Warranty question about long-term power back up

[natcc99]

Hello All

A few folks have shared their experiences surviving the recent hurricane in TX where they used their Rivian to provide power. Two quick notes on that. (1) Firstly, glad to hear folks safely surviving the storm (2) It's fantastic that their vehicles can help them in their time of need. Honestly, it is potentially life saving in extreme cases such as keeping milk refrigerated for babies, keeping a room cool/warm for the elderly, or as simple as charging phones so one can call for help. In summary, what a great tool to have during a natural disaster and good luck to those in TX right now.

I was looking at the Warranty Guide and it made me wonder about something...

The Warranty Guide states the following:

• In addition, damage or the malfunction of the vehicle or any of its components parts is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty when caused by the following:
• Using the vehicle for purposes other than those for which it was designed including using the vehicle for long-term stationary power backup or supply.

I wish they define what long-term means. Anyone have any ideas? Asking because it can be days before the power returns in these types of situations.
Another example is camping. Does over-night camping count as long-term? Probably not.

Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong. How are you interpreting the warranty verbiage? Thanks.

If I was in trouble, I definitely will use my vehicle to provide power to essential appliances. However, it would give me peace of mind if I knew that I wouldn't void my warranty if I did so.

Reference:
Link to warranty = Warranty Guide
Revision 9, release 06/28/24
Section: Exclusions and Limitations
Page 16-17, bullet #13

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[Dark-Fx]

It's intentionally vague for a reason. Stationary storage could be putting a lot of cycles into the battery without getting anywhere near the mileage limits. I expect Rivian is doing some amount of tracking with respect to energy usage, so it would be easy for them to enforce it. Basically, Rivian doesn't want you to use your vehicle as a powerwall replacement.

 

[natcc99]

....Stationary storage could be putting a lot of cycles into the battery without getting anywhere near the mileage limits.....Basically, Rivian doesn't want you to use your vehicle as a powerwall replacement.

Ahh, I see your point. Thanks, I had a feeling I was looking at that wrong.

I wish they said it in those words. That would make better sense, but I guess they kept it vague to cover their bases.

Thanks again, cheers.

 

[DeafPug]

<I am not a lawyer>

Even if your power stays out for weeks, I can't see how they could claim that was long-term use. This is a single emergency event. As mentioned, they are wanting to have something in the warranty to keep you from using it as a Powerwall. Louis Rossmann posted a video ranting about Tesla including a similar clause in the Cybertruck warranty.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/contra-proferentem-rule.asp

What Is the Contra Proferentem Rule?
The contra proferentem rule is a legal doctrine in contract law that dictates how ambigous clauses in a contract should be interpreted. The rule stipulates that if a clause in a contract is ambiguous or can be interpreted in multiple ways, it should be read in a way that disfavors the party who originally drafted, introduced, or demanded the inclusion of that specific clause.

It wouldn't be without pain (potential lawsuit), but with them drafting the contract and not defining what "long-term" means, the ambiguity of what that means is given in your favor. For reasonable uses of the power output capability, I would say you'll be fine.

</I am not a lawyer>

 

[beatle]

The truck wouldn't power a home for weeks, at least without significant power rationing, so I don't think that's an issue.

I agree that if they'd use more specific language, it would help address what Rivian considers "abuse" of the system and what is totally normal. Lawyers and marketers need to talk.

 

[Glembi2]

The government extends due dates on a regional basis due to out of the ordinary, weather-related events. Associating V2H usage with those events is straightforward. That would be a nice addition to the warranty such that usage during those events is ok if not encouraged as it can make a huge difference in peoples’ wellbeing

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