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Buying high end EV from start up

txtravwill

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February 2019 here. I thought the deposit a decent risk even then.

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Have this email too but a bit before. Still angry that the 180 pack is NOT launching first as promised. We have to get a truck around August and can't delay that so they are going to lose at least one sale. Will keep the Jan 2022+ reservation still but will then have to decide on follow-through if they ever get the max pack out.
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IHScout

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Honestly, I would not recommend the launch addition to most of my friends or family. Buying a 1.0 in a fairly new market (EV's) probably does not fit what most of them want. I like cool things, wanted on EV but needed a SUV/Truck, so when I saw the Rivian it was an immediate go. But I expect a few issues, growing pains, etc, but for me part of the fun. At one point I had three cars all sort of running - 1963 Bug, 1971 Scout 800B, and a 1967 Camaro - depending which was running was my daily driver. I still look back fondly on those days haha.

I think also working in tech kinda molded me. Companies with 100's of billions to trillions of dollars in market cap releasing buggy/broken software 25% of the time w/ n amount of resources. You kind of get used to it and stressful in the moment sort of helps you grow as a professional.

So, I think if rock solid, no headache, price conscious, I would suggest to friends to wait and see. Just my .02
I have an 800a. Named my first born son after it. Still love it!
 

cwoodcox

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Given the confidence they showed in lending early prototypes to Long Way Up, the first truck off a production line for the Rebelle Rally, the immense amount of testing they've demoed throughout development, and that these are EVs and not ICE, I'm more confident in Rivian than I would be of a new ICE model from an established manufacturer. And a hell of a lot more confident than I would be buying anything from Tesla near the end of a fiscal quarter.
This is my feeling. Long Way Up, and their ability to take a prototype, VIN & License it (no small feat) in time for the show, and have it perform as it did is really all the proof I needed.

The show absolutely sold me on them as a company. The 2 investments from Ford were also a huge factor. Many of the people I work with are huge Tesla fanboys. I still like Tesla, and I’m still an investor, but I think Rivian is poised to overtake them within 10 years (maybe 5) as the premier EV manufacturer, and I’ll be proud to own one of the first.
 

Riviot

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I think Scaringe is the key factor. Dude is the whole package.
Anyone ever wonder if he's on these boards? Or any of the Guides? Not just reading/watching, but actively participating. Planting seeds if you will.
 

kanundrum

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Anyone ever wonder if he's on these boards? Or any of the Guides? Not just reading/watching, but actively participating. Planting seeds if you will.
I know for a fact a lot of employees, also guides, are in our FB group definitely monitoring.
 

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DuckTruck

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I have an 800a. Named my first born son after it. Still love it!
IHScout, You still love the 800a or the son? I'm guessing both, right? ?
 

CommodoreAmiga

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Anyone ever wonder if he's on these boards? Or any of the Guides? Not just reading/watching, but actively participating. Planting seeds if you will.
Guarantee Rivian employees read the forums/groups.

I would guess that RJ doesn't, however.
 
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HJP1

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Good points made by all, as usually the case it becomes a decision that meets ones comfort level and risk tolerance. If you have unlimited funds then the economic risk would be negligible. If you have to take on a second mortgage to make the purchase a totally different story. I own a model 3 performance so I am somewhat familiar with the plus and minus of owning an EV but I must say as a car guy for over 55 years the pluses far out weight the minuses. Bottom line best car I've ever owned and I've certainty had more than my share of cars over the years. I still prefer a rugged truck based SUV as my everyday driver and the Tesla X never did it for me. Then the R1S came along and really hit all the right notes and pushed all the right levers, so I made a deposit. Now I'm thinking do I grab a launch edition or wait for the longer range version?
 

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Rhidan

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Given the confidence they showed in lending early prototypes to Long Way Up, the first truck off a production line for the Rebelle Rally, the immense amount of testing they've demoed throughout development, and that these are EVs and not ICE, I'm more confident in Rivian than I would be of a new ICE model from an established manufacturer. And a hell of a lot more confident than I would be buying anything from Tesla near the end of a fiscal quarter.
Not to be a downer, but there is a flip-side to this. Rivian has had prototypes for years now. Yet, they’ve only demoed the vehicle in heavily Rivian-controlled environments like Long Way Up, Rebelle Rally, and the testing/on-locations videos they’ve posted. We don’t actually know how the R1T performed in LWU, and the R1T was notably missing in some of the later episodes.

Rivian needs to a get a prototype in the media’s/public’s hands for review prior to the first deliveries. This means getting the vehicle tested out of Rivian-controlled environments. If Rivian does not make the product available for public review prior to June, that would be a very bad signal that Rivian is not confident in the overall product. You see that in nearly every market—a company will only hold back a product from review before release date if they believe the reviews will be very bad.

I would likely consider the need for pre-release public review a bigger factor in my buying decision than a personal test drive. Luckily (or maybe unluckily?) I have a LE configured with a Jan 2020 pre-order date. I don’t expect to get the truck until November/December 2021. By that time, I am hopeful there will be enough reviews and customer experiences to give me a better sense if I should spend the money on a LE R1T, or delay (or cancel) my purchase until Rivian has worked out any major bugs
 

jjwolf120

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heavily Rivian-controlled environments like Long Way Up, Rebelle Rally
Neither of these environments were controlled in any way by Rivian. They probably had some control over how any problems might be portrayed, but if the vehicles failed (as at least one of them did in Long Way Up), then they failed.
 

skyote

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Rivian needs to a get a prototype in the media’s/public’s hands for review prior to the first deliveries. This means getting the vehicle tested out of Rivian-controlled environments.
Supposedly they're working on this, at least for media. I too look forward to reading & seeing reviews from 3rd parties, hopefully objective ones.
 

SANZC02

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Supposedly they're working on this, at least for media. I too look forward to reading & seeing reviews from 3rd parties, hopefully objective ones.
I would think that this is a valid third party evaluation, he would have no real reason to sugar coat his opinion and certainly had a lot of miles to hammer a prototype that was not fully baked.

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