being oddballs.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Tell them you're just feeding the electric eels that power the truck.

After 2 years of ownership, I've been using the gear tunnel more than the frunk. And that's because I tend to pull forward as much as I can, so the rear doesn't stick out and get hit (again). This usually means the front is too close to walls or shrubs. Plus, I've been using these 30L Gregory gear totes. They fit in the GT and behind front row seats nicely. Got them during Memorial Day sale and paid much less.

I've been driving a diesel VW (on my third, and likely final, one) for 26 years. Every diesel car driver I know has had at least one panicked good Samaratan rush over to "save" them from putting the "wrong" fuel in their tank! (In one case, an attendant slapped the "emergency cutoff" button--that's gotta be a bear to reset!) Just part of the price we pay for being oddballs.

Previous car was a '13 diesel X5. One trip to Death Valley (to see fighter jets fly through Jedi Transition), I stopped at a gas station just outside the park. Right as I inserted the pump nozzle I heard someone come out of the mini mart and exclaim, "that's a diesel?! I'll be damned!" It was a long haul UPS driver, holding a large soda and arm full of snacks. He was so excited he almost dropped his snack haul.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

When I first bought my R1S 8 months ago, I honestly thought I’d probably sparingly use my frunk. It has actually been one of my favorite features of an EV (not unique to Rivian per se).

I do notice that I still (almost every time) get weird looks when I open the front and start packing in groceries or luggage. I’ve even had people stop going down the road (I have street parking) and ask if everything is ok and if I need help.

I guess I kinda forget that most people have very little reason to open their hood and it usually means something’s wrong.

Literally the same experience for me. I use the frunk probably 3 or more times a day, about once a month I get the genuine walk by from someone looking to see why I'm throwing boots on top of my engine, which is followed up by more questions.

Or... its other EV owners driving by in their EV9's, electric BMW's, etc that either have a frunk good for a kindergarten lunch kit, or maybe... maybe the vehicles service manuals, all looking at it wishing they had a big "frunk" too.

If it wasn't powered, I wouldn't use it nearly as much.

 

[Luvolbikes]

Tell them someone took your engine and show them the empty compartment. If they believe you tell them you have some Everglades resort land for sale.

 

[COdogman]

I tell them it’s “big enough to fit a body” then encourage them to come closer to take a look while I stare just a little too long without blinking.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I tell them it’s “big enough to fit a body” then encourage them to come closer to take a look while I stare just a little too long without blinking.

 

[DeafPug]

If it wasn't powered, I wouldn't use it nearly as much.

This right here! I've got a 2018 Model 3 (before the frunk was powered) and use it to store charging adapters for charging away from home. In 6 months, I've used the R1T's frunk more than in over 7 years with the Model 3.

 

[Bill P]

My wife and I are full-time RV'ers, and pull our trailer with our R1S. We use the frunk as a dirty clothes hamper. At the laundromat (with the frunk open) a while back, someone asked how liked the EV, and said they were sorry Rivian had gone out of business. I told him he must be thinking of another company. It didn't come to blows, but I couldn't convince him.

 

[Acoustic71]

The typical response I get: “But where’s the motor!”

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