? Update from RJ on production & deliveries -- via email letter 12/28/21

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Lol.

Wife, two dogs, toddler, myself, and all of our crap.

Yeah I did that over the summer, same stuff, in our CX-5 SC to TX for a 3 week trip and it was less than ideal. Then again to Disney a month ago sans dogs and still not ideal.

Luckily we don't plan on adding another tax deduction until I'll be able to take delivery of the R1S because there's no way we could do either trip with 2 in our current family car.

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[mwexler2]

The two statements are not necessarily mutually exclusive. If Rivian can deliver more trucks in 2022 by starting with just adventure large packs than by having a mix of adventure/explore and large/max packs then he is having the greatest impact.it’s super likely that they are battery constrained. Also really likely that changing configs slows down the assembly process.
With 71K order backlog, there are enough large adventures to keep them busy through 2022 and it maximizes number of vehicles produced and therefore climate impact.

While I don't doubt your quote above, RJ gave a different reason in his last update a few days ago (quote below). Battery supply constraint was not listed as an issue, but rather ramping up production and delivering more vehicles that would "have the largest possible positive climate impact."

Whether one believes his statement is entirely up to them. I suspect it was a good thing to say, main reason or not, especially after you've already satisfied your major stockholders by trying to ramp up production.

 

[R1S Maineiac]

Yeah I did that over the summer, same stuff, in our CX-5 SC to TX for a 3 week trip and it was less than ideal. Then again to Disney a month ago sans dogs and still not ideal.

Luckily we don't plan on adding another tax deduction until I'll be able to take delivery of the R1S because there's no way we could do either trip with 2 in our current family car.

I'm hesitant about the CoPilot 360 or whatever Ford/Lincoln calls it. I'm spoiled. I need smart cruise and steering assist now. Maybe I'll test drive one.

We're all done adding tax deductions, but the one we've got is only going to get bigger.

 

[Zoidz]

While I don't doubt your quote above, RJ gave a different reason in his last update a few days ago (quote below). Battery supply constraint was not listed as an issue, but rather ramping up production and delivering more vehicles that would "have the largest possible positive climate impact."

Whether one believes his statement is entirely up to them. I suspect it was a good thing to say, main reason or not, especially after you've already satisfied your major stockholders by trying to ramp up production.

He didn't give a different reason, he gave multiple reasons.

In that same statement RJ specifically said there is a battery constraint in manufacturing:
Scaringe told investors Thursday. “We’re ramping largely as expected, the battery constraint is really an artifact of just bringing up a highly automated line..."

 

[cc84]

He didn't give a different reason, he gave multiple reasons.

In that same statement RJ specifically said there is a battery constraint in manufacturing:
Scaringe told investors Thursday. “We’re ramping largely as expected, the battery constraint is really an artifact of just bringing up a highly automated line..."

Apparently, you and I are referencing different materials. What you quoted above is not in my email update by RJ dated Dec. 28th. Maybe yours was from an investor standpoint. Mine is from the email I received and was as I quoted in my post. As I mentioned, I don't doubt you, I was quoting exactly what I was sent from Rivian. I have no other communication to go by.

 

[cc84]

The two statements are not necessarily mutually exclusive. If Rivian can deliver more trucks in 2022 by starting with just adventure large packs than by having a mix of adventure/explore and large/max packs then he is having the greatest impact.it’s super likely that they are battery constrained. Also really likely that changing configs slows down the assembly process.
With 71K order backlog, there are enough large adventures to keep them busy through 2022 and it maximizes number of vehicles produced and therefore climate impact.

Exactly, no argument from me. That's the way I see it too. My point was, that the only communication Rivian sent to me, did not mention anything whatsoever about battery constraints. I never said it was, or was not a factor. Only that it was not mentioned in his email update dated Dec. 28th, and I quoted what was said directly from the email.

 

[paariv]

And that's something EACH person investing into this should have expected. I get that everyone has specific needs, but contingency plans should be adhered in situations like this. I get it, and like the rest of you, I too have a long wait ahead of me regarding me getting my Rivian. I didn't expect me getting this vehicle any time prior 2025 and already have contingencies to meet that. Once such example is preparing to lease a vehicle for 3 yrs for when I give up on the Bolt I currently drive.

Not really the point, and when they projected 2020 3 years ago, and then mid-2021 when LEs were available, it’s not unreasonable to feel a bit jerked around. Nor to feel squeezed by these circumstances.

Do I think that amounts to coercion? Of course not. But the attitude that any complaints about delivery timing are simply impatient and entitled whining are dead wrong.

 

[DuckTruck]

TMI

You beat me to it, so to speak....

 

[E.S.]

Not really the point, and when they projected 2020 3 years ago, and then mid-2021 when LEs were available, it’s not unreasonable to feel a bit jerked around. Nor to feel squeezed by these circumstances.

Do I think that amounts to coercion? Of course not. But the attitude that any complaints about delivery timing are simply impatient and entitled whining are dead wrong.

When did I ever mention "entitled whining"? I'm saying that the delays, seeing that the company is only 3 months in production capacity, should be expected, not the other way around.

 

[cc84]

And that's something EACH person investing into this should have expected......

Oops! Seems everyone knew but me. I finally realized something was wrong back in May and developed back up plans, but never will I do this again. I flat out learned my lesson......the hard, long wait way.

 

[Otra4]

I’m not happy to hear of another delay, but I will wait it out to get what seems to be a vehicle worth waiting for.

 

[Bobthebuilder352]

Given that the max pack consumes ~30% more cells than a “large“ one, they can make 10 large packs for every 7 max packs. The minority of their order book is the bigger battery, so it’s poor resource allocation to build those first.

thinking about it there was a clue in plain sight all along. The launch edition isn’t available with the max pack.

Are you implying there is a higher demand for large over max if someone has the choice? Lol. Majority are large because it’s the one being released first...

 

[crashmtb]

Are you implying there is a higher demand for large over max if someone has the choice? Lol. Majority are large because it’s the one being released first...

no, where did I say that?

 

[Autolycus]

Are you implying there is a higher demand for large over max if someone has the choice? Lol. Majority are large because it’s the one being released first...

What are you basing that belief on? The $10k price tag has an awful lot to do with people's decisions.

 

[Zoidz]

Are you implying there is a higher demand for large over max if someone has the choice? Lol. Majority are large because it’s the one being released first...

What are you basing that belief on? The $10k price tag has an awful lot to do with people's decisions.

Yes, $10k is definitely a factor in many decisions when it moves the price from $75k to $85k.

One recent study said that 42% of consumers were satisfied with a range of less than 400 miles.

The probable scenario is that the large is being released first because Rivian did market research and found that for a combination of reasons - price, acceptable range performance, etc, the large would result in the most unit sales.

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