R1S / R1T Outdoor Car Cover now in Rivian Gear Shop (May 2026)

[CosmicRivian]

New to the Gear Shop today (21 May 2026): R1T & R1S Outdoor Car Covers.

Not cheap at $500, but cheaper than a new garage. And maybe they are built well enough to justify their premium price tag (I know, I know, a lot of the items in the Gear Shop are overpriced yada yada ...).

R1T Outdoor Car Cover: https://gearshop.rivian.com/products/r1t-outdoor-car-cover

R1S Outdoor Car Cover: https://gearshop.rivian.com/products/r1s-outdoor-car-cover

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[ChrisKnowsIT]

I am sure there is a certain premium for having a custom/proper sized cover…but $500

 

[tate16t]

$500!!

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I am sure there is a certain premium for having a custom/proper sized cover…but $500

Plus, economy of scale, or lack of it. Not too many people actual buy and use car covers. It's inconvenient. So the potential market is small and thus a small order from Rivian to their vendor. Hence lack of per unit savings that could have been had if a larger order was placed. And in retail business, between wholesale cost and retail price, mark up of 80~100% is fairly standard. Whenever you see retailers sell things at closeout, those prices are equal to or closer to their cost.

 

[narmstrong79]

who puts a car cover on their daily driver ?

 

[captainjp]

Oof. That’s pricey. I’m sticking with the blue tarp and bungees

 

[savethemanual]

who puts a car cover on their daily driver ?

Nobody. Car covers are intended for longer term storage which I'm certain happens with many Rivians.

 

[THX1139]

Got to give those mice some shelter. Worst is when the freezing rain cements it to your paint, although I like the idea of keeping it covered if I had to leave ours parked for a while.

 

[tps5352]

New to the Gear Shop today (21 May 2026): R1T & R1S Outdoor Car Covers.

Not cheap at $500, but cheaper than a new garage. And maybe they are built well enough to justify their premium price tag (I know, I know, a lot of the items in the Gear Shop are overpriced yada yada ...)...

I was curious if and when Rivian would offer a branded car cover for their R1 vehicles. I can't be sure, but they look similar in design and materials to the kind built for and sold by Tesla for Model X, et cetera. They were expensive also, like $450 at the time (less now, I believe). R1s are that much larger (than MX).

The original Tesla covers, made by a the firm CoverKing in Anaheim, California, were excellent quality, had a protective soft inner lining, and fit like a glove. The major drawback, in my experience, was a tendency to literally wear out (outer surface began to degenerate on the south-facing side) due to (I assume) solar radiation damage in the seasonally hot Central Valley of California. (I never washed or put any chemical on them.) I only got about two years daily use from each of two previous covers. (Tesla replaced under warranty.)

Another issue is that full car covers are somewhat tedious and ungainly to install and remove. I am tall and got used to it with practice. I could see a shorter, smaller person having a heck of a time with an R1 cover--perhaps best as a two-person job? But the protection from sun, small debris, bird deposits, et cetera is probably worth the daily chore if you have to park your baby outside.

If and when someone sees a Rivian cover in person, check the label to see who makes it. There are, of course, many brands and many models of covers made of different materials.

I checked for the original Tesla covers, and the same (unbranded) model was, to my surprise, actually more expensive on the manufacturing-company's website.

 

[norivian]

I am sure there is a certain premium for having a custom/proper sized cover…but $500

The RIVIAN imprint is $300; the cover $200.

 

[Nixapatfan]

If I were to buy a car cover it would be one like this, they'll custom make one probably cheaper than what Rivian is charging too.

 

[Luke42]

who puts a car cover on their daily driver ?

I put a cover on our daily driver when an ice storm was forecast for a couple of years.

It was a $50 problem, though, not a $500 problem.

 

[tps5352]

IF you regularly park a car outside, a cover can reduce damage from sun, bird droppings, hail, sand, and other small debris. It is also arguably a minor theft/vandalism deterrent (in some areas; in others, not so much). Is it worth $500 (say for a $100,000 vehicle)? That's up to the individual owner. Obviously it's better to have a nice, safe, warm garage. (But not everyone is Jay Leno.)

 

[Robot Overlord]

The one week of the year I think I’d use a cover is while on our vacation in NH each summer. There are plenty of pine trees that drip lots of sap onto exposed cars and it’s not a lot of fun, or easy, to get it all off.

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