Rivian CEO: "We’re really convicted" about skipping CarPlay (The Verge interview 10/6/25))

[VSG]

And a starting price of $45k as the basic R2 is a non starter.

Starting price of $45k means that more than 50% of the car buyers in this country can afford it. That's a huge market. While it could be "huger" if they lowered the price, that's a far cry from concluding that no one will buy at this price and they'll go bankrupt. The R2 can't be everything to everybody. Other Rivian vehicles will eventually target other market segments. But for now Rivian needs to continue with a strong vision and execute their vision for the market segment they've chosen, NOT try to water everything down to be more generic.

Tesla is about to .......

Tesla's always "about to" do something. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice ...

Seems like a "miss" to lose that convenience of being able to hold the shelf up.

Meh. I have a Gen 1 Launch with the folding shelf and the three magnets. Fact is, the only time this is useful is when you have nothing in the frunk and need to get at something underneath. For me, that's never. Whenever I need to get the stuff underneath, my frunk is always full of other stuff, and having the hinge actually just complicates things. And I never ever use the magnets because my stuff is always in the way.

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[Hereforthesnacks]

Depends. What hasn't Rivian shown us yet? Will there be another trim in a year or two that's more off-road focused? Lots of people like the R1S's capabilities but want a smaller vehicle.

I really don’t think that’s the case. No one has ever told me that they like the R1 for its off road capabilities. I mean, no one has even taken it to a trail lol. Of course, I am no market researcher. But I know quite a few R1 owners.

A $45-55k R2 is the execution of a winning plan from 2018. It is not a winning plan for 2026.

At least the predictable stock has allowed a lot of averaging down of cost basis lol. Boy, that loss from 2022 was a killer

 

[Dark-Fx]

Meh. I have a Gen 1 Launch with the folding shelf and the three magnets. Fact is, the only time this is useful is when you have nothing in the frunk and need to get at something underneath. For me, that's never. Whenever I need to get the stuff underneath, my frunk is always full of other stuff, and having the hinge actually just complicates things. And I never ever use the magnets because my stuff is always in the way.

That sub-storage needs to be a drawer that opens out the front of the vehicle. I hate having to empty the frunk out to get access to it. On my R1T it's just lifted up all the time.

 

[Hereforthesnacks]

Starting price of $45k means that more than 50% of the car buyers in this country can afford it. That's a huge market.

First, the economy is deteriorating. People who can afford that amount for a car are likely to hold off.

Second, it’s not what people can afford to do. It’s what people chose to buy. People in the market for a $45-55k car will prefer ICE or plug in hybrid. Not EV.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Meh. I have a Gen 1 Launch with the folding shelf and the three magnets. Fact is, the only time this is useful is when you have nothing in the frunk and need to get at something underneath. For me, that's never. Whenever I need to get the stuff underneath, my frunk is always full of other stuff, and having the hinge actually just complicates things. And I never ever use the magnets because my stuff is always in the way.

I like the hinge. Seems nicer than just a board that drops in. But obv. just imo.

Popped into the Lucid store yesterday, also. Saw a Gravity there. I'm not really sure what market they're trying to capture with a frunk that turns into a bench. Tailgaters, maybe? Again just imo but that's even less useful, LOL.

 

[elektrode]

Text/speech/text please. Or is it rocket surgery that only CP/AA can figure out? Cause it sure seems like some huge major technical hurdle for Rivian.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Text/speech/text please. Or is it rocket surgery that only CP/AA can figure out? Cause it sure seems like some huge major technical hurdle for Rivian.

Speech to text is notoriously awful. Amazon supports doing it with Alexa, Rivian could have gone that route. We all know how many threads it would have generated from people complaining about it constantly.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Not a clickbaity title at all... of all the topics covered in the talk, ACP gets the spotlight.

Was climbing all over the Gen 2's at the Tysons Corner showroom yesterday. Hadn't realized they'd removed the hinge and frunk magnets before. Seems like a "miss" to lose that convenience of being able to hold the shelf up. I know "cost cutting and all that", but really it's one magnet, how much could it cost? $10?

$10 x 1,000? 10,000? 100,000? How many service centers/techs would that pay for? Remember GM tried to save 25¢ on a ignition switch.

 

[captainjp]

That sub-storage needs to be a drawer that opens out the front of the vehicle. I hate having to empty the frunk out to get access to it. On my R1T it's just lifted up all the time.

Gen 2 has notches towards the back that the shelf sits in perpendicular to the space. Pretty much serves the same purpose as the magnets.

 

[Seano]

RJ is right, the Rivian experience will eventually surpass CarPlay and be much more valuable for Rivian and as he said if he's okay with losing some sales of CarPlay hardliners because of it. Really this whole thing is moot anyways now that EVPlay exists. Just buy one of those and get your CarPlay if you really want it.

Agreed: now I just need to install it!

Although for me, dash phone mount + Google Maps upgrade brought me most of the way there

 

[mkg3]

I like the hinge. Seems nicer than just a board that drops in. But obv. just imo.

Popped into the Lucid store yesterday, also. Saw a Gravity there. I'm not really sure what market they're trying to capture with a frunk that turns into a bench. Tailgaters, maybe? Again just imo but that's even less useful, LOL.

I can see it now with all the. sports team logos as well as universities. It is for tailgaters and alumni boosters!!

 

[funnynardo]

i feel r2 should be priced lower than 45k for the base model if it will have a smaller battery giving less than 300 miles of range. i can order a model y long range with their more premium interior for 45k, and 49k for dual motor awd. lower cost model y coming out tomorrow which i assume will start at 40k or less, which undercuts r2 even more.

if it costs more than 50k for the long range version, the bmw ix3 starting at less than 55k for 300 miles range is a compelling option with much faster charging and can upgrade to a 400 mile range option for a little less than 60k. ix3 also has a 4 ecu zonal architecture, proven build quality, supposedly good driving dynamics, and very good adas functionality.

i would be happy to buy r2 long range awd for around 50k.

 

[True Brit]

We just need USB Play...keep it simple and skip the Bluetooth degradation.
It's simple for all the DSOT USBP KISS

 

[Great Gatsby]

i feel r2 should be priced lower than 45k for the base model if it will have a smaller battery giving less than 300 miles of range. i can order a model y long range with their more premium interior for 45k

That is truly a wild thing to say.

 

[Great Gatsby]

First, the economy is deteriorating. People who can afford that amount for a car are likely to hold off.

Second, it’s not what people can afford to do. It’s what people chose to buy. People in the market for a $45-55k car will prefer ICE or plug in hybrid. Not EV.

Are they now? The Model Y was the best selling vehicle in the world in 2023 and 2024. Is this based on anything or just conjecture? Genuinely curious.

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