Ordered a Rivian R1T after owning a Cybertruck for three months

[SCTesla]

Interesting. I'm not familiar with the mobile app but I see that riviantrackr site had history for it as well.
https://riviantrackr.com/app_update/

Looks like they added Trailer profiles recently. (Ford was one of the 1st with this I think).
One good thing is that features that the other company's apps have can be evaluated and see if it makes sense to 'copy' or improve upon them.

• Android app images: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rivian.android.consumer&hl=en_US
• Apple app images: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/rivian/id1570215232

Rivian's offroad interface is pretty awesome as well.

They are doing great things. I think the VW investment will keep them alive and it's great because the owners love their vehicles.

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[BannedByTMC]

Because it is. I hope the admin deletes it.

Because it's an opinion you don't like? You think he joined this forum over a year ago, made 90+ comments, just to post an "ad" now?

 

[WheresMyCybertruck]

Enjoy your Rivian!

Unfortunately, it costs Rivian more to make each vehicle than they can sell them for. They have been whittling away at the cost to produce, but they are getting to the point where it's going to be harder to eliminate all losses.

Not that that's your problem as long as they keep the doors open, I mention it because the price is artificial and unsustainable. It's fake competition that cannot sustain itself. But as long as Rivian can keep getting more cash lifelines (like they just did from VW), they will keep making them in relatively small numbers. The problem from a consumer perspective happens if and when the cash dries up. Because there is no guarantee they will ever be able to compete with other automakers without investor subsidies.

I'm not trying to throw shade, I'm just being realistic with what I'm seeing about the way they operate. Hopefully they are able to increase manufacturing efficiencies, so they get to not only gross profit, but also eventually a net profit. Tesla in the early days was profitable on a gross basis almost every quarter. Meaning each additional car they sold helped them out financially, even though they were still losing money overall (because they weren't selling enough cars at a high enough gross profit). Rivian is the opposite, each additional car they sell causes bigger losses. Yes, the gross loss per car has declined dramaitcally, but there should have been gross profits per car from near the beginning. Elon always believed their was no point in selling a car for less than it cost you to make it, that you should sell cars designed to cost less to make than they were worth on the free market. Anyone can build nice cars, the question is can they be built for less than their actual market value?

I would like to see Rivian remain in business for the long haul.

I believe this is no longer the case with their second gen with all of the changes they made. Or at the very least, I don't think their losses are anywhere as large as they used to be.

 

[Spacenoddle]

That assumes sufficient space behind the truck and trailer so that: you can even nose it, you don't block the lane/other spots, you can reverse out of it

Exactly, except the pull through, the majority of superchargers were not designed to charge EV with trailer, does not matter it's charge port at the end or front.

over 400 miles range helps towing by roughly 35 miles at the most ( 410-340)/2. after first 100% charge segment, it will only help about 28 miles towing ( 410×80%-340×80%)/2.

The EV towing problem is not solely because of the range, also come from the long charge time. bigger battery longer changing time.

Tesla realized that unless the break through of battery technology, 350 or 450 miles range doesn't make too much difference either in routine daily drive or hauling a toy. The Tesla supercharge network is good enough to made up its 100 or more miles range short of its competitors'.

CT max range of 340 miles is by very well calculated after all consideration, not just a random number.

We all wish has 500 miles range, 10 minutes or less of charging… but technology isn't there yet.

 

[Knucklehead]

I believe this is no longer the case with their second gen with all of the changes they made. Or at the very least, I don't think their losses are anywhere as large as they used to be.

That's what they say, but I have yet to see what the real and projected contribution margin is for the Gen2. If anyone has seen those numbers, can you share? I would like to see real data that shows production is adding cash, not burning it. Otherwise I don't see how they survive.

They say they are on track to do it, but where is the data that substantiates it?

 

[mongo]

Exactly, except the pull through, the majority of superchargers were not designed to charge EV with trailer, does not matter it's charge port at the end or front.

over 400 miles range helps towing by roughly 35 miles at the most ( 410-340)/2. after first 100% charge segment, it will only help about 28 miles towing ( 410×80%-340×80%)/2.

The EV towing problem is not solely because of the range, also come from the long charge time. bigger battery longer changing time.

Tesla realized that unless the break through of battery technology, 350 or 450 miles range doesn't make too much difference either in routine daily drive or hauling a toy. The Tesla supercharge network is good enough to made up its 100 or more miles range short of its competitors'.

CT max range of 340 miles is by very well calculated after all consideration, not just a random number.

We all wish has 500 miles range, 10 minutes or less of charging… but technology isn't there yet.

Agree that the critical factor is sufficient range to reach the next charger (or to destination and back).

If the charger (and vehicle thermal system) has the additional capacity, a larger battery should charge in the same amount of time with each cell getting the same charge power as the smaller pack.
Range will be impacted by the extra mass but to a lower amount than the extra kWhs extend the range.
Put together, that means faster charging in terms of miles of range per hour of charge.

 

[Cyberus]

Still trying to figure out why there are so many people that need more range… who drives 300+ mile stretches without any access to recharge… ?

 

[SentinelOne]

Rivians got a good product, G2 looks even better! Cant argue with some solid specs.

Personally, wanted the wife to get a G2 R1S, she choose non EV. I'd like the extra range the R1T offers as im out camping near Walden Co and it's a charging desert - towed the toy hauler so brought my Diesel vs. CT (which I really wanted to bring out here for a bit of off-road).

 

[Spacenoddle]

Still trying to figure out why there are so many people that need more range… who drives 300+ mile stretches without any access to recharge… ?

What you need and what you want are two different things but lots of people get confused about it, me too sometimes. We might got it from our prior education or experience, better grade or more money.

 

[Cyberus]

What you need and what you want are two different things but lots of people get confused about it, me too sometimes. We might got it from our prior education or experience, better grade or more money.

Merica!

 

[fgaryamy]

I don't think the sensor suite makes any difference with Rivian. They don't have the backend compute power, capital, fleet, or time to catch Tesla. I doubt they ever have anything more than EAP. That said, the Rivian is a great vehicle. The interior is really nice, decent software suite (not as good as Tesla), great range and charging, great performance.

Enjoy it.

Yes, but I'd like to see Tesla use at least one radar type device for speed and distance measurements. Also ultrasound sensor on front bumper is sorely missed in my 23 MY.

 

[fgaryamy]

Exactly, except the pull through, the majority of superchargers were not designed to charge EV with trailer, does not matter it's charge port at the end or front.

over 400 miles range helps towing by roughly 35 miles at the most ( 410-340)/2. after first 100% charge segment, it will only help about 28 miles towing ( 410×80%-340×80%)/2.

The EV towing problem is not solely because of the range, also come from the long charge time. bigger battery longer changing time.

Tesla realized that unless the break through of battery technology, 350 or 450 miles range doesn't make too much difference either in routine daily drive or hauling a toy. The Tesla supercharge network is good enough to made up its 100 or more miles range short of its competitors'.

CT max range of 340 miles is by very well calculated after all consideration, not just a random number.

We all wish has 500 miles range, 10 minutes or less of charging… but technology isn't there yet.

Well said. Large range is a psychological issue driven by fear :>).

 

[Late_Refustration]

?

 

[Giskard]

That's what they say, but I have yet to see what the real and projected contribution margin is for the Gen2. If anyone has seen those numbers, can you share? I would like to see real data that shows production is adding cash, not burning it. Otherwise I don't see how they survive.

They say they are on track to do it, but where is the data that substantiates it?

They have been guiding for a while that they expect to be gross profit positive on the R1 platform after this year. That still means they're losing money, though, as it doesn't cover the non-R1 production costs (e.g., SG&A, R&D, etc.). That is a huge milestone to hit though. I think they need to survive until their R2 platform gets to sufficient scale before they can possibly reach net profitability.

 

[HaulingAss]

Exactly, except the pull through, the majority of superchargers were not designed to charge EV with trailer, does not matter it's charge port at the end or front.

over 400 miles range helps towing by roughly 35 miles at the most ( 410-340)/2. after first 100% charge segment, it will only help about 28 miles towing ( 410×80%-340×80%)/2.

The EV towing problem is not solely because of the range, also come from the long charge time. bigger battery longer changing time.

Tesla realized that unless the break through of battery technology, 350 or 450 miles range doesn't make too much difference either in routine daily drive or hauling a toy. The Tesla supercharge network is good enough to made up its 100 or more miles range short of its competitors'.

CT max range of 340 miles is by very well calculated after all consideration, not just a random number.

This shows me you really understand how EVs actually work towing in the real world.

We all wish has 500 miles range, 10 minutes or less of charging… but technology isn't there yet.

This shows me you don't understand how people actually use their vehicles. Most truck users never tow at all. Of those who tow for work or small business, most tow less than 50-150 miles each trip. There is a relatively small contingent of people who like to tow houses on wheels across the country on a regular basis. Why is it such a small contingency? With gas it's very expensive, with electricity it costs almost as much and takes far longer, too long for most people. These people will not even be happy with a Silverado with it's 450-mile battery because, sure, they can go further between charges, but it will take even longer to fill that battery back up to 80% so they can do it again, and again.

Yes, you get that a big battery doesn't solve the use case of towing a travel trailer long distances. Maybe GM should build a nationwide fast charging network for EVs with over 200 kWh batteries. They will need huge power feeds/per station and those stations will sit empty, unused, 95% of the time. But it would solve the EV towing big loads long distances nicely, all they have to do is invest the billions required for a fast-charging network that will lose huge amounts of money every year. Because there won't be a critical mass of EVs with 200+ kWh batteries with which to take advantage of their higher power output.

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