Do you think Rivian should only have one battery pack? (Large Pack)

[SeaGeo]

True.

If they offered it at the same price as large

Well, in that case, if they offered me a truck with a 500kwh battery for the tiny pack price, I also agree. ?

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[mightypile]

The best of all worlds (as far as my limited mind can invent them) would be to have a "reasonable" range battery permanently installed in the truck, like the current large 314 mile pack. But it would also have plugs and an interface to support modular options.

So when you need to tow or just want to road-trip, you could temporarily drop in however many kWh would fit into the frunk in a nicely packaged frunk-shaped battery addition. Same for gear tunnel, same for bed, etc. So if I am towing, I can weigh down the R1 a bit more, extend the range a bit more. When I'm not, I can lighten the truck, free up cargo space, etc.

Whether the add-on batteries are for rent or have to be stored in your garage when not being used could be resolved by market forces later. Only the interface for the truck to recognize and manage the capacity would have to be engineered on the front end.

 

[obababoy]

1. I do agree that Rivian would have been better suited had they made the 400-mile battery the baseline (understanding the $10k hike it brings) and then marketed the "affordable option" in the 200-250 mile range coming down the road with perhaps something like a $15-20k savings.

2. It's interesting that Ford is advertising their biggest EV truck battery at 300+ miles while GM/Chevy/Hummer entering the fray with a claimed 400+ mile battery range.

1. I would normally agree but with supply chain issues and huge battery shortages, I think they opted to get more bang for their buck.

2. Maybe Ford is waiting to reveal anything. Sometimes not knowing that a larger range is coming in a year or two might help current sales.

 

[obababoy]

In the near-term, definitely. As infrastructure improves, more people convert to EV, and range anxiety becomes less of a thing, I would think the size/weight of extended range packs would become superfluous. Maybe tow rigs would need the extra capacity, but the everyday user could potentially be a-ok with 200-250 miles of range.

200-250 miles of range in an off-road adventure driven EV that can house an electric cooktop? No thank you. There are SO many other options now for people running that kind of range. An adventure and outdoor themed company should NOT be one.

 

[E.S.]

There are SO many other options now for people running that kind of range. An adventure and outdoor themed company should NOT be one.

This really depends on the individual, no? What if the "off-road adventure" you plan/want to go to frequently happens to be only 30 miles away from you? 200-250 miles battery range will more than fit your needs. Granted, that won't be the case for most occasions, but one never knows for certain individuals.

 

[r1t_kev]

200-250 miles of range in an off-road adventure driven EV that can house an electric cooktop? No thank you. There are SO many other options now for people running that kind of range. An adventure and outdoor themed company should NOT be one.

I had a 2006 Xterra with a 2" lift and 33" tires that got 280 miles to a tank, in the summer, unladen - loaded for camping or during the winter was more like 240 miles. That was a pretty sweet ICE adventure vehicle and I was never worried about range because the infrastructure was there to support me. That was more my point regarding less range, but smaller, lighter, cheaper battery. I'm not saying I would want it either, especially given the current charging infrastructure. I can see that being an appropriate option for someone in the future though.

 

[SeaGeo]

This really depends on the individual, no? What if the "off-road adventure" you plan/want to go to frequently happens to be only 30 miles away from you? 200-250 miles battery range will more than fit your needs. Granted, that won't be the case for most occasions, but one never knows for certain individuals.

Right. Right now I'm expecting I'll get a large pack R1T and maayyyybe get an R1S. But realistically the spouse will probably hold off for a couple of years and buy a less expensive EV. However, if the 250 mile R1T was available immediately and priced appropriately, I'd totally jump on that and then be more likely to buy an R1S or R1S extended range as our road trip and adventure vehicle.

 

[ds2000]

Choice is nice. My brother in law has a haulage company and has several ICE pickups that do the local donkey work. A small battery pack for those vehicles would be perfect.

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