If i order a new R1s now, will it be 2026 or 2025? If I'm going to buy out my lease ASAP, does it matter what the MF is?

[Bmore21]

My wife's car was recently totalled. We went and test drove an R1s and she loves it.

She wants the sandstone color (eDIT - MY BAD. THE LIMESTONE COLOR) with white interior which has to be ordered which takes 2-3 months (Hopefully before Sept 1 when the 7500 tax credit for leases may go away).

I have many questions.

1) Why can't the sales rep tell me if it will be a 2026 or 2025? She thought it probably would be the new car with the Tesla plug but couldn't guarantee it. Do they really expect me to order a $90k car without knowing what I'm getting?

2) Along those lines, the rep told me they have no idea what the leasing deals will be. We have to wait until the car is almost here. Again, do they really expect me to order a nearly 100k car without knowing the deal?

3) I was planning on leasing and then buying out after a few months to get the 7.5k tax break. If that's true, does it really matter what the deal interest rate on the lease is? Considering I majored in Economics at an Ivy League school, you'd think I'd be able to figure this out but that was 20+ years ago and I have no clue. The only thing I've noticed is the average payment on their leasing calculator has gone WAY WAY up since it is now July 1 and not June 30 but I think that's because the interest rate has gone up. Will that impact me if we buy it out right away? Or has the residual value changed? I heard its safest to make 3 payments and then buy it out - is that true?

Any advice is appreciated. I live in Maryland where you have to pay sales tax on a lease on the full value of the car up front. Not sure if that impacts anything.

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[JacobAZ]

My wife's car was recently totalled. We went and test drove an R1s and she loves it.

She wants the sandstone color with white interior which has to be ordered which takes 2-3 months (Hopefully before Sept 1 when the 7500 tax credit for leases may go away).

I have many questions.

1) Why can't the sales rep tell me if it will be a 2026 or 2025? She thought it probably would be the new car with the Tesla plug but couldn't guarantee it. Do they really expect me to order a $90k car without knowing what I'm getting?

2) Along those lines, the rep told me they have no idea what the leasing deals will be. We have to wait until the car is almost here. Again, do they really expect me to order a nearly 100k car without knowing the deal?

3) I was planning on leasing and then buying out after a few months to get the 7.5k tax break. If that's true, does it really matter what the deal interest rate on the lease is? Considering I majored in Economics at an Ivy League school, you'd think I'd be able to figure this out but that was 20+ years ago and I have no clue. The only thing I've noticed is the average payment on their leasing calculator has gone WAY WAY up since it is now July 1 and not June 30 but I think that's because the interest rate has gone up. Will that impact me if we buy it out right away? Or has the residual value changed? I heard its safest to make 3 payments and then buy it out - is that true?

Any advice is appreciated. I live in Maryland where you have to pay sales tax on a lease on the full value of the car up front. Not sure if that impacts anything.

If you order from stock, its 2025. If you custom build and order most likely 2025. I believe the special deals are always on current stock. So if custom build you will likely have the standard lease with no special deal. If you buy out the lease immediately the money factor will not matter

 

[The_Mitch]

The “2026 model” doesn’t officially exist. From Rivian’s point of view that swap from CCS to NACS is too minor to be a new gen or model year. It’s just like they swapped makers for a chip mid year. The problem for us is, we care

If you are 100% going to buy out the lease, then the MF don’t matter. Be aware there are charges involved with initiating the lease, so you won’t get the full $7,500. Those origination / etc fees need to be looked at. There is no reason (if you are 100% going to buy out) to wait any time. Once the option appears on your lease (with Chase bank who Rivian works with. Your lease is NOT with Rivian) just follow the instructions they provide and you’ll own your vehicle.

 

[Bcross]

My wife's car was recently totalled. We went and test drove an R1s and she loves it.

She wants the sandstone color with white interior which has to be ordered which takes 2-3 months (Hopefully before Sept 1 when the 7500 tax credit for leases may go away).

I have many questions.

1) Why can't the sales rep tell me if it will be a 2026 or 2025? She thought it probably would be the new car with the Tesla plug but couldn't guarantee it. Do they really expect me to order a $90k car without knowing what I'm getting?

2) Along those lines, the rep told me they have no idea what the leasing deals will be. We have to wait until the car is almost here. Again, do they really expect me to order a nearly 100k car without knowing the deal?

3) I was planning on leasing and then buying out after a few months to get the 7.5k tax break. If that's true, does it really matter what the deal interest rate on the lease is? Considering I majored in Economics at an Ivy League school, you'd think I'd be able to figure this out but that was 20+ years ago and I have no clue. The only thing I've noticed is the average payment on their leasing calculator has gone WAY WAY up since it is now July 1 and not June 30 but I think that's because the interest rate has gone up. Will that impact me if we buy it out right away? Or has the residual value changed? I heard its safest to make 3 payments and then buy it out - is that true?

Any advice is appreciated. I live in Maryland where you have to pay sales tax on a lease on the full value of the car up front. Not sure if that impacts anything.

When I custom ordered my R1T in March the website said to expect delivery in 6-8 weeks. The next morning they called and said "how about Thursday?" - of course I was picking up at the factory. My guess is that whatever you order that have one on the lot in Normal. BTW - mine has a February manufacture date.

 

[jaredm]

If you're leasing to get the EV credit, be aware the big beautiful bill has claw back provisions allowing the feds to take the $7500 back for anyone that leases right now. And the bill looks pretty set to pass.

 

[SoCal Rob]

My wife's car was recently totalled. We went and test drove an R1s and she loves it.

She wants the sandstone color with white interior which has to be ordered which takes 2-3 months (Hopefully before Sept 1 when the 7500 tax credit for leases may go away).

When you say that your wife likes the sandstone color with white interior, could it be a Limestone (pale gray metallic) exterior? If so, the interior you saw was probably Ocean Coast, a grayish white. That combo should be available as a 2026 when they come out.

If it was an off-white non-metallic sand color exterior and a two-tone interior, like this https://rivian.com/dune, then that's 2025 only and a limited edition. In that case, you'd want to act on it now if that's what your wife wants.

Either way, I hope you find what you want and you two enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed ours!

 

[babock]

If you're leasing to get the EV credit, be aware the big beautiful bill has claw back provisions allowing the feds to take the $7500 back for anyone that leases right now. And the bill looks pretty set to pass.

I just looked...no clawback provisions that I could find.

 

[cusetownusa]

I thought Chase, bank Rivian uses for leases, said they will stop the $7500 rebate effective June 30th? This is the date I just got my R1S which was a motivating factor to get the deal done by then.

 

[csharp]

She wants the sandstone color with white interior which has to be ordered which takes 2-3 months

Sounds like she wants the Dune color which is only available as a 2025 and is limited run. If that is actually what she wants you need to do it sooner rather than later.

 

[jimboski93]

The “2026 model” doesn’t officially exist. From Rivian’s point of view that swap from CCS to NACS is too minor to be a new gen or model year. It’s just like they swapped makers for a chip mid year. The problem for us is, we care

If you are 100% going to buy out the lease, then the MF don’t matter. Be aware there are charges involved with initiating the lease, so you won’t get the full $7,500. Those origination / etc fees need to be looked at. There is no reason (if you are 100% going to buy out) to wait any time. Once the option appears on your lease (with Chase bank who Rivian works with. Your lease is NOT with Rivian) just follow the instructions they provide and you’ll own your vehicle.

Further to this point, I took delivery on June 20th, and on June 26th the lease showed up on my Chase account (I have an existing credit card). You can click through to get a buyout quote - this is a lot easier than I had experienced with prior leases, where they only way to get a buyout quote was to call and they'd send you the quote in the mail.

(Separately, I had posted elsewhere my thoughts on immediate lease buyout - for me, it didn't seem worth it. I have a ~5% interest rate on my lease, and think I could do better than that with the cash I'd have to utilize to buyout, plus you also lose the optionality of "do I like this car", "is the residual value at the end of the lease a good buy or not", and other factors to consider". But, those are all factors for each individual to consider)

 

[evguy]

In today's press release about Q2 deliveries, Rivian said "2026 vehicles expected to launch later this month." Once they're "launched," you'll be able to configure a 2026 model online.

https://rivian.com/newsroom/article/rivian-releases-q2-2025-production-and-delivery-figures

 

[Bmore21]

If you order from stock, its 2025. If you custom build and order most likely 2025. I believe the special deals are always on current stock. So if custom build you will likely have the standard lease with no special deal. If you buy out the lease immediately the money factor will not matter

Thanks for the replies everybody. I had the color in their wrong (limestone is what she wants).

You say I get no special deals if I custom order. But do they still apply the 7500 tax credit to me and reduce my $$ or do they take it for themselves.


Like last month, there were all these special lease deals. But that only cause the MF was super low, right? If I buy it out shortly after the lease starts, am I missing anything by not acting on the deals last month versus this month?

 

[cusetownusa]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I had the color in their wrong (limestone is what she wants).

You say I get no special deals if I custom order. But do they still apply the 7500 tax credit to me and reduce my $$ or do they take it for themselves.


Like last month, there were all these special lease deals. But that only cause the MF was super low, right? If I buy it out shortly after the lease starts, am I missing anything by not acting on the deals last month versus this month?

money factor wasn't that great for June. The lease incentives were though IMO. double check the $7500 ev rebate because I thought that was gone after June 30th. I still haven't decided if I am going to buy my lease out early or not.

 

[RivianG2R1S2024]

The “2026 model” doesn’t officially exist. From Rivian’s point of view that swap from CCS to NACS is too minor to be a new gen or model year. It’s just like they swapped makers for a chip mid year. The problem for us is, we care

If you are 100% going to buy out the lease, then the MF don’t matter. Be aware there are charges involved with initiating the lease, so you won’t get the full $7,500. Those origination / etc fees need to be looked at. There is no reason (if you are 100% going to buy out) to wait any time. Once the option appears on your lease (with Chase bank who Rivian works with. Your lease is NOT with Rivian) just follow the instructions they provide and you’ll own your vehicle.

Unless the money factor (interest on a lease) is a good rate. I picked up a Max Pack DM Performance last week and MF converted is under 5%. I was surprised at how low it is, and cancelled my plan to buy out immediately. I will comfortably continue to lease since it allows to protect against downside risks, then reconsider buying out as rates drop in the future (hopefully a meaningful drop within the next 2-3 years).

 

[RivianG2R1S2024]

If you're leasing to get the EV credit, be aware the big beautiful bill has claw back provisions allowing the feds to take the $7500 back for anyone that leases right now. And the bill looks pretty set to pass.

False. No claw-back.

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