Future of R1S?

[electruck]

Unless they would pull a Tesla? They killed both their flagships. Though Tesla is obviously a much more mature company.

Sometimes I wonder if Elon is truly committed to manufacturing cars at all.

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[Hereforthesnacks]

Sometimes I wonder if Elon is truly committed to manufacturing cars at all.

He is committed to only one thing: Elon.

 

[DKM_R1S]

Not everyone is interested in getting a smaller, less capable Rivian.

 

[BCondrey]

I have heard RJ say that the R1 line will continue to be the flagship model for the company moving forward.

 

[skyguyscott]

Sometimes I wonder if Elon is truly committed to manufacturing cars at all.

I think if Elon keeps going the way he is, no doubt he will be committed eventually.

 

[ENVErider]

Just celebrated a year with our wonderful R1S. Based off our experience, a family member was ordering a new R1S and they could not order the cheapest silver color (they were told they were "pausing production on it"). Then they wanted the blue...nope. Finally went with the green, but I am wondering what is going on? The quote from my family member is "they said they aren't making the big ones anymore." Is the R1S being discontinued? I would think the number of colors would be increasing, not decreasing for a model that is only now hitting its stride. I haven't seen anything about R1x being slowed down/discontinued, but this has me worried. In particular, our large extended family needs the seats.

I agree with @electruck. Based on reporting from a year or so ago, they had to take down some R1 production lines to make room for the new R2 production line, and that should trigger some R1 production impacts. They were probably planning for less R1 production anyway, as the R2 takes potential R1 customers. The standard LFP battery is already going away, and it would not be surprising to see them offer fewer total configurations until their Atlanta plant is fully up and running. I don't claim to have an inside track, but the reporting is that Atlanta will be the home for R2/R3/Rx production in late 2028, and if so, that would free up the R2 space in Normal, IL, for more R1 or skunkworks/RAD higher-end vehicles.

 

[Airnet]

Model year change? Last year Rivian announced in June. It's June again.

 

[GamecockC]

Make the next gen RIS with the glove box, rear window drop down, and those new haptic wheel controls on the steering wheel, and ill be first in line to trade in my current R1S for the next one.

 

[VandalSibs]

Model year change? Last year Rivian announced in June. It's June again.

I doubt we're going to see anything major, or even slightly minor, for the 2027 R1 model year - Rivian is focusing on getting R2 buttoned down manufacturing-wise. On top of that, R1 had a refresh only 2 years ago, so there's not a huge demand right now.

 

[dleepnw]

Probably a combination of prioritizing R2 production and they are discontinuing several colors including LA Silver and El Cap Granite and adding new colors so they probably dont want to produce any new vehicles right now.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Just celebrated a year with our wonderful R1S. Based off our experience, a family member was ordering a new R1S and they could not order the cheapest silver color (they were told they were "pausing production on it"). Then they wanted the blue...nope. Finally went with the green, but I am wondering what is going on?

Ebb and flow of production batching, for sake of best possible production efficiency, that best match supply on-hand and market fluctuations—i.e. customer demand and/or suppliers' ability to deliver. Think past knee-jerk reactions. Look around at what is happening on the world stage and realize what impact that has on everything not directed related to those events. Cost of oil and everything that could impact. Just about everything man-made is impacted by oil prices one way or another. From oil derivatives to transport cost of parts of materials, both raw and finished.

The quote from my family member is "they said they aren't making the big ones anymore." Is the R1S being discontinued?

I'd dismiss as falsified information from someone who spoke out of place. Sales people, unless also enthusiasts and well-informed, are only trained on sales. And they shouldn't speculate and make up answers they don't know to be true. It's possible this particular person, took past sales experience at another job/brand, and made up this answer in attempt to trigger FOMO and pressure your relative into pulling the trigger. Every company has bad employees. Rivian is not an exception.

Rivian expanded Normal, IL factory, starting in mid-2004, to add capacity for R2 production. And 2026 R2 production is planned/said to be 25-50k, with full ramped 2027 capacity projected to be somewhere around 150-175k. They haven't been more specific on how many production lines... However, outside of this expansion, Rivian has had three existing lines for both variants of the R1 and the delivery van. Rivian's total production in 2025 is said to be just over 42k, between the two R1s and the van. I think, with fewer colorways and a more simplified architecture than gen2 R1S, 50k total R2s for this year is plausible from a single assembly line.

Slowing R1 production because of supply or demand constraints is plausible. Also plausible, production priorities. Lots of color options are missing from initial R2 order books. It's possible Rivian is in process of redo'ing available colors for the R1 and discontinuing more colors than it already has. Think as if you were them. If you are already planning to replace certain colors, you wouldn't spend $ to place more orders of colors you are planning to axe. Instead, you'd put your spending on supplies you need more off (and those shared between R1 and R2, including those yet to be announced). Pausing in preperation for gen3 R1 is also plausible, but we're not there yet. Discontinuation of a brand's flagship line after just 4 years of production (if you include gen1), is not plausible. Every brand must have a halo product. It's part of marketing and brand building.

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

Make the next gen RIS with the glove box, rear window drop down, and those new haptic wheel controls on the steering wheel, and ill be first in line to trade in my current R1S for the next one.

That will happen eventually. They may even extend the wheelbase to give everyone more leg room. Can’t have your budget model with more leg room than the top trim.

 

[cthelan]

This. The R1 Dual Standards are being phased out, not the R1S or the R1T. I think it has something to do with the LFP battery not working well with charging and BMI, a subpar range, and/or distancing the R1S more from the R2 pricewise (I’ve heard various theories online from multiple channels.)

Anyway, the R1S is alive and well for now. Rivian wants to keep selling these if they can. It’s possible that the R2 will cannibalize some of the R1S’ sales, but eventually I’d imagine they’d refresh the R1 line with updated features like the RAP1 + LiDar, drop glass, the haptic halo wheels, etc. Not before they make me an R3X though.

Yep this is it. LFP is absolutely terrible. It has no business being in any vehicle above $40k. Can’t wait for our R2 ticket to be pulled so we can rid ourselves of the LFP.

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