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I won't pay more than $60k for an R2. At that price point a used R1 is a better value proposition. I'd need a pretty compelling case to go north of 55k, so I'm hoping I can get a dual motor with performance and/or off-road package at or under 55.

I think it's likely regulatory. If they changed the parameters of AP they would probably have to do updated EPA testing based on the updated parameters. Instead of changing AP to be how it should and adding Conserve to be what AP currently is and fixing AP, they simply add Sport to be what...

RJ gave a pretty evasive answer about needing capital influx in the CNBC interview. He tends to hedge, but I think more is riding on 2026 sales than just getting to ramp.

Right, there are a ton of examples just in the auto industry: the model T, the automatic transmission, power windows, the efficiency blitz in the 70s. Those were all driven by market forces, not policy. The most recent is Tesla. Were they helped some by policy decisions? Sure. Would they have...

You've got my vote! Although right to repair is more a property rights issue than policy, but other than that I'm on board.

I don't think that policy should be used to drive changes in consumer choice so we'll have to agree to disagree. Regarding the idea that allowing the market to "figure it out" leads to stagnation is a silly idea. If that's the case it's only a temporary stagnation as that will drive...

To you it may be "backward looking," to others it may just be that the value proposition for EVs hasn't reached a point of mass adoption. I love my EV, but I certainly understand the hundreds of millions of Americans who are still skeptical of the benefits. RJ has it right, it's up to the...

My understanding is that the 4695 cells are a single stack instead of a double stack like the 2170 cells. Not sure if that changes the cooling mechanism.

I'm not sure who you're arguing with. I'm talking about the US market only and BEVs only. Battery technology and charging infrastructure don't affect PHEV adoption, so I don't think sales of PHEVs are relevant the conversation.

It's the same EPA regulation that causes my Honda to have the "Auto Stop Start" function default to on so that it has to be manually turned off every drive. It's far more annoying than the auto suspension for Rivian. Auto suspension doesn't reset every time you drive, but it does after the...

I have noticed that the Chinese EVs seem to charge at much higher C rates than US, for example the Rivian which sticks to 1 C. Being very much not a physicist, can anyone explain why? Is their battery chemistry just that different or do they not care about longevity and warranties and just let...

Yeah that's simply not true. 80% of Americans live in urban areas, but EVs only represent 12% of American cars. Those numbers do not support "mass adoption" unless you're saying that only a handful of cities in the US are "technologically advanced." Meanwhile, a minority of people in China even...

You make fair points, but the realities of what you describe are exactly why I said the mass adoption won't happen without revolutionary (not evolutionary) battery tech. Can it be done? Yes, but the logistics and infrastructure requirements are so vast that it likely can't be done faster than...

I'm looking forward to being able to keep AWD on all the time. Going from a Quad to a DM without the performance upgrade, the single biggest frustration for me is the engagement/disengagement of the rear motor. It reminds me of a downshift in a gas car and it's moderately annoying. Worst is when...

I usually say I treat it like my cell phone, I plug it in before I go to bed and wake up with a full battery, like magic. The "gotcha" question I always got with my truck after I burst their range and charge time misinformation bubble was "but what about towing?"

Tesla Model Y sales last year were around 400k in the US alone, and about 400k the year previous. Rivian R2 capacity when fully operational will be 155k at least until 2028 when Georgia comes on line. Taking market share from current Model 3/Y owners and owners considering a Tesla Model 3/Y will...

My point is that the EV skeptics aren't diving in until charge times are well below 10 minutes, and for MOST buyers, the difference between 15 minutes 10-80% and 25 minutes 10-80% is far less important than how it looks and how it drives if they consider it at all. Let's be honest about the...

I think the prices will be lower and EPA estimates will be higher. Charge rates may be better but 25-30 minutes is probably about right. Even if you think that the charge rate is disappointing it shouldn't be at all surprising given all of the information available.

In my experience the people who ask me what the "range" is do so purely to reinforce their own pre-conceived notions about driving an EV. It usually goes like this: "that's a nice looking truck. It's electric?" then "how far can it go?" and I usually say "around 325 miles on a charge" and then...

Let's be honest though and acknowledge that "range" as it pertains to an EV is a nebulous concept that is highly interpretative. Every manufacturer uses different criteria for how they define it, and as long as the EPA estimate is in the same range as R1 I don't think it will affect sales. I...