Letter from RJ coming at noon...

[Gshenderson]

i agree with you on this, they are still in the driver seat, i feel like maybe because of how far ahead they are from the next truck they have the luxury to make sure all is fine and not rush, I just feel like they could have just gone through everything they still needed and made a more realistic time frame, i dont really see how you could think you only need 1 more month and then be like "wait we actually needed 3 months, not 1" . also my comment was based of teslas timeframe on their Texas factory going online, if they finish ahead of schedule we may see a photo finish for first to market. even though i still think Rivian will be first by a long shot.

I don’t see how their competitors are going to be able to avoid these same issues and delays. Most auto manufacturers are already behind due to chip shortages. It’s an industry wide problem, and no one will be immune. I guess the only question is how much other brands are building worst case scenarios into their estimates.

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[_evtrk]

I don’t see how their competitors are going to be able to avoid these same issues and delays. Most auto manufacturers are already behind due to chip shortages. It’s an industry wide problem, and no one will be immune. I guess the only question is how much other brands are building worst case scenarios into their estimates.

I dont think the semiconductor shortage is the issue with them currently, if it were then why not produce vehicles 90% complete just missing those components until they arrive and then just put them in. This could work at the beginning as you are only producing small amounts as you ramp up. and can save them money as work on ramping up with production ready vehicles. I think tesla did this or something similar with the new model s.

i Know its a little bit different with the traditional manufacturers as they dont have issues with volume and ramping up like startups or smaller manufacturers. for the traditional auto makers its easier and cheaper to just shut down the line or plant and wait for some supplies then begin again.

 

[electruck]

but for a company in the middle of a buildout, they too should be aware of this and should have tried to get ahead with the service center buildouts imo, especially with the way they are doing the deliveries based on service centers.

If service center completion were a pre-requisite for beginning deliveries in an area, they would be pushing back deliveries well into next year.

i dont really see how you could think you only need 1 more month and then be like "wait we actually needed 3 months, not 1" .

Easy. A critical piece of manufacturing equipment unexpectedly develops a problem at a time when getting a replacement part isn't an overnight FedEx shipment away. There are a million ways even the best laid plans can fall apart.

 

[_evtrk]

If service center completion were a pre-requisite for beginning deliveries in an area, they would be pushing back deliveries well into next year.

not sure how aware you of this but it is, i had written CS a lengthy email around June 9th, and in the response they said the priority of delivery was "based on location( locations with service center nearby will be first) , then reservation date, then configuration". so yes if you are in an area with a service center that is close to completion then you may be getting it before others.

Easy. A critical piece of manufacturing equipment unexpectedly develops a problem at a time when getting a replacement part isn't an overnight FedEx shipment away. There are a million ways even the best laid plans can fall apart.

not sure if you have followed other ev manufacturers, but tesla in the past has done this, when one of their crucial robots wasnt working correctly as they were trying to ramp up they basically overnighted a robot from Germany, the second time they had an issue they actually purchased one of the robot manufacturers to not have to dish out big money, they then also purchased a company that designs robotic manufacturing lines to make their future plants more efficient.

 

[SANZC02]

not sure how aware you of this but it is, i had written CS a lengthy email around June 9th, and in the response they said the priority of delivery was "based on location( locations with service center nearby will be first) , then reservation date, then configuration". so yes if you are in an area with a service center that is close to completion then you may be getting it before others.



not sure if you have followed other ev manufacturers, but tesla in the past has done this, when one of their crucial robots wasnt working correctly as they were trying to ramp up they basically overnighted a robot from Germany, the second time they had an issue they actually purchased one of the robot manufacturers to not have to dish out big money, they then also purchased a company that designs robotic manufacturing lines to make their future plants more efficient.

I think it is more of a supply issue even for production pieces to have them available.

I know I have been waiting since 1/2019 for a recall piece (Dash Cover Jeep GC). Was informed just this week that they are pushing the expected delivery for the 4th time and now it isn't expected to be available until June 2022.

 

[electruck]

not sure how aware you of this but it is, i had written CS a lengthy email around June 9th, and in the response they said the priority of delivery was "based on location( locations with service center nearby will be first) , then reservation date, then configuration". so yes if you are in an area with a service center that is close to completion then you may be getting it before others.



not sure if you have followed other ev manufacturers, but tesla in the past has done this, when one of their crucial robots wasnt working correctly as they were trying to ramp up they basically overnighted a robot from Germany, the second time they had an issue they actually purchased one of the robot manufacturers to not have to dish out big money, they then also purchased a company that designs robotic manufacturing lines to make their future plants more efficient.

very aware and also aware that there are multiple ways to interpret "locations with service center nearby will be first". Could mean anything from planned to real estate secured to improvements in progress to built, staffed and open for business. not saying you are wrong just highlighting that it's an extrapolation and not a definitive statement from Rivian that service centers must be complete and staffed before deliveries can start. And if that does indeed turn out to be the case, most of us can expect a significantly longer wait than we may currently be expecting. But I suspect there will be some Rivians in driveways ahead of service center completion in some markets with mobile service filling the gap - they just don't want there to be too big of a gap.

It's not just a Tesla/EV thing, manufacturers of all industries learn over time to stock certain critical assembly line parts to avoid downtime. Unfortunately for us, Rivian is just now learning which machines/parts might be problematic. And it's great that the circumstance were right for Tesla to overnight an available machine or to just outright buy a company but those aren't always viable mitigation options. Especially if that machine or one of its parts is dependent on a chip that isn't currently available.

 

[Eeyore]

I'd be interested in hearing from customers of LE R1Ts. What are your thoughts on the delay?

I'm disappointed, but not surprised. I don't want a beta version, so take the time to do it right.

I'd welcome getting a complimentary spare tire to make up for the delay. Or just open a Rivian merchandise online store and give us $50 gift cards to use there.

 

[Gamma rays]

I'm disappointed, but not surprised. I don't want a beta version, so take the time to do it right.

I'd welcome getting a complimentary spare tire to make up for the delay. Or just open a Rivian merchandise online store and give us $50 gift cards to use there.

That's a great idea! But I think if Rivian were to do something like that to salvage some goodwill, it will likely be limited to LE reservation holders.

GR

 

[skyote]

This isn't entirely fair. In the construction industry. We have a ton of construction going on, but contractors I work with are suffering really weird delays on even basic materials that catch me off guard. For example, on one job it's an 8+ week lead time to just to get (what's essentially) new rebar lengths, so we've had to creatively jump around that constraint to try and avoid (yet another) delay.

lol, practically I agree with you. And I had the same comment. But it's not helpful after the fact. They bought lengths to the design length, and during field verification their install techniques seem to have resulted in less capacity of what the "rebar" is reinforcing. So a length change throws a wrench in their supplies.

Really the point is that if something changes for construction (which it will inevitably), random shit will throw a wrench in plans.

That's when you need a chop saw AND a welder.

I'm a redneck engineer though & love finding creative ways to solve problems using the things at my disposal.

This happened two weeks ago...plug was easy, but getting the tire bead reseated was not. Another lesson learned...I should have jacked it up before removing the "temporary plug" that caused the hole.

 

[SeaGeo]

That's when you need a chop saw AND a welder.

I'm a redneck engineer though & love finding creative ways to solve problems using the things at my disposal.

This happened two weeks ago...plug was easy, but getting the tire bead reseated was not. Another lesson learned...I should have jacked it up before removing the "temporary plug" that caused the hole.

Ha! Nice. Sounds like you avoided blowing yourself up getting it reseated the redneck way too.

Unfortunately welding would qualify as a no-no in this situation. Not worth boring people with details of why. We found a workaround. It's just an example though. Have tons of them like other people do was well. It's weird the kinks in the supply chain you run into right now. Companies that opted to not do their TPS reports may have come out a bit better off than those who did. ?

 

[DuckTruck]

ABSOLUTELY!! I too feel better knowing something for certain. I'm tired of all the speculation and arguing in the forums. This makes it much easier to wait...sort of. Although I might die or become incapacitated while waiting due to age. ? ?And...always look on the bright side of life...
? ??

Annie,

I agree with you and Murry. It does feel better knowing something for certain, and hearing it directly from RJ really helps. Let's hope this next few months sees global supply chain and labor issues resolved. I'm guessing we won't see things return to pre-pandemic levels for a while, but things appear to be getting better with each passing month.

On a different note, thanks for replacing Monty Python's Lumberjack Song with a new earworm from them. I drove through the Cascades to Hood River Monday and back yesterday. Upon seeing the scorched, standing remnants of the "Stupid Kid Fire" of four years ago, the Lumberjack Song got stuck in my head. Thank you for the incident-appropriate upgrade!

I'm feeling better (if not brighter) already...???

 

[_evtrk]

a buddy of mine works at ford and we were talking about this, why not have vehicles 99% complete and just wait on chips, his response was, you didnt hear this from me, but thats exactly what we're doing.


also the chip shortage thing i think everyone is using it to their advantage, i talk to reps and engineers from some big and i mean big companies, they are giving me 2-3 month leads time because shortage of chips, i receive the products 4-6 months later i look the processors and they have a 2017 or 2018 date of manufacturing on them. i'm like yea waiting on chips sure, more like artificially reducing supply to increase demand and up the cost to gain more profit.

 

[_evtrk]

I think it is more of a supply issue even for production pieces to have them available.

I know I have been waiting since 1/2019 for a recall piece (Dash Cover Jeep GC). Was informed just this week that they are pushing the expected delivery for the 4th time and now it isn't expected to be available until June 2022.

funny you bring that particular item up, i have same vehicle with same issue dealer wants me to bring in my vehicle before they will put an order in for me, i dont want to do that as i have the diesel 3.0 and it always takes 2 to 3 days for them to look at my vehicle and they dont provide loaners, i dont want to be with out my vehicle that long to just be told "we'll call you when the part is in" and then back to the waiting game again when i bring it back. lol

 

[electruck]

a buddy of mine works at ford and we were talking about this, why not have vehicles 99% complete and just wait on chips, his response was, you didnt hear this from me, but thats exactly what we're doing.

It's well known that Ford is building vehicles with plans to complete once the necessary parts are available. It's been going on so long that those vehicles are starting to stack up so now they're looking to offload them to their dealership network.

Report: Ford Might Ask Dealers to Install Chips in Unfinished Cars

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