Anyone else completely disappointed that MaxPack battery not available until 2023?

[sdemeester]

How sure I we that they are being honest about the number of pre-orders for the max pack vs large? Isn't there some concern or rumor about potentially prolonged charging times or cooling issues with the max pack? My understanding from a couple years ago when I pre-ordered was that the largest battery / most expensive version of the R1-T was going to be made first--now it is being made last....hummmmm. Makes me wonder if there are issues that are not being revealed to us under the guise of "fullfilling orders for the most common choice first". Anyone have thoughts on this? I just want Rivian to be open and honest about all this. If there are issue with the max pack, let me know, maybe it will help me in my decision on next steps!!

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[ads75]

How sure I we that they are being honest about the number of pre-orders for the max pack vs large? Isn't there some concern or rumor about potentially prolonged charging times or cooling issues with the max pack? My understanding from a couple years ago when I pre-ordered was that the largest battery / most expensive version of the R1-T was going to be made first--now it is being made last....hummmmm. Makes me wonder if there are issues that are not being revealed to us under the guise of "fullfilling orders for the most common choice first". Anyone have thoughts on this? I just want Rivian to be open and honest about all this. If there are issue with the max pack, let me know, maybe it will help me in my decision on next steps!!

Sometimes the obvious answer is the right answer. Not everything is a conspiracy theory.

 

[1shadowsabre]

Waiting is good for me, that will give more time for people to post real towing numbers! I want to tow a camper so the more battery the better! My diesel truck will do just fine until the Rivian is ready.

 

[StormyKnight]

I understand the delays and am okay waiting but as a December ‘18 reservation holder it will be almost 5 years before I get mine. My old Silverado has become an unreliable one over the last 3+ years and I’m not sure I can nurse it along another 2. It may make the decision for me to move on.

We live in rural northern Michigan and tow a horse trailer about three times a month to shows. All are within a 150 mile range so probably doable with a max pack but not the large. I have to wait or find something else.

Does anyone else have the sinking feeling the Max pack option is going to disappear after a series of delays?

 

[Attesan997]

Does anyone else have the sinking feeling the Max pack option is going to disappear after a series of delays?

Anything is possible but I don't think that's likely with just the one communication pushing out to 2023. If this year we see more pleas to switch to the Large pack under the guise of earlier availability then its more likely. Leadership would truly be trying to sink the company if they knew from 2021 the Max pack wasn't coming for whatever reason but led people along another 2 years on top of what many have already waited. That's beyond Tesla level hubris.

The discussion of the December email with timing was spot on and assuming they update their site with some sort of tracking like they mentioned we'll know towards the end of the year if its crickets for Max pack reservation holders.

 

[sdemeester]

I don't mean to imply a really sinister approach by Rivian, if I had to guess they are having a few issues getting the max pack perfected, and fully expect to have those issues resolved by 2023. As a new publically traded company the last thing they want to do is air some dirty laundry about issues with their max battery pack, or any battery related issues at all given all the other ongoing recalls etc related to battery issues for EVs, it would sink the stock. So, I don't think they are sinister, I am just not buying the whole nujmber of orders things as the explanation why the max pack pre-opder people, like me, many of whom have been waiting a long long time, find ourselves last in line so to speak. I would do the same thing if I was RJ, keep working on it to get it right, but put up a bit of a smoke screen to protect the stock price.

 

[R1Tr8000]

Does anyone else have the sinking feeling the Max pack option is going to disappear after a series of delays?

I have that creeping fear also. Time, more delay increases the risk of an unfavorable tax credit situation and of inflationary pressures. I also would not be surprised if they even kick it back further to a 2nd iteration of the R1T (or whatever it would be named).
If, in fact, it’s actually technically almost ready for production..then it’s a big mistake for them to allow the competition even more time to steal public and media attention, and future customers. At this point..it sure seems like it’s not ready though. Which is really too bad. The R1T has a lot more competition lined up than the R1S. I really hope Rivian has the ability to pivot on this decision and chooses to do so.
In the meantime? Like many of you I’m actively lining up 2nd and 3rd choice options for purchase this year and/or next yr.

 

[cmiller]

the more time rivian takes the harder it will be for them to keep customers. They are facing more and more competition and since pretty much every other company only asks for $100 to reserve people can have multiple reservations and not really care about that cost. Whoever can get me my truck first will get my money. I hold no allegiances to any company.

 

[ja_kub_sz]

the more time rivian takes the harder it will be for them to keep customers. They are facing more and more competition and since pretty much every other company only asks for $100 to reserve people can have multiple reservations and not really care about that cost. Whoever can get me my truck first will get my money. I hold no allegiances to any company.

No allegiance, but which EV do you want? After all this is a fairly large financial commitment, and I know you have at the very least an allegiance to your hard earned money.

Honestly the EV Silverado (which I think looks cool), Hummer EV (not a fan of), and the Ford F-150 are all big lumbering trucks. Crab Mode, and rear wheel steering still won't save these vehicles from showing their size and weight behind the wheel. Not to mention these vehicles will all cost $100k vs 83k for the Rivian R1T.

I do like the move to electric trucks, but not these other trucks, not at all.

Rivian R1T
Drives better
Tows more
Hauls more
Better Range
Faster
Nicer interior (IMO)

These other EV trucks don't make me second guess a Rivian preorder one bit.

However Rivian kinda makes me reconsider my preorder some times ?.

CS just sent me this...

"As a 2018 preorder holder with a configuration change from a Max Pack to a Large Pack Battery and have Adventure Package selected as well, you could potentially receive a 2022 delivery. Our team will reach out in the coming weeks to confirm your updated timeline."

Potentially 2022? Seriously?

So change my order to "maybe" get a vehicle in a year, or keep my order as is and 100% get a vehicle in 15 months.

What kind of CS is that?

 

[cmiller]

No allegiance, but which EV do you want? After all this is a fairly large financial commitment, and I know you have at the very least an allegiance to your hard earned money.

Honestly the EV Silverado (which I think looks cool), Hummer EV (not a fan of), and the Ford F-150 are all big lumbering trucks. Crab Mode, and rear wheel steering still won't save these vehicles from showing their size and weight behind the wheel. Not to mention these vehicles will all cost $100k vs 83k for the Rivian R1T.

I do like the move to electric trucks, but not these other trucks, not at all.

Rivian R1T
Drives better
Tows more
Hauls more
Better Range
Faster
Nicer interior (IMO)

These other EV trucks don't make me second guess a Rivian preorder one bit.

However Rivian kinda makes me reconsider my preorder some times ?.

CS just sent me this...

"As a 2018 preorder holder with a configuration change from a Max Pack to a Large Pack Battery and have Adventure Package selected as well, you could potentially receive a 2022 delivery. Our team will reach out in the coming weeks to confirm your updated timeline."

Potentially 2022? Seriously?

So change my order to "maybe" get a vehicle in a year, or keep my order as is and 100% get a vehicle in 15 months.

What kind of CS is that?

After owning my bronco there is no way I can go back to a tiny ass ICE or EV ?. I am not a fan of the f150 or the hummer. Right now it's between the Silverado and rivian. Whichever company gets me my truck first will get my money. When it comes down to price, I am not looking at the $100k price tags. Rivian only gives 2 price points, while other manufactures like chevy will have options of $40k to their $105k options with many in between as they stated. I am sure I can find a happy medium and still get their 400 mile range. I prefer the R1T, but I won't wait forever. Unfortunately I just reserved so I am guessing the Silverado will be available to me way before rivian gets to my order.

 

[r1t_kev]

These delays aren't unique to Rivian, or EVs, or the auto industry. That's not to say that multi-year delivery timetables are ideal, for anyone really, but this situation isn't new either. I can see why the shotgun approach would appeal to some, but I'm more of a want-what-I-want kinda guy.

 

[Taycanfrank]

I agree with the earlier sentiment that the "Maxpack" may never see the light of day. Batteries that big are problematic for a number of reasons, the 135 battery is already really pushing the limits.

If someone is steadfast that they need a max pack battery or don't want a Rivian, I'd start looking elsewhere.

 

[emoore]

I agree with the earlier sentiment that the "Maxpack" may never see the light of day. Batteries that big are problematic for a number of reasons, the 135 battery is already really pushing the limits.

If someone is steadfast that they need a max pack battery or don't want a Rivian, I'd start looking elsewhere.

Nope, I'll be holding out for the max pack and not looking anywhere else. Not sure why you think batteries that are 180 KWh are any different than 135 KWh.

 

[BigE]

Has anyone gotten an answer as to what the Max Pack Payload is? I guess I'm in the transition group...originally wanted/pre-ordered the 400 mile R1T as this is what RJ and Brian Gase talked about at every event/opportunity for years and we pull a camper, so bigger would be better. As the years have worn on and through many conversations with Rivian, I had the sinking feeling that the Max pack was going to be pushed out as Rivian can't or wouldn't give any info on it. One of my unanswered concerns with the Max Pack and towing is what is the payload rating? If an R1T with 20" AT and off-road package is 1,419 lbs, what is the Max Pack payload? Maybe 1,000 lbs or less? If this is close to true, you could only tow an 8,000 lb camper with a 200 lb driver and nothing else in the R1T. This is why I switched to the Large pack, at least I know some of the specifications of the Large pack. Rivian either doesn't know or at this point, it's become the Rivian way, just won't share any information/spec's on the Max pack. I would hate to wait an extra 6 months only to find out the Max pack doesn't have the ability to do what I need. I can make the Large pack work a few times a year on a longer trip with its payload rating, but a Max pack and leaving the wife at home won't work.

 

[nfrank]

Has anyone gotten an answer as to what the Max Pack Payload is? I guess I'm in the transition group...originally wanted/pre-ordered the 400 mile R1T as this is what RJ and Brian Gase talked about at every event/opportunity for years and we pull a camper, so bigger would be better. As the years have worn on and through many conversations with Rivian, I had the sinking feeling that the Max pack was going to be pushed out as Rivian can't or wouldn't give any info on it. One of my unanswered concerns with the Max Pack and towing is what is the payload rating? If an R1T with 20" AT and off-road package is 1,419 lbs, what is the Max Pack payload? Maybe 1,000 lbs or less? If this is close to true, you could only tow an 8,000 lb camper with a 200 lb driver and nothing else in the R1T. This is why I switched to the Large pack, at least I know some of the specifications of the Large pack. Rivian either doesn't know or at this point, it's become the Rivian way, just won't share any information/spec's on the Max pack. I would hate to wait an extra 6 months only to find out the Max pack doesn't have the ability to do what I need. I can make the Large pack work a few times a year on a longer trip with its payload rating, but a Max pack and leaving the wife at home won't work.

I had the same concern. During the first drive event I attended I found someone who seemed to know the answer. Their answer was that the Max pack payload was the same as the Large pack models. I then asked if the suspension or frame was different for the max pack model and the answer was "no". Those two responses don't jive. He seemed to be confident in his answer, but I am not.

Maybe not realizing they needed a suspension upgrade for the max pack is a reason for the delay.

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