R1 refresh: what's your ask for Rivian?

[SDH]

Hi all,

I love my R1T LE but having lived with its quirks and bought into the 'early adopter' trade off, it's got me thinking about what my ideal R1 would be and actually how I think it could lower the overall cost and still make more profit per vehicle than current.

Before you all reply saying, 'hey this is the what the R2 is for', I'm suggesting many of these ideas are options so you can have a 'high content' luxury vehicle like we have now, or one that's more simple. An R1 refresh might be years away but here goes:

1. Decent shocks and coil springs instead of air suspension - yes, you lose self levelling for camping, kneel mode and supposed efficiency gains when the car lowers but mine tick and squeak all the time and a pal had his Range Rover in service for 6 weeks when one failed (Rivian SC's def don't need this right now). Rivian should do a deal with Fox. There is good reason the Raptor/TRX/Tacoma etc don't run hydraulic suspension. So cheaper and likely higher margin for Rivian (and ride probably better too).

2. Manual hood - like my old Model Y, less to go wrong. Had my R1 in the SC getting re-aligned twice and looking at the other R1's in the parking lot, every one is aligned differently. The SC's hate this job. Won't be long before they start to fail.

3. Sun roof - don't need it, might crack in hail, had to buy a sunshade too. Make it an option, save $$.

4. Camp speaker - optional or get rid

5. Mechanical seats - optional.

It would also be nice if they offered side steps/running boards but then their track record with tonneau covers doesn't fill me with optimism. Perhaps they leave that to the aftermarket folks.

In summary, I'd like the R1 platform to be a bit more simple, making it more robust without trading down to the R2, which should definitely be less complex. Love to hear your thoughts and who knows, perhaps Rivian will take note!

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[9527]

Fix the charging pad. It’s literally unusable.
Fix the front cup holders. They’re flimsy and the bar at the bottom is not centered. The drink tilts slightly forward when in there.
Fix the horn. It sounds pathetic. The truck looks so badass but when you honk, it sounds like a kitty meowing.

 

[djjr50]

Taking my response in another thread and adding to it:

• Sunroof (instead of just glass roof...yes, I am one of the few who uses it)
• inverted rear wiper (a la Range Rover)
• non-electro mechanized door handles and charging port
• Touch to open door handles (don't care for proximity stuff)
• non-electro mechanized HVAC vents
• power lower clamshell tailgate
• 1 or 2 more ride comfort settings (suspension...add to the soft and stiff settings)
• wider doors (I am in the top percent size wise but the doors are small compare to many others)
• rear seat ventilation
• more interior storage (why not add a glovebox or upper dash storage ?)
• deployable running boards
• Android Auto
• Remove Qi charging pad on the armrest and add USB PD ports near the screen
• Remote Park in and Out (Similar to Hyundai's system)
• Parallel and perpendicular park assist
• dual charge ports (one of the rear, keep the one on the front)
• Higher placement of interior door handles
• More dividers for Frunk, add tie downs
• Heads-up display

 

[zefram47]

In summary, I'd like the R1 platform to be a bit more simple, making it more robust without trading down to the R2, which should definitely be less complex. Love to hear your thoughts and who knows, perhaps Rivian will take note!

This is literally what the R2 is likely to be. R1 is and was always intended to be the halo car with all the options. The air suspension is one the key reasons I wanted the R1...comfortable and/or sporty on-road and at the push of a button it does all the off-roady stuff I want without having to suffer on-road.

 

[WorldComposting]

Hi all,

I love my R1T LE but having lived with its quirks and bought into the 'early adopter' trade off, it's got me thinking about what my ideal R1 would be and actually how I think it could lower the overall cost and still make more profit per vehicle than current.

Before you all reply saying, 'hey this is the what the R2 is for', I'm suggesting many of these ideas are options so you can have a 'high content' luxury vehicle like we have now, or one that's more simple. An R1 refresh might be years away but here goes:

1. Decent shocks and coil springs instead of air suspension - yes, you lose self levelling for camping, kneel mode and supposed efficiency gains when the car lowers but mine tick and squeak all the time and a pal had his Range Rover in service for 6 weeks when one failed (Rivian SC's def don't need this right now). Rivian should do a deal with Fox. There is good reason the Raptor/TRX/Tacoma etc don't run hydraulic suspension. So cheaper and likely higher margin for Rivian (and ride probably better too).

2. Manual hood - like my old Model Y, less to go wrong. Had my R1 in the SC getting re-aligned twice and looking at the other R1's in the parking lot, every one is aligned differently. The SC's hate this job. Won't be long before they start to fail.

3. Sun roof - don't need it, might crack in hail, had to buy a sunshade too. Make it an option, save $$.

4. Camp speaker - optional or get rid

5. Mechanical seats - optional.

It would also be nice if they offered side steps/running boards but then their track record with tonneau covers doesn't fill me with optimism. Perhaps they leave that to the aftermarket folks.

In summary, I'd like the R1 platform to be a bit more simple, making it more robust without trading down to the R2, which should definitely be less complex. Love to hear your thoughts and who knows, perhaps Rivian will take note!

While I understand where you are coming from a lot of these are major selling points and they would really need to lower the price to justify. I think they could redo the air suspension but this to me was a major selling point and why I was willing to get the R1S rather than wait for the other 3 row SUVs.

All my friends and most of my neighbors own Teslas and all of them love the auto hood and wish they had it. I could see going manual but I don't think the alignment issue would go away.

Mechanical seats would kill the R1S at this price point as that is expected. Heck most of the reviews complain the 3rd row does not electrically come back up.

Here is my list (including the sun roof and camp speaker)

• I would make the air vents manual instead of electronic. I make micro adjustments all the time and this is really hard to do.
• More cup holders in the second row they should add them high on the door like Subaru did in the Ascent.
• Captains Chairs in the second row
• More adjustable front seats
• A 4th roof rack position as some of the car top carriers sit too far back or forward

 

[SDH]

My point of this thread was about having more options at the configuration stage, rather than “I want apple car play, or more cup holders”.

I wasn’t saying they should remove stuff like air suspension or powered hood, or glass roof (Keep them so that the R1 is distinctly premium over the R2).

For example, who here would swap their glass roof, air suspension for decent Fox shocks and say a manual hood, for perhaps a $5-7k saving and a peace of mind regarding servicing? From the outside it still looks like an R1.

btw … two charge ports front and rear would be brilliant and distinct from other EVs.

 

[gt28]

1. Text read or dictate functionality (not alexa)
2. Sirius satellite radio
3. Waze
4. Audible app (also not alexa)
5. Sunroof.
6. Effective spotify syncing

 

[Craigins]

Many of the ones already stated.

Solid roof.
Capacitive touch door handles for lock/unlock
Manual air vents
Dumb HVAC controls (think red to blue knob style)
Handles on the a pillar instead of ceiling.
Quality manual tonneau cover.
Frunk hood that includes the grill for easier access to storage area.
Remove qi charging pad and add usb c plugs
Dedicated compartment for removable storage devices for dash cam
Additional hardware for cruiser control operations instead of reusing gear selector.
Better folding back seats in the T. More like the Ram design.

 

[txtravwill]

1. Regular manual air vents
2. Lose back screen, worthless now
3. Regular door handles
4. Just build software for basic energy and vehicle data, radio, and similar programs and use carplay/Android Auto for the rest. It's all better anyway and up to date.
5. Improve basic ACC and do t worry about all the autonomous crap.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

If we are talking about adding options I have a few

1. Leather seats
2. Magnetic ride suspension instead of air. Loses off road for greater on road
3. HUD
4. Rear view mirror camera like Land Rover or Lamborghini

 

[WhidbeyIsland]

I'd like an openable rear window.. for the occasional times I haul 10' conduit or irrigation pipe from my local DIY store.

 

[fromSf]

1. Like others said , manual/better HVAC vent controls
2. Quieter and more powerful HVAC A/C & Fan
3. Ventilated rear seats
4. Easier to operate 2nd and third row seats (to fold and unfold)
5. Running boards
6. HUD would be nicer
7. Faster charging like Lucid (800V or 1000V)
8. Frunk opening like Ford Lightning/Escalade IQ

 

[RayzorBEV]

-Multi-function tailgate for the R1T
-Digital rear view mirror for both
-Slidung rear window for R1T
-Bring back the 12Vs outlets for both
-Powered sun shades for both
-Bidirectional charging for both
-Electric tonneau cover; for R1T
-Bring back full vehicle PPF

 

[cjbot3000]

- Solid roof. Seriously, why? It could be a paid option for more cash. It's a persistent theme that the glass roof is too hot and what is the functional point!? Trendy?

- camp speaker cool but should be optional

- more bed tie-downs/versatility

- hooks in front trunk and gear tunnel for things like grocery bags, storage nets

- running boards

- camera on turn signal

- body design tweaks to focus on repairability (ie A pillar to tailgate single panel)

- mashed 12v and 110v outlets more accessible. They're hard to use when they're under things and invisible.

- enhance auto brights. The vehicle detection is not aggressive enough and needs to account for cars merging from the sides

- hands free driver+

- tailgate step or other enhancement to bed-access.

 

[Dark-Fx]

- Solid roof. Seriously, why? It could be a paid option for more cash. It's a persistent theme that the glass roof is too hot and what is the functional point!? Trendy?

Glass roofs are fine here in the summer and definitely better than having a solid roof in the winter time.

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