In 4th year of waiting ... beginning to question if the wait is worth it

[White Shadow]

I see folks say this, and I'm curious what it'd need to be for you to consider it 'caught up'?

For me, I think it's already good enough - it's not full optimized, but 99% of my driving can be handled quite easily by what's out there today. I work from home, my wife teaches 3 miles away. So, honestly, something like a Rav 4 Prime could have us running on battery about 65% of the time.

It's about 90 miles to Mt. Hood or the Coast (at least the parts we frequent). One son lives in Bend (150 miles) the other Eugene (100 miles) Folks are about 65 miles away.

There just isn't a drive that we do with any regularity that can't be handled with 250 miles of usable range, which I can get by plugging the truck in overnight (If I go to Bend that's an overnight trip or at least has a long enough pit stop i can get enough of a charge to get back home).

I understand that some unknown percentage of folks want to tow hundreds of miles or go out and overland for a week. I also understand folks who live in less densely populated areas w/o charging infrastructure, but you're in NJ by your bio, and it looks to me like that's far from an EV charging wasteland?

Certainly it's acceptable for local driving. And in that case, charging at home does the trick. But I'm specifically talking about road trips. I think we need more charging lovations, faster charging, and even improved range, but that will come with battery technology.

The way I use an SUV, I think we're still not there yet. A car? Sure, it's probably good enough. But with an active lifestyle, I think I'd be better off waiting. My SUV is often loaded with gear. And I tow jet skis, snowmobiles, ATVs, and occasionally a small boat. For that type of driving, I think we need more infrastructure. That's why I'll probably be better off waiting a few years.

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[yizzung]

Kia EV6, Audi e tron, Ford MME, ID.4, Polstar 2, Volvo xc40 Recharge, Hyundai IONIQ 5, Lucid and more are currently shipping and available.

The EV6, which is sold in all 50 States is shipping cars to Kia dealers next week. I have a deposit on a GT-Line due in 2/18/2022.

Those may work for some but most don’t for me. Has to have AWD. Must not be a sedan. I’ve owned two Audis and will never own another, especially an electric one. Ditto VW. Hyundai and Kia are not good brand matches for me. Must be able to accommodate two frequently muddy dogs… I’m keeping my Rivian reservation but I definitely encourage others to look elsewhere if your criteria differ from mine. YMMV, as they say.

 

[kizamybute']

For all the reasons stated in this thread, I've hedged my bets. Other than for the Rivian, all required just a measly $100 deposit. I've made first day deposits on just about every EV truck or SUV that's been offered. Rivian is still my most preferred, but, I also need a vehicle too, so can't wait forever.

IF, any of the others are available to be purchased and driven home before Rivian has allowed me to finalize an order, I'll likely have to go with one of the other options. Again, Rivian would be my first choice if all were available for purchase today. But, the other options also have unique features and are cool in their own right.

I really wanted the max pack. Only way to get a Rivian before 2024 is to get the smaller battery. By then, the Silverado will be out. Ford will be nearing completion of their revised F-150 EV. As of now, it appears that I could put a Hummer or F-150 Lightning in my driveway by July of this year.

If Rivian hasn't allowed me to finalize by then, then I'll know I'm still AT LEAST 6 more months out from getting one. At that point, probably will buy the other option available at that time. Maybe, replace my order with a Max Pack option again and think about it again in another couple of years. Problem is, by then, there will be even more offerings. I absolutely hate this pre-order system. Miss the days of going to a dealer and driving one home that night. This 3-4 year crap is ridiculous.

 

[SASSquatch]

While I might be hungry for their product, if they think they need to do taste-testing to be sure there aren’t any bugs then I’m okay with that. Rivians, too,

Pay the man! There are some of us who are perfectly fine waiting so that they don't have to be beta testers who have to deal with all the frustrating first model year gremlins.

I have owned over a dozen cars, including 3 electrics. Three of them were first model year and after the third one I swore never to put myself through that nightmare again [see Mach e owners like EV&Chill].

The folks who are in the first wave of deliveries are doing God's work!

Also @Iwantatesla deserves a Rivian Forums Member of the Year award for his amazing work helping the rest of us live vicariously through his videos and posts.

 

[moosehead]

 

[EVTrucking]

Those may work for some but most don’t for me. Has to have AWD. Must not be a sedan. I’ve owned two Audis and will never own another, especially an electric one. Ditto VW. Hyundai and Kia are not good brand matches for me. Must be able to accommodate two frequently muddy dogs… I’m keeping my Rivian reservation but I definitely encourage others to look elsewhere if your criteria differ from mine. YMMV, as they say.

All of the options I listed can be had as AWD. I agree that none of them can complete with the R1S. The only brand I am committed to avoiding is Ford.

I am keeping my R1T pre order but until it is produced we are going with either the EV6 or the Recharge. Both are due at the dealer 2/18/2022.

 

[lostpacket]

lovations

Love locations are what the rooftop tent is for

 

[yizzung]

All of the options I listed can be had as AWD. I agree that none of them can complete with the R1S. The only brand I am committed to avoiding is Ford.

I am keeping my R1T pre order but until it is produced we are going with either the EV6 or the Recharge. Both are due at the dealer 2/18/2022.

I should also disclose that I have driven an R1T (see profile pic) and absolutely loved it. Haven’t driven anything else. And my delivery could come as early as July, which would be about a 2-year wait. NBD.

 

[ERguy]

I know somebody who just started working at the Rivian assembly factory who was offered a sweet incentive to buy one with the expectation that he would get his vehicle relatively soon.

If they keep prioritizing employees over regular customers, it will continue to push back everyone else's pre-orders.

 

[paariv]

I know somebody who just started working at the Rivian assembly factory who was offered a sweet incentive to buy one with the expectation that he would get his vehicle relatively soon.

If they keep prioritizing employees over regular customers, it will continue to push back everyone else's pre-orders.

I imagine that they’re prioritizing employees because there are still issues to work out with the vehicles, not just because it’s an attractive perk. So I’m fine with it for now.

 

[ads75]

I know somebody who just started working at the Rivian assembly factory who was offered a sweet incentive to buy one with the expectation that he would get his vehicle relatively soon.

If they keep prioritizing employees over regular customers, it will continue to push back everyone else's pre-orders.

They probably have 'X' amount figured into their production numbers for employees. Cheap trucks are also probably a good way to recruit new employees.

 

[Zoidz]

I know somebody who just started working at the Rivian assembly factory who was offered a sweet incentive to buy one with the expectation that he would get his vehicle relatively soon.

If they keep prioritizing employees over regular customers, it will continue to push back everyone else's pre-orders.

Or perhaps they don't have enough employees to produce the vehicles now, and the incentive increases staffing so they can build more vehicles faster, moving forward everyone's preorder.

 

[JoeRMV]

What bothers me the most is the increasingly outdated look and technology. My 2022 R1S will probably be delivered in late 2023 or more likely in 2024. By that time, it will be competing with 2025 models. Rivian has no intentions to change the look or update anything from their 5 year old design other than price.

 

[IlliniRivian]

I imagine that they’re prioritizing employees because there are still issues to work out with the vehicles, not just because it’s an attractive perk. So I’m fine with it for now.

If they are still working out issues 3.5 years after announcing the vehicle in LA and 5 months after first "deliveries" then I am really concerned about what's going on in Normal. I have a July - Sept. window and think it's highly unlikely they make it. That means I get a 2022 LE when most dealers are selling 2023 MY.

The communication is just so poor time and time again and my guess is they'll mostly leave reservation holders hanging until the mid-March earnings call.

 

[moosehead]

For those frustrated with the wait, which is all of us, suggest you walk into your local german, truck, or EV auto dealer of any flavor above $75k.

There is no automobile inventory available in this tier. As in, nothing in the showroom or dealer lot.

Denver Audi has this wildly expensive massive new dealer building with yuge empty showroom, big screen entertainment room, retail shopping, coffee bar, and massage station (exaggeration) and god knows how many sales people. They literally have nothing to sell and just point to a glass wall with papers taped to it showing: (1) cars in factory, (2) cars in port, (3) cars in transit. They are all pre-sold with deposits. The wait to order a vehicle in the higher trim categories is likely a year. Low mileage CPO's are selling above MSRP.

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