R2 using Large Die Castings / Gigacasting - reveals RJ

midnightscavenger · Mar 13, 2025

Just saw RJ Scaringe's instagram post saying that they are "using large high pressure die castings throughout the R2 body structure - relative to R1, three castings in the rear eliminate approximately 50 stampings and over 300 joints from the body assembly!". I know that will reduce the cost and time for manufacturing and I'm not an engineer, but would this raise the cost of repairability or no?

Per RJ:

We are using large high pressure die castings throughout the R2 body structure — relative to R1, three castings in the rear eliminate approximately 50 stampings and over 300 joints from the body assembly!

Rivian R1T R1S R2 using Large Die Castings / Gigacasting - reveals RJ R2 using Large Die Castings : Gigacasting - reveals RJ 2

Rivian R1T R1S R2 using Large Die Castings / Gigacasting - reveals RJ R2 using Large Die Castings : Gigacasting - reveals RJ 1

DuoRivians · Mar 13, 2025

Doesn’t seemed to have affected Model Y sales, repairs, insurance rates

pamalabama · Mar 13, 2025

the idea is that if you have damage that is bad enough to damage the casting beyond repair it means your car has already been totaled.

Donald Stanfield · Mar 13, 2025

Casting is fine on vehicles that are light duty like the R2 with a towing capacity that hopefully reaches 5K lbs. Doing it on trucks intended for actually towing stuff is beyond stupid. Thin casted aluminum cannot support towing which is why the CT keeps getting its ass end torn off.

Ostrichsak · Mar 13, 2025

Donald Stanfield said:
Casting is fine on vehicles that are light duty like the R2 with a towing capacity that hopefully reaches 5K lbs. Doing it on trucks intended for actually towing stuff is beyond stupid. Thin casted aluminum cannot support towing which is why the CT keeps getting its ass end torn off.

You do know that tongue weight doesn't equate to towing capacity, right?

Donald Stanfield · Mar 13, 2025

Ostrichsak said:
You do know that tongue weight doesn't equate to towing capacity, right?

You do know that there are situations where most of a trailer's weight can be shifted to the tongue of a tow vehicle, right? Are you also aware that there is no limit to aluminum metal fatigue, so every bump and pothole will weaken that casting? Lastly, you know this has happened to a CT more than once, correct?

Kurt44 · Mar 13, 2025

DuoRivians said:
Doesn’t seemed to have affected Model Y sales, repairs, insurance rates

good Point!!

UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan · Mar 13, 2025

Great for reducing cost of manufacturing. However, this could mean more expensive repairs and more likelihood of vehicles being totaled. Instead of replacing a part or sub-assembly, it's now a much larger part that could be so large and expensive that it's not worth mending. And, to be fair, it's not a vehicle manufacturer's job to be concerned about collision repair costs. That's for consumers and insurances companies to come to grips with.

Ostrichsak · Mar 13, 2025

Donald Stanfield said:
You do know that there are situations where most of a trailer's weight can be shifted to the tongue of a tow vehicle, right? Are you also aware that there is no limit to aluminum metal fatigue, so every bump and pothole will weaken that casting? Lastly, you know this has happened to a CT more than once, correct?

Not an engineer, are ya?

Donald Stanfield · Mar 13, 2025

Ostrichsak said:
Not an engineer, are ya?

Excellent rebuttal. I guess it’s no evidence day.

Riviot · Mar 13, 2025

Donald Stanfield said:
Excellent rebuttal. I guess it’s no evidence day.

Rivian R1T R1S R2 using Large Die Castings / Gigacasting - reveals RJ 1000003061

Donald Stanfield · Mar 13, 2025

Riviot said:

There's certainly been a lot of that today, hasn't there?

Riviot · Mar 13, 2025

Donald Stanfield said:
There's certainly been a lot of that today, hasn't there?

Indeed!

The irony is I almost ignored You one time, but it was more of a "I don't like what he's saying" ignore, not a "Where the F--- am I" ignore. I'm glad I didn't, let's get a beer.

Donald Stanfield · Mar 13, 2025

Riviot said:
Indeed!

The irony is I almost ignored You one time, but it was more of a "I don't like what he's saying" ignore, not a "Where the F--- am I" ignore. I'm glad I didn't, let's get a beer.

I'd catch a beer with you sometime.

Dark-Fx · Mar 14, 2025

Ostrichsak said:
Not an engineer, are ya?

I find it interesting that Rivian doesn't have a table like this for their vehicles. Wonder why?

R2 using Large Die Castings / Gigacasting - reveals RJ

midnightscavenger

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