Current daily production rate

[DuckTruck]

Tesla has temporarily unlocked additional range for emergencies before, like escaping California wildfires or hurricane evacuation zones. But those look like they had the artificial range limit before unlocking also.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/10/...-update-florida-extend-range-model-s-x-60-60d
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-range-upgrade-ca-wildfires-elon-musk/

When you say "Artificial range limit", are you talking about the buffer? I think all manufacturers have buffers they utilize to allow a long battery life. My understanding is that running EV batteries down to absolutely zero charge is a terrible thing to do to them, as is rapidly charging them to the top. That's also one of the reasons they don't want us charging these things above ~75% on any given day, unless we know we'll be using it for a long haul once we pull the plug.

Running them to zero is an easy way to degrade and shorten their life. Costly for all, especially if you're the one warranting it to 8 yrs/175k miles. Letting someone dip into that buffer temporarily in an emergency is a great way to save the battery and its owner (and the car), but only if the manufacturer restores the buffer and keeps the battery in it's desired use range.

In this case, I believe RJ was saying if a vehicle exhibits that it's being appropriately charged, used, and maintained, and shows signs of little degradation, the company can "unlock" a greater portion of it's total range via OTA. While we didn't talk about it, I'm assuming that before the warranty is up, they could re-engage the original range to protect the battery, should use/abuse patterns warrant such actions.

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[emoore]

When you say "Artificial range limit", are you talking about the buffer? I think all manufacturers have buffers they utilize to allow a long battery life. My understanding is that running EV batteries down to absolutely zero charge is a terrible thing to do to them, as is rapidly charging them to the top. That's also one of the reasons they don't want us charging these things above ~75% on any given day, unless we know we'll be using it for a long haul once we pull the plug.

Running them to zero is an easy way to degrade and shorten their life. Costly for all, especially if you're the one warranting it to 8 yrs/175k miles. Letting someone dip into that buffer temporarily in an emergency is a great way to save the battery and its owner (and the car), but only if the manufacturer restores the buffer and keeps the battery in it's desired use range.

In this case, I believe RJ was saying if a vehicle exhibits that it's being appropriately charged, used, and maintained, and shows signs of little degradation, the company can "unlock" a greater portion of it's total range via OTA. While we didn't talk about it, I'm assuming that before the warranty is up, they could re-engage the original range to protect the battery, should use/abuse patterns warrant such actions.

I think they are talking about when Tesla used to sell (maybe still does) a standard range and a long range car. Some of the standard range cars still had the same battery capacity as the long range car, just software locked.

 

[DuckTruck]

I think they are talking about when Tesla used to sell (maybe still does) a standard range and a long range car. Some of the standard range cars still had the same battery capacity as the long range car, just software locked.

Thank you. I didn't know that about Tesla.

 

[Dark-Fx]

You are saying that there is a production hell but it is not called that?

We must live on different planets because I know it is called production hell and it most certainly exists. To be clear production hell is not a typical period with normal manufacturing challenges.

Maybe all the projects you worked on had one thing in common.

My time in automotive, things were never referred to as "production hell", but then again, once we hit SOP it tended to go relatively smooth. Just a lot of piddly issues that needed fixing. Maybe if something is so wrong it has to get completely reworked? Never had that happen with my projects though.

 

[EVTrucking]

Maybe all the projects you worked on had one thing in common.

My time in automotive, things were never referred to as "production hell", but then again, once we hit SOP it tended to go relatively smooth. Just a lot of piddly issues that needed fixing. Maybe if something is so wrong it has to get completely reworked? Never had that happen with my projects though.

I bow to your superiorness!!!!

It must be great being you.

 

[mgc0216]

yes. I’m happy to be wrong.

As a stock holder I definitely want to be wrong, but from what I know about the realities of their production issues this year I think 8K next year would be a victory.

Do you actually have some information on "the realities of their production issues" that aren't in the public record ("supply chain" and "ramping up a new assembly line is trickier than they initially thought" and "pandemic").

 

[Dark-Fx]

I bow to your superiorness!!!!

It must be great being you.

I was hoping you would elaborate on what production hell means to you, but backhanded recognition works just as well, thanks.

 

[SeaGeo]

I think I saw that as well but I assumed they went to work for the company after they had placed a preorder. I know a couple of people who applied at Rivian after they placed a preorder but no one that got hired.

I could be wrong, just reporting the interaction I had with the team member.

Coincidentally I just saw someone who took delivery and said they thought they placed their deposit about 6 months ago.

Now here's the thing, their spouse is working their ass off. I think it's an absolutely fantastic thing that Rivian can push reward employees like this at the moment. However, it does seem to show that the launch edition constraint is entirely of their own doing. If they want, they can value 2018 and 2019 preorder holders enough to allow them to go back in time and select a LE again.

 

[Longhorngirl]

Coincidentally I just saw someone who took delivery and said they thought they placed their deposit about 6 months ago.

Now here's the thing, their spouse is working their ass off. I think it's an absolutely fantastic thing that Rivian can push reward employees like this at the moment. However, it does seem to show that the launch edition constraint is entirely of their own doing. If they want, they can value 2018 and 2019 preorder holders enough to allow them to go back in time and select a LE again.

Agreed. There are currently 1,910 job openings at Rivian. I assume new hires will be allowed to place an order and get a Launch Edition.

Here is an employee who was thinking of placing an order October 4, 2021.


And here is that same employee taking delivery in December 2021.

 

[cc84]

"As you may know, many of our first R1T deliveries have been to Rivian team members as part of an employee purchase program. This program was implemented to provide us an opportunity to internally test the entire customer experience – this includes transaction, financing, and insurance as well as overall vehicle quality. With several hundred employees as early customers, we were also able to identify and address a wide range of enhancements to our software stack through over-the-air (OTA) updates – we are excited to continually add more features and refinements to our vehicles through ongoing OTAs."

Wonder when they'll get the customer experience figured out. Making deliveries and still don't have it down? I wonder how many more employee vehicles need to be sold, ahead of 3 yr. plus reservationist, before they get the process under control.

Many on here say they had rather wait until all the kinks and bugs are worked out. Several hundred employees don't share that sentiment.

 

[cc84]

Now here's the thing, their spouse is working their ass off. I think it's an absolutely fantastic thing that Rivian can push reward employees like this at the moment.

Not arguing your point Brice, as it's a good one, but giving another opinion......Rivan has many ways to reward their employees (bonus, retirement, medical, stock), but only one way to reward their customers. A certain amount dedicated to employees for testing I understand, but deliveries are supposedly being made, so there shouldn't be any more employees ahead of customers, until it's their turn.......IMO.

Instead, I see Rivian taking away from the 3 yrs. plus reservationist and giving to the employee. I think they should have told their employees to remain in line and set up the $2,000 per month discount in an escrow account to be applied to the vehicle, when it's their turn. If the employee wanted to quit over that, they don't need them in the first place.......The silver lining is when Rivian ramps up production and delivers enough vehicles, to where we don't notice, or care, when who gets what.......but for now, my sympathies lie with the 3 yrs. plus reservationist.

 

[mwexler2]

When I was in Sonoma, that offer was no longer available to employees. Even the subsidized sale of non-LEs was no longer available (although the employee I talked to was hoping that would reopen).

Agreed. There are currently 1,910 job openings at Rivian. I assume new hires will be allowed to place an order and get a Launch Edition.

Here is an employee who was thinking of placing an order October 4, 2021.


And here is that same employee taking delivery in December 2021.

 

[crashmtb]

Wonder when they'll get the customer experience figured out. Making deliveries and still don't have it down? I wonder how many more employee vehicles need to be sold, ahead of 3 yr. plus reservationist, before they get the process under control.

Many on here say they had rather wait until all the kinks and bugs are worked out. Several hundred employees don't share that sentiment.

The other thing that is likely being worked out by selling these early trucks to employees at a big subsidy is hitting manufacturing QA targets.

 

[SeaGeo]

Not arguing your point Brice, as it's a good one, but giving another opinion......Rivan has many ways to reward their employees (bonus, retirement, medical, stock), but only one way to reward their customers. A certain amount dedicated to employees for testing I understand, but deliveries are supposedly being made, so there shouldn't be any more employees ahead of customers, until it's their turn.......IMO.

Instead, I see Rivian taking away from the 3 yrs. plus reservationist and giving to the employee. I think they should have told their employees to remain in line and set up the $2,000 per month discount in an escrow account to be applied to the vehicle, when it's their turn. If the employee wanted to quit over that, they don't need them in the first place.......The silver lining is when Rivian ramps up production and delivers enough vehicles, to where we don't notice, or care, when who gets what.......but for now, my sympathies lie with the 3 yrs. plus reservationist.

I get the sentiment. It seems to me to be a combination of a employee retention/attraction that also had the bonus of helping their apparent QA program.

Soon it shouldn't matter though either if there's enough output, you noted.

Personally I think it may be a good idea for them to allow employees to get near the front of the line over the next year or two as a way to attract employees and help ramp production. Assuming they are running into labor constraints.

 

[DuckTruck]

The other thing that is likely being worked out by selling these early trucks to employees at a big subsidy is hitting manufacturing QA targets.

Indeed that's a big part of getting them in the hands of employees early and out on the road, where all aspects of performance and reliability can be monitored. With the number of employees already rolling in R1T's, the company is likely getting tens of thousands of miles, or more, worth of information from them each week. I'm sure every critical phase is being monitored and adjusted regularly. Especially nice when you know most of these are parked right outside of a company facility most every day.

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