Current daily production rate

[DuckTruck]

Given some of the feedback Forumers have received from employees, including at test drive and other recent events, is it possible that the company has filled the initial round of employee vehicles? Some here have said they've heard the employee vehicle program is closed (for now?), or that the L.E. may now be out of play for employees going forward.

Now that civilian deliveries are happening, perhaps Rivian grew confident enough with what they've learned to date from those early employee miles? Perhaps they have enough data to release vehicles almost exclusively to customers. Maybe they've confirmed that their OTA Update system can handle everything needed to get going with outsider deliveries.

For all we know, there may have been an internal deadline to get in an order that would allow the early testing of vehicles. They also may have determined what number of employee vehicles would likely be sufficient for that early testing program, and knew they would put additional employee vehicles on the back burner. Maybe for those employees who didn't put in an order early enough, later vehicles will follow to add back the incentive of having a subsidized (and monitored?) R1T. It really is a wonderful bonus for joining the company, but it makes sense that if some early employee orders were necessary for testing/monitoring purposes, that they may have reached the logical end and now want to fill customer orders.

I sure hope they bring it back as an incentive for all, because I know it would be valuable to me if I were there. It also wouldn't surprise me if they closed the door to Launch Editions to those employees that may not have committed in time, just as they did for customers. After all, they did promise exclusivity with the Launch Edition, and pumping out several thousand more for employees, vehicles that will eventually hit the used market, it wouldn't exactly keep it as exclusive as intended.

If an artist sold a piece by stating it's "1 of 50 ever to be produced", I'd be a little upset if mine showed up with the inscription "1,041 of 50". "?WTF!!!"

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[cc84]

I get the sentiment. It seems to me to be a combination of a employee retention/attraction that also had the bonus of helping their apparent QA program.

Soon it shouldn't matter though either if there's enough output, you noted.

Personally I think it may be a good idea for them to allow employees to get near the front of the line over the next year or two as a way to attract employees and help ramp production. Assuming they are running into labor constraints.

Good answer Brice. (My next comment is just a New Year's rant ?)

However, (very easy to see) I'm a customer first advocate and I see other ways to attract employees to the workforce, without taking away the only reason we, the customers, are attracted to Rivian in the first place.......their vehicle. Without us, the employees may as well go home.

As I mentioned, I'm totally onboard with a designated amount of employees receiving their vehicles first, for testing, but best I recall this was never verified by Rivian until RJ's latest Dec 28th update.

Up until that point, Rivian said deliveries to customers had begun in Sept. Then later, we found out the customers were actually employees, or associated with Rivian in some manner. Now, Dec. 28th, we find out why the employees were actually given their vehicles first, after this had been discussed already for months on this forum, which eventually was accepted as fact, without verification.

Did Rivian pick up on this? No way to know, but I do know that I find it hard to believe now, being this could have been settled with full disclosure in Sept.......but was not. I don't like ambiguous statements, or half-truths. This is what I see Rivian practicing.

Anyone who receives delivery of a Rivian will more than likely be sending data to Rivian in some manner, same as an employee's vehicle is doing now. As I also mentioned, hundreds of employees are willing to accept their vehicle as currently produced and seem to be pleased. I find it hard to believe 3 yr. reservationist are jumping up and down with joy, saying let's keep testing longer until they make it perfect, while employees are enjoying their vehicle and jumping the line. I could be wrong though.

 

[crashmtb]

Good answer Brice. (My next comment is just a New Year's rant ?)

However, (very easy to see) I'm a customer first advocate and I see other ways to attract employees to the workforce, without taking away the only reason we, the customers, are attracted to Rivian in the first place.......their vehicle. Without us, the employees may as well go home.

As I mentioned, I'm totally onboard with a designated amount of employees receiving their vehicles first, for testing, but best I recall this was never verified by Rivian until RJ's latest Dec 28th update.

Up until that point, Rivian said deliveries to customers had begun in Sept. Then later, we found out the customers were actually employees, or associated with Rivian in some manner. Now, Dec. 28th, we find out why the employees were actually given their vehicles first, after this had been discussed already for months on this forum, which eventually was accepted as fact, without verification.

Did Rivian pick up on this? No way to know, but I do know that I find it hard to believe now, being this could have been settled with full disclosure in Sept.......but was not. I don't like ambiguous statements, or half-truths. This is what I see Rivian practicing.

Anyone who receives delivery of a Rivian will more than likely be sending data to Rivian in some manner, same as an employee's vehicle is doing now. As I also mentioned, hundreds of employees are willing to accept their vehicle as currently produced and seem to be pleased. I find it hard to believe 3 yr. reservationist are jumping up and down with joy, saying let's keep testing longer until they make it perfect, while employees are enjoying their vehicle and jumping the line. I could be wrong though.

would you be willing to accept a validation-phase vehicle? Because that’s what employees are getting.

 

[cc84]

would you be willing to accept a validation-phase vehicle? Because that’s what employees are getting.

Thanks for the question. How do you personally know the employees have validation-phase vehicles? Where do you find this information showing how these vehicles differ, from the ones that are supposedly being delivered to non-employees?

I have no problem accepting anything the employees have received, as long as they carry the same warranty. If hundreds of employees are satisfied and thrilled with their Rivian, I don't see why I couldn't be. I have yet to hear any horror stories and I hope it remains that way.?

 

[crashmtb]

Thanks for the question. How do you personally know the employees have validation-phase vehicles? Where do you find this information showing how these vehicles differ, from the ones that are supposedly being delivered to non-employees?

I have no problem accepting anything the employees have received, as long as they carry the same warranty. If hundreds of employees are satisfied and thrilled with their Rivian, I don't see why I couldn't be. I have yet to hear any horror stories and I hope it remains that way.?

How do I “personally know”?

It’s quite clear they are not just delivering vehicles first employees to validate and refine the “delivery experience“. They’re validating the finished product, the truck. How it is assembled, handles etc etc.

Thus, validation-phase.

if there have been suboptimal experiences, we at large wouldn’t hear about them.
if I worked for a company that made a product and have an early copy, or any copy of that product, I’m not going to complain about it out loud publicly.

 

[ads75]

How do I “personally know”?

It’s quite clear they are not just delivering vehicles first employees to validate and refine the “delivery experience“. They’re validating the finished product, the truck. How it is assembled, handles etc etc.

Thus, validation-phase.

if there have been suboptimal experiences, we at large wouldn’t hear about them.
if I worked for a company that made a product and have an early copy, or any copy of that product, I’m not going to complain about it out loud publicly.

Don't forget that we haven't seen any vehicles on delivery trucks with any protection whatsoever. I am curious as they hold up on delivery trucks with no protection, since most other manufacturers feel the need to put some protective equipment on. Of course, it could just be they didn't want to wait on deliveries for some covers.

 

[crashmtb]

Don't forget that we haven't seen any vehicles on delivery trucks with any protection whatsoever. I am curious as they hold up on delivery trucks with no protection, since most other manufacturers feel the need to put some protective equipment on. Of course, it could just be they didn't want to wait on deliveries for some covers.

A lot of cars are shipped without protection. I can see rivian eliminating that all as it’s a lot of plastic waste.

 

[ads75]

A lot of cars are shipped without protection. I can see rivian eliminating that all as it’s a lot of plastic waste.

I didn't think about the plastic waste part, you are probably right. And if the delivered trucks don't have any damage, there really isn't anything to get upset about.

 

[crashmtb]

I didn't think about the plastic waste part, you are probably right. And if the delivered trucks don't have any damage, there really isn't anything to get upset about.

It’s not like they come straight off the highway transporter or rail car and go straight to the deliveree, they get a PDI like any other car.

 

[cc84]

How do I “personally know”?

It’s quite clear they are not just delivering vehicles first employees to validate and refine the “delivery experience“. They’re validating the finished product, the truck. How it is assembled, handles etc etc.

Thus, validation-phase.

if there have been suboptimal experiences, we at large wouldn’t hear about them.
if I worked for a company that made a product and have an early copy, or any copy of that product, I’m not going to complain about it out loud publicly.

I believe your opinion is as good as any. All opinions are good.

I feel employees are mainly being rewarded. Their vehicles are gathering data, but so are the other customers they've sold to. Supposedly non-employees have been receiving deliveries all along as well. I suspect the vehicles are identical. And, a non-employee could complain if they're unsatisfied, but we've not heard any yet, that would keep (some, or most) people from accepting delivery. Employees seem to be extremely excited with the truck. The comeback on hearing bad news, is this forum is only a small group and probably wouldn't hear complaints anyway. Could be true, but I have doubts. We have good investigators here.

If anyone knew the first deliveries in Sept. were going to be for employees to do testing, I think is great. All I was told, via Rivian email, is the first customer deliveries were in Sept., which is true, but a half-truth (to me). I didn't know they were employees, or being used for testing purposes, or that Rivian had an Employee Program, until much later when eventually confirmed by Rivian. It was floating around the forum here, but not confirmed until recently.

I'm going to convince myself that Rivian didn't need to make a full disclosure, due to the fact that customers, such as myself, should have known this is standard operating procedures in the auto industry, so it wasn't necessary for them to go into detail. There you have it. I'm good. I should have known better. That's the only possible explanation.

Somehow I got off-topic, so I'm through with another New Year's rant. I think I'm getting anxious that my March/April delivery date will get delayed. I feel much better now, so thanks for listening. I actually did have a guess for the "current daily production", but I don't feel it was very good. Happy New Year to all and to Rivian as well.....?

 

[AdamsFan1983]

A lot of cars are shipped without protection. I can see rivian eliminating that all as it’s a lot of plastic waste.

Just to clarify: Rivians have been shipping with factory applied clear PPF installed in critical areas.

 

[Rivianmd]

Don't forget that we haven't seen any vehicles on delivery trucks with any protection whatsoever. I am curious as they hold up on delivery trucks with no protection, since most other manufacturers feel the need to put some protective equipment on. Of course, it could just be they didn't want to wait on deliveries for some covers.

I would think this is a conscious decision regarding plastic waste material - which I think is great assuming it is prepped locally prior to delivery…just my two cents

 

[Rivianmd]

I would think this is a conscious decision regarding plastic waste material - which I think is great assuming it is prepped locally prior to delivery…just my two cents

Sorry, wasn’t caught up on thread

 

[crashmtb]

I believe your opinion is as good as any. All opinions are good.

I feel employees are mainly being rewarded. Their vehicles are gathering data, but so are the other customers they've sold to. Supposedly non-employees have been receiving deliveries all along as well. I suspect the vehicles are identical. And, a non-employee could complain if they're unsatisfied, but we've not heard any yet, that would keep (some, or most) people from accepting delivery. Employees seem to be extremely excited with the truck. The comeback on hearing bad news, is this forum is only a small group and probably wouldn't hear complaints anyway. Could be true, but I have doubts. We have good investigators here.

If anyone knew the first deliveries in Sept. were going to be for employees to do testing, I think is great. All I was told, via Rivian email, is the first customer deliveries were in Sept., which is true, but a half-truth (to me). I didn't know they were employees, or being used for testing purposes, or that Rivian had an Employee Program, until much later when eventually confirmed by Rivian. It was floating around the forum here, but not confirmed until recently.

I'm going to convince myself that Rivian didn't need to make a full disclosure, due to the fact that customers, such as myself, should have known this is standard operating procedures in the auto industry, so it wasn't necessary for them to go into detail. There you have it. I'm good. I should have known better. That's the only possible explanation.

Somehow I got off-topic, so I'm through with another New Year's rant. I think I'm getting anxious that my March/April delivery date will get delayed. I feel much better now, so thanks for listening. I actually did have a guess for the "current daily production", but I don't feel it was very good. Happy New Year to all and to Rivian as well.....?

Are you paid by the word?

 

[Diddy123]

Are you paid by the word?

Don't be a dick.

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