Post Your Interesting or Funny Conversations with Friends/Strangers about your Rivian ...

[junkanoo]

Hi,

Admittedly, there are fewer Rivians in Connecticut than in other areas, but this conversation takes the cake. Admittedly, I doubt that this guy I met at a detailing company yesterday was the brightest bulb in his class.

Him: (Staring at the back of my R1S with Rivian in big letters)
Him: What's that?
Me: It's a Rivian.
Him: Who makes it?
Me: Rivian
Him: Yes, but who makes it?
Me: Rivian. They're a relatively new company.
Him: So, it's a Ford?
Me: No ... It's a Rivian.
Him: (Looking like a puzzled German Shepherd). Where is it made?
Me: Illinois.
Him: So, it's foreign?
Me: (pausing, because I'm wondering if he's putting me on). No ... it's made in the United States
Him: By who?
Me: Rivian
Him: (looking really confused).
Me: You've heard of Tesla, right? They're like Tesla, only a much smaller company.
Him: So, it's electric.
Me: Yes.

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[Hepatightass]

Hi,

Admittedly, there are fewer Rivians in Connecticut than in other areas, but this conversation takes the cake. Admittedly, I doubt that this guy I met at a detailing company yesterday was the brightest bulb in his class.

Him: (Staring at the back of my R1S with Rivian in big letters)
Him: What's that?
Me: It's a Rivian.
Him: Who makes it?
Me: Rivian
Him: Yes, but who makes it?
Me: Rivian. They're a relatively new company.
Him: So, it's a Ford?
Me: No ... It's a Rivian.
Him: (Looking like a puzzled German Shepherd). Where is it made?
Me: Illinois.
Him: So, it's foreign?
Me: (pausing, because I'm wondering if he's putting me on). No ... it's made in the United States
Him: By who?
Me: Rivian
Him: (looking really confused).
Me: You've heard of Tesla, right? They're like Tesla, only a much smaller company.
Him: So, it's electric.
Me: Yes.

Like talking to a 5-year old LOL

 

[Redmond Chad]

I am not sure why, but it seems that whenever someone has not heard of an auto brand, they assume it must be foreign.

In April 2010 I took my Tesla Roadster to an Earth Day event so I could let people know that electric cars existed (a real issue in those days). There was a car show going on next door, and one of the organizers convinced me to enter my car (for free) in to the show. So I did, and I got to talk to a lot of people about EVs. I had some signs posted on my car, including a big one that said the car and its fuel were both made in the USA. There were many questions about the origin, and I always pointed out that it was built in California.

It turns out that visitors could vote on the various cars, and my Roadster won a trophy. I got "Best Foreign Car".

 

[foxerson]

Priceless. Thank for making my day.

I've had plenty of "who makes it" questions and confused looks while I persist in trying to convince people that Rivian is an automobile manufacturer. None as confounding as what @junkanoo described and none that insisted on labeling it as foreign like what @Redmond Chad described. Though, as a 5th generation native of California, I will acknowledge that we often behave like a foreign country and are treated as one by the other 49 states.

 

[pkropf]

Them: Nice truck. Who make it?
Me: Rivian
T: I can see that on the front, Rivian, but who makes it?
M: <blink> <blink>

 

[Riviot]

Hi,

Admittedly, there are fewer Rivians in Connecticut than in other areas, but this conversation takes the cake. Admittedly, I doubt that this guy I met at a detailing company yesterday was the brightest bulb in his class.

Him: (Staring at the back of my R1S with Rivian in big letters)
Him: What's that?
Me: It's a Rivian.
Him: Who makes it?
Me: Rivian
Him: Yes, but who makes it?
Me: Rivian. They're a relatively new company.
Him: So, it's a Ford?
Me: No ... It's a Rivian.
Him: (Looking like a puzzled German Shepherd). Where is it made?
Me: Illinois.
Him: So, it's foreign?
Me: (pausing, because I'm wondering if he's putting me on). No ... it's made in the United States
Him: By who?
Me: Rivian
Him: (looking really confused).
Me: You've heard of Tesla, right? They're like Tesla, only a much smaller company.
Him: So, it's electric.
Me: Yes.

These conversations come in waves, and this week was a tsunami for me. I almost snapped on the last guy yesterday who couldn't figure it out. Standing in the rain grabbing my puppy from the back seat, you're going to start asking me questions? I almost told him to Google it.

I even had a coworker sitting in the truck playing Costello in the "Who Makes Rivian?" routine for a solid minute, couldn't figure it out. New jersey cops...am I right?

 

[ERI]

I have a different experience in that I live near the Indian River here in Florida (Rivian's name sake). When I have people ask about who they are, I say they're originally a local company that got its name from the river (while I point to the RIVIAN on the tail gate). That answer seems to give folks a connection to it and provides for a more enjoyable conversation talking about the pro's and con's.

Most of my conversations are on the cost of ownership (i.e. gas vs electricity) and the price difference we have locally. It cost me .31 a mile to drive my 09 Jeep Wrangler (16 MPG) at current gas prices, but .06 to drive my R1S (2 MPKw). Putting the "cost per mile" in perspective for folks seems to grab their attention.

 

[MXA121]

Who makes it?
Rivian
Rivian? So they are like Ford and Chevy?
Yep. Made it America out of Illinois.
Oh Really? Rivian you say? It's electric?
Yep. I love it.

Most people genuinely ask because it's such a nice looking vehicle they want to know more. Rivian's have great road presence.

 

[gordonherbert]

We pull up to Terminal One at RDU to pick up the kids and grandkids after a trip. I pop the frunk for their backpacks and the traffic officer comes hustling up…
Him - if you’re having motor trouble I’ll have to call a wrecker, you can’t try to fix it here! Wait a minute….where’s the motor ? Is it in the back? (Liftgate’s up with suitcase thrown in)
Where’s it at….?
Me - it’s a Rivian, you know, electric
(Light bulb goes on over his head as frunk lid goes down)
Him - Oh, yeah, neat. Well, have a good night…
(Walks away chuckling)…

2. (Several times). Hey, nice car, what is it?
It’s a Rivian
Who makes it??
Rivian
(Looks confused)
It’s an American company in Illinois…
(Still confused)
Its electric
Oh, yeah, nice car….
Walks away (still confused, it’s North Carolina and there’s not much Rivian presence here)

 

[BeanEW]

On an E-bike tour in Rome.... after 1/2 day of riding around at lunch... I found out our riding partners live at Lake Tahoe and could tell he's a "green" kind of a guy... and I asked... "Do you drive a Tesla?"... he replied "I have a Rivian, R1T."... and then we became good friends with all conversations on Rivian.

Months later, on a Norway cruise ship... Our meal partner (same table) came from Washington DC. After days with them, the husband asked me "Do you drive a Tesla?"... I replied "I have a Rivian, R1S." His wife said... "That's the car that I wanted!".

 

[JamuJoe]

Hi,

Admittedly, there are fewer Rivians in Connecticut than in other areas, but this conversation takes the cake. Admittedly, I doubt that this guy I met at a detailing company yesterday was the brightest bulb in his class.

Him: (Staring at the back of my R1S with Rivian in big letters)
Him: What's that?
Me: It's a Rivian.
Him: Who makes it?
Me: Rivian
Him: Yes, but who makes it?
Me: Rivian. They're a relatively new company.
Him: So, it's a Ford?
Me: No ... It's a Rivian.
Him: (Looking like a puzzled German Shepherd). Where is it made?
Me: Illinois.
Him: So, it's foreign?
Me: (pausing, because I'm wondering if he's putting me on). No ... it's made in the United States
Him: By who?
Me: Rivian
Him: (looking really confused).
Me: You've heard of Tesla, right? They're like Tesla, only a much smaller company.
Him: So, it's electric.
Me: Yes.

I’ve had that same conversation almost verbatim numerous times. It usually ends pleasantly. I generally enjoy such interviews.

Last week, at the RAN in Barstow CA, while actively charging with our 28’ Airstream hitched a trucker from the nearby parking area walks up to me.

He: What kinda fuel you putting in that truck?
Me: Electricity
He”. How far will it go?
Me: About 200 miles towing this trailer.
He: What happens when you run out?
Me: It stops.
He : My tractor over there still goes 60 miles after it’s empty.
Me: Then it’s not empty.
He: Huh? These electric trucks are going away anyway.
Me: I don’t think so, sales are increasing.
He: Well the gov’t passed a rule against them.
Me: No, quite the opposite, I received tax rebates on this purchase.
He: Humph.

 

[John G.]

The “Rivian…who makes it?” question, is a good one! Always makes me smile. I’ve had many like it, too. Even had someone in a car parked next to me at a red light, motion me to roll down my window, and ask me that.

But this one took me by surprise:

Shortly after I took delivery of my R1T, my wife and I were on a road trip and stopped at an EA fast charger station. As I was plugged in and charging my truck, I noticed a lady get out of her ICE truck at a nearby parking lot, and wander over to the charging station. She appeared to be looking for something on the EA charger screens.

I watched her stop in front of a couple of EV’s charging close to me, and shake her head. So, when she moved closer to read the screen on the charger connecting my truck, I asked her if I could be of any help.

“What does it cost you to charge here? she asked.

“This is a fast charger, so it costs me 36 cents a kilowatt,” I said.

"Thanks," she replied, “We don’t have an EV yet and just wanted and idea of what it costs to charge.” Pointing to her husband in the truck across the lot, she said, “So, my husband over there asked me to come over here and see if I could find out."

"But he told me whatever you do, ask anyone else there. Don’t ask the guy with the Rivian… because he could care less!”

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Nearly every conversation with a friend or associate follows the same pattern:

Friend: "How do you like your electric truck?"
Me: "It's the best vehicle I've ever owned, I love it."
Friend: "how far can it go?"
Me: "I can do about 325 miles on a full battery"
Friend: "They take forever to charge don't they?"
Me: "I charge it overnight, like my cellphone. I wake up with a full battery every morning. On the rare occasion I do travel more than 300 miles in a day, it takes about 30 minutes to charge so it adds a bit of time to a trip."
Friend: proceeds to come up with some reason why they aren't ready to buy an electric vehicle
Me: tell them it's not for everyone and it really just depends on your needs and preferences
Friend: continues explaining to me why they aren't ready yet

 

[ThumprMN]

just after I got my Rivian, I had picked up my parents to take them out to dinner and was coming to a stop at a 4-way residential intersection and noticed this guy in an SUV approaching from the left where I was signaling to turn…. And he was practically hanging out his window trying to get my attention and was waving his hands like a lunatic. I seriously thought he was having an emergency or I had run over a dog and didn’t notice… so I turn and slow beside where he is and ask what is going on (still thinking there is an emergency… “Uh yeah… what’s the Horse power in that thing? How fast can it go?…. I saw it online and was curious about what it can do…”

So yeah, I confirmed it was a Rivian and he could check out the stats online and I was off to dinner so blocking traffic to chat about this wasn’t ideal… besides I was headed to dinner” rolled up my window and went in my way. I will kite he said, “ How rude, I just wanted to know how much power it had…”.

Yeah… was an uncomfortable interaction.. especially since I thought it was an emergency.

 

[Glembi2]

I’m impressed with all of these conversations. My conversations are more like me popping the frunk to get something and someone walks up asking if I need help. My response is generally “someone stole my engine” and waiting for their reaction.

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