Tesla Truck Unveiling 11/21

[JeffOutWest]

I love what Rivian is promising to offer, however the price is bloated. This is why I decided to pull my reservation recently...

I have little doubt they're gonna nail the R1T and R1S and I simply cannot stomach the price premium right now (without knowing the warranty to be offered, the resale value etc). If Rivian were to come out publicly and say they'll buy back any Rivian for 60% on a trade in after 5 years on a new Rivian I would be in... there would be a security net there on residual value that ) is currently a major risk with purchasing the first model year of any vehicle, let alone the first model year from a brand new vehicle manufacturer. Doing a buy back like this is also to Rivian's advantage in that it sets the resale market for their product, allows them to collect real world vehicles for teardown analysis and study after 5 years, and also keeps service claims to a minimum as they yet to have a plan identified for establishing a service network (older cars have more problems in general)... I suppose Amazon distribution centers could serve as the Rivian service centers since they'll have all the vans that Rivian has agreed to servicing. If Rivian learns anything from Tesla it should be that it's difficult to maintain a name as a reputable brand with aging cars on the road that have no dedicated service network/ framework to rely on. Hopefully they'll establish some factory trained technicians and program out of Normal site to distribute strategically around the country at Amazon distribution centers... I figure by about the time the R1R comes out a lot of the infancy issues will be worked out and the price will be in a reasonable price point. i

The Tesla truck is appealing as it is advertised to at least start at a reasonable price (50K) and can likely do and go anywhere I'd be willing to take a Rivian or any 40K+ vehicle.... It's hard to imagine the man whose entire portfolio is about conquering space and in particular travel to and survivability on Mars is going to develop an EV, earth vehicle that cannot be somewhat capable offroad. Neither the R1T or Tesla or any EV will even be a rock crawler (at least in my eyes).. let's be honest... a suburu or rav4 can go all the places and do all the things the majority of people plan for the R1T or in terms of function... The R1R excites me a lot because it will have alot of the same tech (if not later iterations with lessons learned incorporated) and at a price point around 50K I'd guess... plus it will fit on all the jeep trails and sxs trails potentially in existance.

I tend to agree with a lot of what you're saying.. I'm sure the pricing is what is best for the company and probably very smart as a first product.. for me personally, 50k would be a no brainer and probably 60k too. 70k starting, and more like 80k for the mid battery pack is just a little more than I can afford unfortunately.

Although I will say, I think the R1T/S for me is meaningfully differentiated from a Rav4 or Subaru - 14" of ground clearance is great - I'm not a rubicon trail person, but I do plenty of trails that a Rav4 would get banged up doing - but my Tacoma with a 2" lift can do with little risk - so for me, those trails are doable with the Rivian but few other vehicles could handle them.

The Tesla truck I will be looking at closely, entirely because of the $50k price point.

Sponsored

 

[Nuclearn8]

one can lift a Rav4 or suburu, just sayin... kits run 500 but I get what you're saying.. being comfortable with doing it is different than a vehicles capabilities... I could see buying the Tesla truck if it's even somewhat capable on defined trails for 50K.

 

[JeffOutWest]

one can lift a Rav4 or suburu, just sayin... kits run 500 but I get what you're saying.. being comfortable with doing it is different than a vehicles capabilities... I could see buying the Tesla truck if it's even somewhat capable on defined trails for 50K.

Yeah I agree - it seems downright dangerous to take a Model X offroad.. but if they can make the Tesla truck safe, with decent off-road performance, I'll get one I'm somewhat worried they make it a truck that can tow and has good range, but can't be off-roaded.. and I don't think electrics are like ICE vehicles, in the sense that you can just upgrade them to increase off-road prowess, unless they are designed from the start with that in mind.

Having said that, I might get the Tesla truck anyway, just as a comfortable larger electric vehicle, even if I can't take it offroad... although again, I'd much prefer a 55k or even 60k Rivian with 130kWh

 

[hola29]

What you are saying makes a lot of sense. But "sense" and buying a Rivian at this point are not totally related. So if that is your primary metric for a decision to purchase, I can see your point.

I want a capable 4wd EV, like the company, and am willing to put up with a lot of shenanigans. I also like being on the vanguard of something cool. I am also financially in a place where depreciation or resale is not an issue. I would probably counsel most folks to wait a bit, but for me, I like a little risk

I love what Rivian is promising to offer, however the price is bloated. This is why I decided to pull my reservation recently...

I have little doubt they're gonna nail the R1T and R1S and I simply cannot stomach the price premium right now (without knowing the warranty to be offered, the resale value etc). If Rivian were to come out publicly and say they'll buy back any Rivian for 60% on a trade in after 5 years on a new Rivian I would be in... there would be a security net there on residual value that ) is currently a major risk with purchasing the first model year of any vehicle, let alone the first model year from a brand new vehicle manufacturer. Doing a buy back like this is also to Rivian's advantage in that it sets the resale market for their product, allows them to collect real world vehicles for teardown analysis and study after 5 years, and also keeps service claims to a minimum as they yet to have a plan identified for establishing a service network (older cars have more problems in general)... I suppose Amazon distribution centers could serve as the Rivian service centers since they'll have all the vans that Rivian has agreed to servicing. If Rivian learns anything from Tesla it should be that it's difficult to maintain a name as a reputable brand with aging cars on the road that have no dedicated service network/ framework to rely on. Hopefully they'll establish some factory trained technicians and program out of Normal site to distribute strategically around the country at Amazon distribution centers... I figure by about the time the R1R comes out a lot of the infancy issues will be worked out and the price will be in a reasonable price point. i

The Tesla truck is appealing as it is advertised to at least start at a reasonable price (50K) and can likely do and go anywhere I'd be willing to take a Rivian or any 40K+ vehicle.... It's hard to imagine the man whose entire portfolio is about conquering space and in particular travel to and survivability on Mars is going to develop an EV, earth vehicle that cannot be somewhat capable offroad. Neither the R1T or Tesla or any EV will even be a rock crawler (at least in my eyes).. let's be honest... a suburu or rav4 can go all the places and do all the things the majority of people plan for the R1T or in terms of function... The R1R excites me a lot because it will have alot of the same tech (if not later iterations with lessons learned incorporated) and at a price point around 50K I'd guess... plus it will fit on all the jeep trails and sxs trails potentially in existance.

 

[JeffOutWest]

What you are saying makes a lot of sense. But "sense" and buying a Rivian at this point are not totally related. So if that is your primary metric for a decision to purchase, I can see your point.

I want a capable 4wd EV, like the company, and am willing to put up with a lot of shenanigans. I also like being on the vanguard of something cool. I am also financially in a place where depreciation or resale is not an issue. I would probably counsel most folks to wait a bit, but for me, I like a little risk

I agree it's not really about making sense! but for me I simply might have to wait until I can afford a used one in a few years.. unfortunately

 

[JackA]

I just priced a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 4WD, double cab with standard bed at $61,000. You can go to the Chevrolet website and look at the packages and options. You can actually get a Silverado LTZ up to about $80,000. My point? The Rivian R1T is not much more.

 

[JeffOutWest]

I just priced a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 4WD, double cab with standard bed at $61,000. You can go to the Chevrolet website and look at the packages and options. You can actually get a Silverado LTZ up to about $80,000. My point? The Rivian R1T is not much more.

Yeah I am very much with you on this one.. if I am looking at any vehicle within 10-20k of the Rivian, I would get the Rivian instead, hands down.

 

[skyote]

I'm looking forward to tonight's reveal, and can't help but think Elon has a few special surprises in store.

I know Tesla has plenty on its plate with the truck, Model Y, etc., but I'm hoping someone soon fills a gap I've seen in the market for awhile.

Along with the truck, wouldn't it be cool to unveil a prototype electric UTV? Polaris made a halfhearted attempt with the Ranger EV, but I'd love to see Tesla or Rivian take a shot at that space!

 

[Mr_funnypuns]

I’m looking for evidence that this truck is real, and that Tesla has developed the concept sufficiently to be a real competitor, Vs. needing to push a public announcement to counter what seems to be a solid production plan from Rivian.

First the base specifications that are essential to the reliability of the platform
1) Battery Capacity - 180 kWH+
2) Coefficient of drag/range - I want a range rating of 2x my weekly drive 2x 200 mile = 400 mile.
3) Battery type / cycle life - Million Mile battery?
4) Acceleration time / Peak Torque under load - Rivian is acceptable
5) crash & safety functions - Control of truck in adverse conditions is critical, protection / safety of pack is critical, 5-star crash ratings

Next the Utility specifications:
1) Tow rating / load rating 6000 lb minimum
2) Bed Dimensions - Rivian is smaller than I’d like
3) Cabin Capacity & comforts - Match features in similarly priced ICE driven trucks

Finally the service specifications
1) Service organization improvements & partnerships - Trucks need service, especially used in business - Tesla needs to improve.
2) Finance/Insurance Partnerships - Lower cashflows over longer periods of times
3) Production locations / partnerships - Major US Manufacturer integrating Tesla platform?
4) Who is booking large orders - Major customer prepurchase order = some credence to production readiness
5) Target Market - Rivian targeting “adventurers” AKA Outdoor enthusiast market
6) Fiirm production date - ARe they confident enough to risk a public black eye if they miss?

 

[Hmp10]

But Tesla severely needs to stop sucking in the interior design finesse category.

Amen. I've been driving a Tesla for over four years, and my brother has for almost two. The cars are technological marvels in acceleration, handling, and efficiency. What (very) few problems we've had have been addressed satisfactorily by Tesla at no cost to us. But none of the current models -- not even the Model X -- is a truly comfortable vehicle for four adults.

In the early days when battery packs were more limited and range anxiety was the biggest hurdle Tesla faced, I could see the point of sloping roof lines to eke out every last mile of range. But a huge price in passenger accommodation was exacted, especially with the high floor pans required by the underbody batteries. It's time to shave a few miles of range off their vehicles to make the vehicles more commodious for long-range travel with more than two adults.

This issue alone is the reason I have deposits down on a Rivian R1S and a Lucid Air sedan. Otherwise, I'd remain with Tesla for my next EV, as I think their total system integration has and will retain a leg up on the competition for at least a few more years.

 

[Hmp10]

Okay . . . I'm watching the Tesla pickup reveal. Rivian's future is assured.

What a mess Musk has coughed up.

 

[TXKidd]

I totally thought the initial reveal was a joke, and the actual truck was yet to be shown . I know that won’t be my electric truck purchase lol.

 

[electruck]

Yeah, no thoughts of cancelling my Rivian reservation for something that looks like it was whipped up last minute from the remnants of the Starship that blew up during testing. Elon did say it was made of the same material....

 

[Hmp10]

This makes the Pontiac Aztec look like a work of art. And how could they do that steel ball demonstration without knowing for sure it wouldn't break the glass? It so rattled Musk that he never recovered his balance. I think the whole thing ended earlier than planned, and the outdoor driving demo has obviously been canceled. Makes sense, since the side windows would probably have finished crumbling if they opened and closed the doors.

I wonder what the stock will do tomorrow.

The funniest / saddest thing was the image fade-out of a hideous vehicle with two broken windows to an "Order Now" button.

 

[skyote]

Interesting price, specs, & capabilities, but ugly as it gets!

Sponsored