Email From Rivian: Updates for Max Pack Preorder Holders -- Delivery Window Update Postponed Until April

[Jumacao]

Just received. I wonder if the Max Pack or the Cybertruck will get here first...


"We are working hard to get your R1T to you as soon as possible. In January, R1T Preorder Holders with Max pack configurations were told you would receive a new delivery window estimate in late February. Unfortunately, we will need to adjust that timing to April as we continue to make the necessary changes to the configurator so you can choose between the Max pack with standard Dual-Motor or the Max pack with enhanced Dual-Motor.

Once these changes are complete, we’ll reach out during our regularly scheduled April refresh with your new delivery window estimate. Please visit the Support Center for more on delivery timing estimates, or feel free to reach out.
We'd like to remind you that your invitation to the R1 Shop remains active. New vehicles that are ready to deliver are available for your consideration.

Thank you for your patience.

Tony Caravano
Head of Rivian Customer Engagement"

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[chase]

They make it sound like a website issue but... I'll go out on a limb and say it's a production issue.

 

[Ripped]

I'd wager that it's manufacturing, processes, motors, production, or battery performance. I don't think the date change surprised me that much.

I hope it's before 2025 ;-)

 

[jollyroger]

They make it sound like a website issue but... I'll go out on a limb and say it's a production issue.

Had to laugh at this. Rivian executive meeting notes:
* We have another production issue.
* Production is taking too much of a hit, we need to distribute the pain.
* Okay Steve, we are going to have to claim it's a configurator issue to take the heat off production
* Oh man, that sucks!

 

[Ironcitijc]

Received same email and had to laugh.......really it's going to take another two months to update the configurator? It continues to feel like the plan is to continuously test the patience of max pack pre-order holders to get them to either cancel or switch to a large pack.

 

[COdogman]

That doesn’t sound believable. But at the same time if it were a production issue why would they lie about it? Max pack order holders have delay fatigue at this point. I’m sorry folks

 

[NineElectrics]

I feel pretty offended that Rivian feels so much contempt for their customers that they think they can lie so stupidly, and have it be believed. This is either a production issue that they're hiding from Wall Street, or an attempt to fatigue all of the Max Pack order holders, who have been illegally bait-and-switched, mind you, into buying something more profitable for Rivian.

I'd encourage everyone who feels similarly to file a complaint with the FTC (https://consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0054-how-file-complaint-federal-trade-commission).

 

[Budman]

I originally configured a Explorer trim with Max Pack. In June of 2022 from reading the tea leaves it seemed that would be very late in arriving, if ever. I changed to Adventure trim with standard battery pack and in 6 weeks was driving my R1T. The range of the standard pack as greatly exceeded my expectation and can easily handle my Minnesota winter trips. Changing configurations was a good move for me.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I feel pretty offended that Rivian feels so much contempt for their customers that they think they can lie so stupidly, and have it be believed. This is either a production issue that they're hiding from Wall Street, or an attempt to fatigue all of the Max Pack order holders, who have been illegally bait-and-switched, mind you, into buying something more profitable for Rivian.

I'd encourage everyone who feels similarly to file a complaint with the FTC (https://consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0054-how-file-complaint-federal-trade-commission).

I'd encourage everyone who feels this way to read the damn pre-order agreement you agreed to when giving Rivian your $1000.

 

[NineElectrics]

I'd encourage everyone who feels this way to read the damn pre-order agreement you agreed to when giving Rivian your $1000.

No need to cuss, but from what I can tell the pre-order agreement doesn't matter. They could have written anything they wanted to in there; bait-and-switch is governed by behavior: advertising to a group of people for a product that doesn't exist, and then attempting, en masse, to switch them to a product that the manufacturer would prefer to make.

From https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-238:

"Even though the true facts are subsequently made known to the buyer, the law is violated if the first contact or interview is secured by deception."

At the federal level it's about advertising, not agreements. In other words, lead generation. The fact that some people (suckers) ended up agreeing to go father in the process (by signing something) is immaterial to the harm. I'm sure some of their legalese fine print might get Rivian out of some state law violations, though.

 

[Dark-Fx]

No need to cuss, but from what I can tell the pre-order agreement doesn't matter. They could have written anything they wanted to in there; bait-and-switch is governed by behavior: advertising to a group of people for a product that doesn't exist, and then attempting, en masse, to switch them to a product that the manufacturer would prefer to make.

From https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-238:

"Even though the true facts are subsequently made known to the buyer, the law is violated if the first contact or interview is secured by deception."

I'm sure some of their legalese fine print might get Rivian out of some state law violations, though.

1. No Obligations
Each Preorder you submit for a Vehicle acts as a deposit for a future purchase of the Vehicle. You are under no obligation to purchase a Vehicle from us, and we are under no obligation to supply you with a Vehicle.

These Terms do not constitute an agreement for the sale of a Vehicle and do not lock in pricing, a firm production slot, a firm delivery date, or specific Vehicle configuration.
----
7. Vehicle Configuration and Battery Range
You understand that we may not have completed the development of the Vehicle or begun manufacturing the Vehicle at the time of your Preorder and specifications are subject to change at any time. You understand battery range and other available features have not yet been determined and may change, even after features are announced. By agreeing to these Terms, you represent and warrant to us that you understand that the Vehicle configuration may change prior to execution of any Final Sales Agreement.

 

[MountainBikeDude]

Really nothing has changed aside from when you'll receive delivery window dates (for now) nothing is said about production etc.

I moved away from the max pack mostly due to fatigue. Part of me is still tempted to hold out for the Dual Max, but after the last 3.66667 years of waiting, I'd rather just drive the truck instead of talking about wanting to drive the truck

 

[aAlpine]

I bet the max pack still doesn't actually exist. They need the more time to design and engineer the changes from the dual + large. I expect in April we'll be getting max pack "cancelled" email.

 

[NineElectrics]

1. No Obligations

Let's look at it from another perspective. Let's assume, for the moment, that Rivian intended to bait and switch. They were desperate to raise funds and have a large order book ahead of their IPO. What the heck, let's tell everyone it's on the menu and generate a ton of buzz, and leads.

How would their observed behavior be different from what we see today? It would not, it would be exactly the same as what we see. That's why the FTC regulates behavior, and doesn't care what the CYA lawyers at Rivian decide to put in their own documents. Let's say 1000 potential buyers were lied to. 10 signed the document agreeing that, while Rivian advertised to them, they didn't actually promise anything. Is Rivian off the hook for the other 990 that said, "you've got to be kidding me, F this" and didn't sign? Or the ones that were intrigued but took a wait-and-see approach? They were all lead down the garden path, just the same. And some of the ten were harmed as well, because the product never existed, but they placed a bet that it would and lost. The product specs were soooo good! They'd sign anything just on the hope it pans out. For sure, Rivian benefited by advertising a Max Pack quad motor configuration. Look at their IPO numbers.

Is this not a bait and switch simply because, out of a thousand people, Rivian found ten people willing to sign on the dotted line of a CYA document? That's the entire point of a bait-and-switch: to find those ten people by lying to a thousand (and then switch them to a higher profit product later, of course). Like I said, the this is why laws which govern false advertising look at the behavior of the company towards the general public, not at what a few potential customers signed or didn't sign: because the general public was harmed.

Even further, I'd argue that the the loss of Max Pack + Quad Motor isn't a spec. change; it's an entire class of product which no longer exists. You can't claim a 32" TV is the same product as a 60" TV.

Since Rivian's behavior is indistinguishable from a bait and switch, there should be an investigation to determine whether, in fact, it was.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I'll keep my reservation for now, but tbh my long term plan is to get an ICE Silverado "now" (or as soon as Chevy can deliver it, which may be months away), and a Cybertruck in a couple years. With this timeline I don't see the Rivian fitting in. Maybe it will work better for others.

If I were smarter I'd take my $1000 back and invest it in another EV company. Maybe Canoo will be turning a profit by the time the R1T + Max Pack comes out.

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