⛔️ Powered Tonneau cover removed from R1T production until further notice on all future deliveries

[Rivian_Hugh_III]

It would be incredibly cynical to think so poorly of your customers to assume that you could trick them into a purchase by hiding damaging information. It will all come out eventually and every hidden disclosure sows mistrust and frustration with the brand. A drip, drip, drip of bad news is far worse than getting everything out at once.

Agree. That they’re doing it on purpose makes it even more egregious.

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[Bigeasy70075]

I think the can't be retrofitted statement is total BS because what are they going to do with the 12,000 trucks that have been promised to get the updated version when available

 

[Ripped]

Welp, it was apparent that there were issues with the cover from the get-go. Since I am planning on keeping the R1T for a lot of years I figure; It's complex, why risk maintenance or functional issues down the road with an electric cover?
So I opted for the manual cover, when it was listed as an option.

To me it's an item similar to the electric (touch-screen-controlled) a/c vents. Fancy and unnecessary.

Sad for those who had their heart set on it, but it's going to be a challenge to get a bullet-proof redesign.

 

[R1Tom]

Once again....they could have handled this better....

They should have offered a "deferred powered tonneau" option. Build the truck completely ready for it to be added later. Take the money now with an IOU at delivery. When avail...bring them into shops and install, or better yet, send two techs to owners houses, work, etc... and slide in the kit and plug in wiring harness.

Or simply build them ready wired, etc... for a later sale in the gear shop. And tell everyone that when they become available, they can buy them and have them installed at service center, for the original $2k add amount, if they had a pre-order at that price.

This isn't that hard to see how the consumers will want to see this, and yet they take the either ignorant or arrogant approach. I am not sure which...

 

[intimidator]

Okay... I get it, but the lack of "Don't worry, your R1T will be able to be retrofitted to allow for a powered tonneau at a later date, and those that have a powered option selected currently, will be able to secure it at their original pricing" is becoming tiresome.

Not a fan of half assed changes in direction, with half baked non answers to questions that are blatantly going to be asked.

Putting out defective tonneaus and then repairing them later is an obvious bad choice business wise, but to pull them and not give an idea of what those (ME) whom have been, albeit impatiently waiting, non answers is bs.

Unfortunately it was a poor design way back in the beginning.

And honestly, from the first one seen in the wild, it looked to many as something that would break pretty easily. Which it does.

The only solution is for them to pull the feature. They have their hands full trying to get vehicles out and into customers hands.

You could go with NO cover and then go to a third party?

 

[Kaprice]

To me it's an item similar to the electric (touch-screen-controlled) a/c vents. Fancy and unnecessary.

I suspect the vent control decision was about cost and upgradability (software upgrade) and not about trying to be fancy.

 

[opnwide]

I’m not too concerned.

 

[Bigeasy70075]

How can you be humorous at a time like this......But funny as hell. Thanks for the laugh. I think we all needed it.

 

[Jac]

To me as well, that's where these fall apart (communication wise, not tonneau wise lol) they have obviously taken the time to either do an all hands internal CS meeting or sent out an email outlining "What to say when customer asks ____" email, bring us into the transparency fold FFS. It's going to be asked, and require an answer. Oh you have one? Shit, put it in the initial email you sent me 2 minutes prior to posing these questions and wasting both our time.

In the end, I save 3000 cdn dollars by going manual. So far. Spare tire storage is next, spare will be mounted to the top of the hood soon. But don't worry, "it will have little to no effect aero"

Before I retired I ran marketing and communications functions at a large public company. In addition to your points, I can’t believe Rivian’s legal department wouldn’t want the answers to these obvious customer questions addressed as part of the Law Department-approved customer written communication. Relying on customer service staff to answer questions runs the risk of response variation/errors.

The high level communication should have been accompanied by FAQs addressing the obvious questions that emerged in this thread.

 

[Guy]

Welp, it was apparent that there were issues with the cover from the get-go. Since I am planning on keeping the R1T for a lot of years I figure; It's complex, why risk maintenance or functional issues down the road with an electric cover?
So I opted for the manual cover, when it was listed as an option.

To me it's an item similar to the electric (touch-screen-controlled) a/c vents. Fancy and unnecessary.

Sad for those who had their heart set on it, but it's going to be a challenge to get a bullet-proof redesign.

Maybe so but Hyundai with the Santa Fe seems to have a working powered covered for half the price.

 

[jebinc]

Just got this ..

Wow, lots of problems being seen or disclosed, from poor half shafts to dead DUs and now the Tonneau cover feasco, Glad I took delivery of SN 00991X which, so far, has none of these maladies. I did, however, dry lun the shite out of the tonneau cover friction points.

 

[itselectric]

I think the can't be retrofitted statement is total BS because what are they going to do with the 12,000 trucks that have been promised to get the updated version when available

Friday afternoon is starting to become bad news Rivian time. I think those of us who have taken delivery are going to be stuck with a bad design powered cover for at least 6 if not more months. Probably more.

I'm not even confident if they can or will retrofit. They may end up just giving us our money back and removing it.

Are they just going to trickle bad news out each week? I'd personally prefer a rip the band aid approach.

 

[jebinc]

Bad news always comes on a Friday afternoon...

That’s intentional as the media largely sleeps over the weekend with a new news cycle starting on Monday morning. They are hoping no one will notice or forget by Monday.

 

[NY_Rob]

Are they just going to trickle bad news out each week? I'd personally prefer a rip the band aid approach.

^ I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see a CV-Joint/Half Shaft recall next. You can't just hide your head in the sand an wish the problems away.

 

[crashmtb]

Maybe so but Hyundai with the Santa Fe seems to have a working powered covered for half the price.

the Hyundai Santa Cruz doesn’t have a powered cover. Manual roll up one.

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