New SC coming to Fairfax???

[CPolism]

I’m paywall blocked so not exactly sure where, but Wash Biz has the article
https://www.bizjournals.com/washing...an-fairfax-service-center-electric-truck.html

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[kanundrum]

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ: RIVN), the producer of Amazon.com Inc.’s electric delivery fleet, is eyeing Fairfax County for its first Greater Washington service center.
Lynne Strobel, a land use attorney with Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh PC, on Dec. 8 submitted a letter to Fairfax zoning staff in which she notes Irvine, California-based Rivian “proposes to open a service center in Fairfax County on a property zoned to the I-5 [industrial] District.” A location is not identified in the letter, though an earlier, temporary version of the letter, since superseded, filed last month suggested somewhere in Tysons, which has multiple sites zoned I-5.
A Rivian spokesperson said in an email the company has nothing to share "at this time."
Rivian competitors Lucid Motors and Tesla both have operations in Tysons already. Unlike those companies, however, Rivian does not currently offer an electric car, only the R1T pickup, the R1S SUV and electric delivery vans.

Rivian does not operate typical automobile dealerships — though it is growing its retail presence. Instead, its vehicles are generally purchased and financed online and picked up from a service center. Those facilities also provide demonstration drives by appointment only, vehicle preparation services like washing and detailing, and vehicle service. Though, because the vehicles are all-electric, the services required are less intensive — tire rotations, alignments, software updates, brake and air filter replacements, for example.
Strobel’s letter seeks to identify how such a service center would be classified under the county’s zoning ordinance. She argues that a “vehicle repair and maintenance, light” is the logical classification and would be allowed by-right in the I-5 zone.
Rivian, whose vehicles are produced at a plant in Illinois, operates 30 service centers across the U.S., the closest in Richmond. It signed an exclusive agreement with Amazon, a major Rivian shareholder, in 2019 to electrify the e-commerce giant’s fleet; the Rivian commercial van is the platform on which the Amazon electric delivery van is based. Last month, Rivian announced it would open sales to other companies across the globe.

 

[virgnia_rivian]

Interesting information, but that 'journalist' needs to go back to school. Gaithersburg is within the Greater Washington area and the closest service center is definitely not Richmond.

I think Tysons would be fine for a Service center, but I really wish they would pick Arlington instead or even Seven Corners.

Intersting note, Rivian doesn't list Gaitersburg on their website.
https://rivian.com/support/article/where-are-rivian-service-centers-located

 

[Tango45]

I think Tysons would be fine for a Service center, but I really wish they would pick Arlington instead or even Seven Corners.

Lord, please not Seven Corners. That place is a goat rope. I live right next door to Tyson's (Vienna), so a SC here would be "fine", but I think the smarter move is Springfield for ease of access to 495/395/95. Getting to Gaithersburg from Tyson's is 30 minutes at most, so I would place it further away. That being said, Rivians are thick in and around here, so maybe that's pulling a center of gravity closer...

I did read that they're trying to put a RAN station in the Tyson's Corner Mall...

 

[virgnia_rivian]

Lord, please not Seven Corners. That place is a goat rope. I live right next door to Tyson's (Vienna), so a SC here would be "fine", but I think the smarter move is Springfield for ease of access to 495/395/95. Getting to Gaithersburg from Tyson's is 30 minutes at most, so I would place it further away. That being said, Rivians are thick in and around here, so maybe that's pulling a center of gravity closer...

I did read that they're trying to put a RAN station in the Tyson's Corner Mall...

They'll put in Tysons over Springfield to appeal to the higher wealth demographic. Tesla has both Tysons and Arlington (Glebe and 395) as well as their DC showroom.

Rivian will eventually open Tysons. I haven't seen anything related to RAN locations in the DC metro. Where are you seeing that? The only in development RAN location Rivian lists on their website, in Virginia, is in Fredericksburg.

 

[Tango45]

They'll put in Tysons over Springfield to appeal to the higher wealth demographic. Tesla has both Tysons and Arlington (Glebe and 395) as well as their DC showroom.

Rivian will eventually open Tysons. I haven't seen anything related to RAN locations in the DC metro. Where are you seeing that? The only in development RAN location Rivian lists on their website, in Virginia, is in Fredericksburg.

Yeah, I don’t argue that money is creating a gravitational pull in Tyson’s that’s stronger than Springfield. I was thinking logistically, but they know their population spread and business needs better than I do. In this case, I am relying on my Northern Virginia biases and preconceptions to fill in for my lack of Rivian-internal business data.

I saw the Tyson’s RAN location listed on the master thread of current/planned RAN locations. It says “planned/permitted”.

 

[virgnia_rivian]

I saw the Tyson’s RAN location listed on the master thread of current/planned RAN locations. It says “planned/permitted”.

I saw that on the master thread, but I haven’t seen anything near official that indicates they’re building one. It isn’t listed as in development on Rivian’s website. I think it will be a while before they build any actually in or near the beltway. But we can always hope.

I’d also prefer Springfield over Tysons for a service center, but I’m biased because I’m in Alexandria and Springfield is closer to me.

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